With spring just around the corner and your trusty pup probably chomping at the bit to get outside on some longer walks in the great British countryside, we look into data from Forthglade on the areas of England with the highest number of dog-friendly walking trails to enjoy.
Most popular English county for dog walks
The good news is that data gleaned from hiking app All Trails has revealed a plethora of possible routes in England to explore with your pet, and analysis of over 6,400 popular dog walking trails across 45 English counties has led to three clear winners.
1. Cumbria
First place when it comes to popular dog-friendly trails is the northern county of Cumbria. Bordering Scotland and encircling the Lake District National Park and a western chunk of the North Pennines, Cumbria is unsurprisingly teeming with a reported 560 walking trails.
A haven for dog walkers, trail runners, and nature lovers, Cumbria boasts many lakeside trails around Windermere, Derwent Water, Ullswater, and Buttermere. Meanwhile, peak baggers and their sporty pups can delight in the numerous iconic climbs, including Scafell Pike (978m), Helvellyn (950m), and Skiddaw (931m).
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2. Derbyshire
Coming in a close second is the county of Derbyshire, located in the East Midlands. Set between Manchester, Sheffield, and Nottingham, 407 dog-friendly trails across vast moorland, rolling hills, and river paths of Derbyshire will leave you spoilt for choice.
Fans of hiking and camping will be hard-pressed to beat the resplendent Peak District National Park, where you'll find many of the UK's most popular paths, including the iconic Pennine Way, Mam Tor, Dovedale, and Stanage Edge.
3. Hampshire
Located on England's south coast and only a short train ride from London, Hampshire is home to 469 dog walking trails, many of which can be found in the ancient woodland and open heathland of the New Forest National Park. Here, wild animals roam free, and well-behaved pups can do the same. Expect to encounter wild ponies, donkies, cattle, red deer, squirrels, and more.
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Hampshire is found in the south east of the country, which data reveals is the best wider region in England for dog walkers, thanks to the 1,254 dog-friendly paths mapping seven counties (Surrey alone claims 318). The South East's huge variety of landscape, encompassing coastline, woodland, moorland and forest, covers several national parks, including the South Downs, Chilterns, North Wessex Downs, and High Weald.
