Claife Heights and Windermere Western Shore

Claife Heights and Windermere Western Shore is rated 8.5 out of 10 for dog friendliness, making it one of the best dog friendly routes in the southern Lakes. The National Trust gives the area three pawprints, and there are water bowls for dogs at Ash Landing car park. The Windermere Ferry also connects easily to Bowness, where you'll find dog friendly cafes and pubs.

Dogs must be kept on a lead throughout the entire route. The woodland is home to nesting birds, the shoreline path passes through grazing pasture with sheep, and the Heights are criss-crossed by working farms, so there are good reasons for the rule across all sections.

The terrain is mostly wide compacted path and stone track, which is manageable for most dogs, though there are some rooty woodland sections and a steeper climb up to the Georgian viewing station. You can park at Ash Landing, Harrowslack or Red Nab — all are National Trust pay and display, free for members — and there are water bowls waiting at Ash Landing. Remember to keep your dog on a lead throughout, as this is a working landscape with livestock and ground-nesting birds.