March 23rd is National Puppy Day – the perfect chance to explore your local area, get out in the fresh air, and treat your puppy to a stimulating outdoor adventure. With its wide range of Royal Parks, canal walks and public parks, London offers several trail options with neighbouring dog friendly pubs.
National Puppy Day is the perfect chance to exercise and socialise pups once they are out of vaccination jail. Exercise for puppies is crucial for introducing them to new smells, sounds and sights, while socialisation – with other puppies and humans – helps puppies develop resilience and minimises potential phobias. Puppies that aren’t adequately socialised often become anxious and develop fears, impacting their quality of life.
Eat Drink Meet, experts in all thing’s pubs and restaurants, have delved into London’s top dog walks and trails, which not only offer amazing views and stunning sights but also provide dog-friendly pubs for owners and pups alike to enjoy a tipple at the end of a long walk.
Eat Drink Meet’s brand-new planning website allows users to filter the pubs in their area to view only the ones that are dog friendly. Using AllTrails, they identified the best dog walking routes that start and/or end at one of those pubs in the area.
Spokesperson at EDM comments: “National Puppy Day is the perfect chance to appreciate the companionship offered by our furry friends. Finding pubs that are dog-friendly can be tricky, especially those that are suitable for younger dogs, and coupled with searching in a new location this can feel like trial and error and could make an otherwise wholesome day quite stressful. For those new to owning a dog, finding a place where the pup can feel relaxed can be a daunting prospect.
“Our new planning website that allows users to filter the pubs in their area (or an area they’re looking to visit) based on what they’re looking for is designed to help exactly this problem. We want our puppy-owning customers to enjoy time with their pups, knowing they don’t have to worry about finding a spot for lunch at the end – with Eat Drink Meet, they’ve already planned their stops. Because, really, there’s no better way to finish a walk than resting in a relaxing pub with a hot drink or refreshing lager.”
Top London walks for National Puppy Day
1. Battersea Park, Chelsea
Situated near Battersea Park Station, the park offers several sights to see and explore whilst walking. It is dog friendly, with dogs being allowed off in most areas.
The park is home to the Children’s Zoo – a family zoo which focuses on conservation, perfect for entertaining little ones. This would be a perfect pit stop on a family walk round the park.
There are several variations of walks to try out including:
- Battersea Park and the River Thames Circular: this 3.9km circular trail typically takes 49 minutes to complete.
- Battersea Park Inner Circular: this short 2.6km is the perfect option for an easy stroll with plenty of scenery. It takes 32 minutes to complete, making it perfect for a family walk.
- Battersea Park and Chelsea: starting at Battersea Park this walk goes over Chelsea Bridge and over the Thames, past the Royal Court Theatre. At 5.8km it takes 1 hour 16 minutes to complete.
- Battersea Park to Wandsworth Common: starting at the Thames riverbank, through Battersea Park and to Clapham Common, this walk takes 2 hours 56 minutes to complete.
Dog friendly pub near to Battersea Park: The Sun
Battersea Park to Wandsworth Common 1
2. Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park
Hyde Park is probably the most famous space in London. The Gardens were once access only for the Royals / residents of Kensington Palace, are now open to the public and make a lovely location for a walk.
Kensington Gardens were designed by Queen Caroline in the 18th century. Once previously part of Kensington Palace, they are now open to the public and offer a stunning area for walks.
Recommended walks include:
- Hyde Park Outer Circular walk: this is a 7.1km walk which typically takes 1hr 30 minutes to complete. Located at the start and end point of this walk is The Champion, another dog friendly pub serving classic British food.
- Another option is to start at dog-friendly pub The Prince Albert walking around Kensington Gardens, up to the famous Marble Arch. This walk is approximately 8.10km taking around 1hr 47 minutes to complete.
- The Serpentine Bridge Circular: this 3.1km walk takes approximately 40 minutes to complete. A shorter version of the other walks around the gardens and Hyde Park, this is perfect for all ages and those looking for an easy stroll.
- Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park: starting at dog-friendly pub The Prince Albert walking around Kensington Gardens, up to the famous Marble Arch. This walk is approximately 8.10km taking around 1hr 47 minutes to complete.
Dog friendly pub near to Battersea Park: The Prince Albert
Kensington Gardens
3. Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath is a wild park consisting of woodland and meadows, encompassing over 800 acres. The Heath formed inspiration for several pieces of Literature, artwork and filming locations including being the inspiration behind C.S. Lewis’s ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’.
In summer it becomes a popular spot for locals to enjoy wild swimming. The park is dog friendly – although there is a limit of four dogs per person. Dogs cannot enter playgrounds or any of the fenced nature conversation areas – but they are permitted in most of the park.
Recommended walks:
- Hampstead Heath Circular: this 7.4km walk takes around 2 hours to complete. Starting by the Lido on Gordon House Road. As this is a circular route it is easy to alter the start and finish points, nearby pub The Garden Gate would make a perfect finish point – located a few minutes’ walk from Hampstead Pond.
- Hampstead Heath to Primrose Hill: starting at Hampstead Heath and walking south towards Primrose Hill, this is a perfect option for a long Sunday stroll. For a dog friendly pint at the start,The Spaniards Inn is located directly next to Kenwood House. This walk is approximately 12.6km and takes 3hours 22 to complete.
- Hampstead Heath, Golders Hill and Heath Extension: this 9.8km walk takes 2 hours 45 minutes to complete. Starting in Golders Hill Park then progressing through Wale of Health, over Parliament Hill and round Hampstead Heath Woods, it provides beautiful views all around. For a halfway point,The Garden Gate is located on Parliament Hill, a stone’s throw away from Hampstead Pond ‘Number 1’.
Dog friendly pub near to Battersea Park:The Garden Gate
Hampstead Heath, Golders Hill and Heath Extension 1
4. Regent’s Park and Regent’s Canal
Regent’s Park is another excellent dog friendly spot to try this winter. As London’s largest park, it offers 410 acres of land.
Regent Canal runs through the northern part of the park – connecting the Grand Union to the Docks. The park contains several gardens that are open to the public. Regent’s Park offers a vast selection of wildlife and is London’s only breeding ground for hedgehogs.
Recommended walks include:
- Regent’s Park Circular: this shorter 3.9km walk takes approximately 56 minutes to complete, perfect for those wanting a shorter stroll on National Dog Walking day.
- Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill: begins in the northern part of Regent’s park, heading up to Primrose Hill. This walk is 4km and takes around 1 hour to complete, it offers fantastic views of the city and passes London Zoo. Dog friendly pubThe Engineer makes an excellent halfway pit stop, located in Primrose Hill.
- Regent’s Park and Queen Mary’s Garden Circular: this 6.3km walk takes approximately 1 hour 31 minutes to complete and offers views of London Zoo, the English Gardens and Marylebone Green.
- Regent’s Park to Hampstead Heath: for a longer walk this is a great option – at 14.2km it takes 3 hours 39 minutes to complete. Starting at Marylebone Green, passing through Hampstead Heath and past Kenwood House.
Dog friendly pub near to Regent’s Park: The Engineer
Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill 1
5. Bushy Park and Hampton Court Park
The second largest of London’s Royal Parks, Bushy Park covers 1,100 acres. Created in 1529 when Henry VIII took ownership of Hampton Court Palace from Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. As a keen hunter, the King established Bushy Park and the surrounding areas as deer hunting grounds.
Bushy Park contains several beautiful gardens and features: the Waterhouse Woodland Gardens, Upper Lodge Gardens, and the Diana Fountain. The Park is a wonderful place to visit to experience some tranquillity and escape the busy city centre.
Walks include:
- Hampton Court Park and The Woodland Gardens Circular: this 9.7km takes an average of 1 hour 58 minutes to complete. This trail heads over Hampton Court Bridge, following the Thames across to Busy Park. For a mid-way pint, theHarts Boatyard Surbiton is located on the Thames.
- The Mute Swan and Bushy Park Circular: this 8.2km walk takes 1 hour 46 minutes to complete. Starting at Hampton Court railway station, across the Thames and into Bushy Park.
- Bushy Park and Hampton Court Park: for a longer walk, this 13.5km walk takes 2 hours 52 minutes to complete. Another dog friendly spot is The Albion Hotel, located a stone’s throw away from Hampton Court Green.
Bushy Park and Hampton Court Park 1
Dog friendly pub near to Regent’s Park: The Albion Hotel
Featured Photo by Andrew Schultz on Unsplash.