Gunnersbury Park Lakes and Temple Circular
London
Gunnersbury Park covers around 81 hectares between Acton, Brentford, Chiswick and Ealing, developed as a country estate from the 1660s and bought in 1835 by the financier Nathan Mayer Rothschild, whose family expanded the grounds and added many of the features seen today; a small herd of Kunekune pigs has grazed parts of the park since 2024, so dogs go on a lead near them. This circular walk of around 4km links the park's horseshoe-shaped lake and the Potomac lake, passing an 18th century temple, Sydney Smirke's 1836 orangery, a disguised Gothic boathouse and a small Japanese garden, before returning past the Large Mansion, now home to Gunnersbury Park Museum. The going is level throughout on tarmac and gravel paths, with mature parkland trees providing shade.
This is a dog friendly park with a good spread of open grassland for off-lead exercise away from the formal gardens, where a lead is sensible around the Japanese garden and Italian garden planting. Since 2024 a small herd of Kunekune pigs has grazed parts of the park for conservation land management, so keep dogs on lead near any signposted grazing area. The lakes attract waterfowl and are not somewhere to encourage swimming, but they add interest to the walk and there is no livestock risk elsewhere on the route. Gunnersbury Park Museum occupies the Large Mansion, and there is a car park near the museum entrance off Pope's Lane.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 4.0 km (2.5 miles)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Duration
- 1 hr 10 min
- Walk Type
- Park, Lake, Historic
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- Moderate
- Livestock Risk
- Low
- Facilities
- Gunnersbury Park Museum in the Large Mansion, on site.
- Parking
- Car park near Gunnersbury Park Museum, off Pope's Lane.
Dog Friendly Stays Nearby
Make a weekend of it. These are the closest dog friendly places to stay to Gunnersbury Park Lakes and Temple Circular, each one checked for its dog policy before we listed it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gunnersbury Park Lakes and Temple Circular dog friendly?
Yes, Gunnersbury Park is a dog-friendly park and scores 7 out of 10 on our rating. The 4km circular walk takes you past two lakes, an 18th century temple, a Gothic boathouse and a Japanese garden, with level paths throughout that are easy going for dogs and owners alike.
Can dogs be off lead at Gunnersbury Park Lakes and Temple Circular?
There is good open grassland across the park where dogs can run off lead, but leads are sensible in the formal areas around the Japanese and Italian gardens. Since 2024 a small herd of Kunekune pigs has also been grazing parts of the park, so you'll need to put your dog on the lead near any signposted grazing areas.
What should I know before visiting Gunnersbury Park Lakes and Temple Circular with my dog?
The main things to be aware of are the Kunekune pigs introduced in 2024 for conservation land management — keep your dog on the lead near any signposted grazing areas. The two lakes attract waterfowl, so it's best not to encourage swimming there. Parking is available in the car park off Pope's Lane near Gunnersbury Park Museum, which is a handy landmark to aim for.
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