6 walks
Pushchair-friendly dog walks
Walks you can do with a dog and a pushchair: stile-free routes with smooth, firm paths in the South Downs, Lake District and New Forest, each with a dog-friendly pub nearby.
Photo: Brian Gillman (cropped), CC BY 3.0
A dog on one hand and a pushchair in the other rules out most countryside walks: one stile and you're stuck. These routes have no stiles, and most are officially rated as suitable for pushchairs by the national park or landowner that looks after them.
We've marked each one clearly. "Pushchair friendly" means the route is officially rated for pushchairs or for everyone. "All-terrain buggy" means it's stile-free but has rougher or steeper sections, so it's best with a sturdy buggy or a carrier. Paths change, so check the official route page before you set off.
What to check before you book
- A hands-free lead (a waist belt) makes pushing a buggy and walking a dog far easier.
- Check gate widths: some trails have narrow chicanes, about 1.1 m on the New Forest's Tall Trees Trail.
- If cattle approach while you're with a dog and a buggy, keep calm, move away steadily and let go of the lead if they come close: your dog will outrun them.
- Look for baby-changing facilities near the start; we note them where the route owners list them.
- Go early at weekends: the easiest paths are also the most popular.
South Downs
Wide valley-floor paths with big sea views, close to Brighton and Eastbourne.
- Pushchair friendly
Seven Sisters Easy Access Trail
Rated for pushchairs, wheelchairs and mobility scooters by Seven Sisters Country Park
A flat, firm path along the floor of the Cuckmere valley down to the shingle beach at the mouth of the river, with views of the valley and Seaford Head. Benches along the way carry the Cuckmere Audio Trail stories.
- About 2 km each way (4 km return)
- About 1–1½ hours
- Start: Seven Sisters Country Park visitor centre, Exceat
- The final stretch onto the beach is shingle, so park the buggy before the stones.
- Keep dogs close: the trail is popular with cyclists as well as walkers.
Nearby: Ye Olde Smugglers Inne. A few miles up the valley in Alfriston: a dog-friendly inn with an inglenook fire and a walled garden.
Lake District
The Lake District's Miles without Stiles scheme grades routes for every ability, from "For all" to "For some".
- Pushchair friendly
Grasmere Riverside
Miles without Stiles grade: For all (Lake District National Park)
A gentle path along the River Rothay, away from the busy village streets, to St Oswald's churchyard where Wordsworth is buried, passing the famous Grasmere gingerbread shop. Look out for dippers, wagtails and kingfishers on the river.
- 1.75 km (1.1 miles)
- About 1 hour
- Start: Broadgate car park, Grasmere (or the A591 lay-by for a 2.25 km version)
- Baby-changing facilities in the Stock Lane car park toilets (50p), just off the route.
- Ducks and wildfowl on the river: keep dogs on a lead by the water.
Nearby: The Good Sport. On Stock Lane, right by the route: a dog-friendly tap room with a fireplace and riverside seating.
- All-terrain buggy
Tarn Hows
Miles without Stiles grade: For some (Lake District National Park)
A circuit around one of the Lake District's best-loved beauty spots, a Victorian dammed tarn ringed by small wooded hills, with views to the Coniston hills and the Langdale Pikes. Plenty of benches along the way.
- 3.3 km (2 miles) circular
- About 1½ hours
- Start: Tarn Hows main car park, near Hawkshead
- Smooth, compact stone paths, but some short rough sections and slopes up to 1:5: an all-terrain buggy is best.
- Toilets at the main car park; an ice cream van is usually there in summer.
Nearby: The Queen's Head. Down the hill in Hawkshead: an extremely dog-friendly inn with fires in the bar and snug.
New Forest
Gravel forest tracks and level coastal paths, with ponies for company.
- Pushchair friendly
Tall Trees Trail
Accessible trail (New Forest National Park Authority)
A short woodland loop among towering conifers, including giant redwoods, on fairly smooth, level gravel paths with frequent resting places.
- 1.4 miles (2.3 km)
- Under 1 hour
- Start: Blackwater car park, Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, near Brockenhurst
- The narrowest point is about 1.1 m, at the chicane barriers where the trail crosses the road: check your buggy fits.
- Dogs on a lead, and follow the New Forest Code around ponies and cattle.
- Accessible toilets and picnic tables at Blackwater car park.
Nearby: The Foresters Arms. In Brockenhurst village: a pub with a log-burner corner that welcomes well-trained dogs.
- All-terrain buggy
Keyhaven Marshes
Level route on quiet roads and gravel paths (not formally rated)
A gentle loop around the marshes and sea wall at Keyhaven, with views across the Solent, plenty of birdlife and the ferry to Hurst Castle near the start.
- 1.5 miles (2.4 km)
- 1–2 hours
- Start: Keyhaven car park, near Lymington
- Keep dogs under close control and on the main tracks, especially from March to July when birds are nesting.
- Cyclists share the path.
Nearby: The Mayflower. In Lymington: dogs welcome in the bar and on the terrace, with an enclosed garden.
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds' Miles without Stiles routes swap stiles for gates, though many cross open fields.
- All-terrain buggy
Bibury and Coln St Aldwyns
Miles without Stiles: stile-free (Cotswolds National Landscape)
A longer stile-free loop along the River Coln to Bibury's Arlington Row and back. There are no stiles, but it crosses fields with about 150 m of ups and downs, so it suits a sturdy all-terrain buggy, or a carrier, on a dry day.
- 6 miles (10 km)
- About 3 hours
- Start: The crossroads in Coln St Aldwyns
- Gates rather than stiles all the way round.
- Busy around Arlington Row in summer.
Nearby: The New Inn. At the start and finish: dog beds in every room of the bar and a jar of treats on the counter.
Looking for something longer? See all our walks with a pub at the end.
The weekend walk
A walk, a pub and a place to stay
One dog-friendly walk with a fireside pub at the end, straight to your inbox, plus new places as we find them.