7 Chiltern Hills Dog Walks to Explore During National Walking Month
May is National Walking Month which is all about exploring the benefits of walking. If you’ve got a dog then what better reason is there to increase your daily dog walks. And now the evenings are lighter for longer, this makes the perfect time to get outdoors for a walk.
The walking benefits to humans include:
- Walking is good for your heart. A brisk walk for 30 minutes every day is said to reduce your risk of a stroke by 27% and can help to reduce cholesterol.
- Walking helps to lose weight. If you walk at around 2mph for 30 minutes then you will burn around 75 calories, and if you increase this to 4mph this will rise to around 150 calories. 20 minutes of walking a day will burn an incredible 7lbs of body fat a year.
- Walking boosts energy. It boosts your circulation and increases the oxygen supply around your body, which in turn will keep you feeling alert and awake.
- Walking will increase your Vitamin D intake. Vitamin D is good for your bone health, as well as your immune system.
- Walking makes you happy. Taking the dog for a walk will help you feel happy and energised.
The walking benefits to dogs include:
- Walking is good mental stimulation. Going for walks provides an array of sights and smells that helps to fulfil their natural instinct to sniff, hunt and explore.
- Walking keeps you both healthy. It keeps their joints in motion which improves function and regular walking helps regulate the digestive tract too.
- Walking is a good time to bond. Going for walks will help you get to know your dog. Knowing how they react to certain situations including people, other dogs and wildlife will help you get to know their personality and build trust with one another.
- Walking is a good time to practice dog training. We repeat this a lot but your daily dog walk really is the perfect opportunity to practice any training skills you’re working on.
Going outdoors for a walk in nature will improve you and your dog’s wellbeing, both physically and mentally!
So, now you know the many benefits of walking, will you be increasing your daily dog walks in May?
Below are seven dog walking locations around Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire that we’ve hand-picked because the Potter Paws dogs love going for walks here:
1.Brill Windmill, Aylesbury
Satnav: HP18 9TQ
Brill Windmill is a Grade II listed post mill with 17th century origins on the edge of a hill-top village on the Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire border. Brill Windmill is located about a 15 minute drive from Aylesbury and makes a great photo opportunity, as well as a lovely dog walk. There is a nice, and dog-friendly, local pub called
The Pheasant you can go to for a drink and tasty food after a walk. The latest addition to Brill Windmill is a new playground with swings, zip wires and climbing towers so fun for all the family.
2.Wendover Woods, Wendover
Satnav: HP22 5NQ
Young and old can enjoy the all ability play trail at Wendover Woods, which runs in an approximately 1 mile loop from the Visitor Hub and includes play features along the way. The Buffalo Trail uses a simple map to find twelve Gruffalo markers hidden in the deep, dark wood and makes a great route for all the family. You can enjoy the glorious woods on one of the many walking trails and you may even encounter an ancient monument. We love to take a picnic with us during the summer months because there are plenty of grassy areas suitable to sit and perfect for dogs to play.
3.Rushmere Country Park, Leighton Buzzard
Satnav: LU7 0EB
Rushmere Country Park have gone to great efforts to make the park a great place for dogs and dog owners. They have a dedicated Dog Fun Area located at the back of the main car park where dogs can exercise without a lead but you can also walk within designated areas - both on and off the lead, however, they must be on a lead around high traffic areas of the Sculpture Trail, car park and Visitor Centre.
Click here to download their dog walking leaflet. Dogs aren’t allowed in the Tree Tops Café but are allowed to visit The Deck located outside, or find a perfect picnic spot around the several acres of park.
4.Coombe Hill
Satnav: HP17 0UR
There are various trails and walking routes suitable for all the family and varying levels of intensity. The easiest route to follow and the one we do regularly is the accessible track from the car park to the Boer War Monument, which sits 853ft above sea level and is the highest accessible point in the Chiltern Hills.
Dogs are welcome but you must be vigilant and keep them under close control, particularly throughout the summer months when cattle graze the site.
Click here to see our Coombe Hill walking route.
5.Golden Valley, Ashridge Estate
Satnav: HP4 1LX
Discover the Golden Valley, a hidden gem of the Ashridge Estate, on
this 4.3-mile walk. Designed by the famous 'Capability' Brown, an English gardener and landscape architect, who remains the most famous figure in the history of the English landscape garden style, this masterpiece ranks among his finest works. Following historic rides and paths, this route takes you through the faded grandeur of Ashridge Park with stunning views of Ashridge House and the historic deer park. There is a shorter route for anyone who would prefer to just visit the valley too!
Dogs are welcome, but must be kept under close control at all times to avoid worrying wildlife. Car parking is available at Ashridge visitor centre and at Gaddesden Green. Toilets and a non-National Trust cafe (outdoor seating only) are located at the visitor centre.
6.Whiteleaf, Hill, The Hangings & Sergeant’s Wood, Princes Risborough
Satnav: HP27 0RP
This is one if your dog is a fan of Parkour. Enjoy the beautiful Chilterns scenery on a woodland walk from Whiteleaf Hill, down through The Hangings forest and through Sergeant's Wood and Knighton Hill Wood in a loop. A full walk can take approximately 2.5 hours and the woods can be muddy so be sure to wear suitable footwear. Taking a towel or Mud Daddy to clean the dog (and your shoes) before you get back in the car is always a good idea, just in case. Your dog will love a walk from Whiteleaf Hill and through the woods and if they’re into Parkour, it’s a great place to practice.
7.Cowlease Wood
Satnav: HP14 3YQ
Set in the Chiltern Hills with amazing views over the surrounding countryside, a dog walk around this rich woodland reveals a great mix of habitats and plenty of paths to explore. There are grassy areas suitable for picnics and perfect for dogs to play, sniff, climb and explore. Bluebells which can be seen in May are like a blue carpet and well worth a visit to take the perfect Insta-worthy photo of your dog.
Check out the monument in the wood to the crew of a Handley Page Halifax that crashed in the wood on 31 March 1944 returning from the Nuremberg raid. The memorial is a stone plinth from Lincoln Cathedral with the lost crew's names inscribed upon it.
Now we’ve revealed our top dog walking routes in the Chilterns,
click here to discover five reasons how dog walking can be good for humans and get ideas on how to make your dog walks fun.
A friendly reminder to all fellow dog owners to make sure you check for any restrictions at the locations you walk and to respect any rules regarding on lead and off lead zones, if any – and ALWAYS pick up after your dog.
For those of us who like to have a cup and a bit of cake after your dog walk, we’ve searched around and asked our community to help us find a selection of the
best dog-friendly cafes and restaurants in and around Aylesbury, some with special menus just for four-legged customers.
Have you visited The Potterings yet? It’s a 2.2 acre enclosed field for hire where you can practice with puppy off the lead safely! Book now at
https://thepotterings.co.uk/.