Jumbles Country Park
Greater Manchester
Jumbles Country Park surrounds Jumbles Reservoir in the Bradshaw valley north of Bolton, a United Utilities reservoir built in the 1960s and now set within woodland and grassland managed as a country park. No livestock grazes the site, so a dog can explore the quieter woodland paths away from the busy main shoreline route. This roughly 6km circuit follows the full loop of the reservoir shoreline, climbing gently through the surrounding woods and pasture on the western side before dropping back to the water on quieter paths away from the main visitor centre. The going has some gentle undulation rather than a serious climb, on a mix of surfaced tracks and woodland paths that can be muddy in places after rain.
This is a dog friendly country park, though the main path around the reservoir gets busy with walkers, children and cyclists, so it is worth keeping dogs on a lead or under close control there. In the quieter woodland away from the main loop, a well recalled dog can have more freedom off the lead. Direct access to the reservoir for swimming is discouraged to protect water quality, so keep dogs from wading in and use the streams feeding it instead if they want to cool off. The visitor centre has a cafe, toilets and a play area, and parking is available on site.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 6.0 km (3.7 miles)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Duration
- 1 hr 50 min
- Walk Type
- Reservoir, Woodland
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- Moderate
- Livestock Risk
- None
- Facilities
- Cafe, toilets and play area at the visitor centre.
- Parking
- Car park at the Jumbles visitor centre, Bradshaw Road (BL2 4JS), United Utilities/Bolton Council.
Dog Friendly Stays Nearby
Make a weekend of it. These are the closest dog friendly places to stay to Jumbles Country Park, each one checked for its dog policy before we listed it.
Lower Mount Farm - On The Tops
Sleeps 4 · 1 dog · Enclosed garden
from £669 / 7 nights
Weavers Cottage - Slaithwaite
Sleeps 12 · 2 dogs · Enclosed garden
from £1,975 / 7 nights
Booking links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. Prices are a guide only and change with dates and availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jumbles Country Park dog friendly?
Jumbles Country Park is a welcoming spot for dogs, with no livestock on site and a good mix of woodland paths and reservoir-side trails to explore. It scores 7 out of 10 on our dog friendly rating — great for a relaxed outing, though the main path around the reservoir can get busy with walkers, cyclists and children, so a degree of care is needed there.
Can dogs be off lead at Jumbles Country Park?
In the quieter woodland away from the main shoreline route, a well-recalled dog can enjoy more freedom off the lead. On the busier paths closer to the reservoir and visitor centre, it's worth keeping dogs on a lead or under close control given the mix of foot traffic and cyclists.
What should I know before visiting Jumbles Country Park with my dog?
The most important thing to note is that direct access to the reservoir is discouraged to protect water quality, so keep your dog from wading in — the streams feeding the reservoir are a better option if they need to cool off. The full circuit is around 6km with gentle undulation and some paths that can get muddy after rain, so it's worth having a towel handy. Parking is available at the visitor centre on Bradshaw Road (BL2 4JS), which also has a cafe and toilets.
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