Stickle Tarn from Langdale

Stickle Tarn from Langdale is rated 8 out of 10 for dog friendliness, and it's a genuinely rewarding outing for the right dog. The route suits sturdy, confident dogs well — it's short at just under two miles each way, but steep and rough underfoot, with pitched stone steps and some easy scrambling across the beck. Sticklebarn, right next to the car park, is one of the most reliably dog friendly pubs in the Lakes, so there's a good reward waiting at the end.

Dogs need to be kept on a short lead throughout this walk, so off-lead running isn't an option here. The path passes through working sheep country, and there are ground-nesting birds higher up on the fell, so the lead rule applies the whole way to the tarn. It's worth bearing in mind if your dog finds lead walking on rough terrain tricky.

The climb beside Stickle Ghyll is steep and the pitched stone path can get slippery in wet weather, so good grip — for you and your dog — is worth thinking about before you set off. There's reliable water all the way up the route, and the car park has water bowls and an outdoor tap outside Sticklebarn, so keeping your dog hydrated is straightforward. Parking is at the NT Stickle Ghyll pay and display car park (free for National Trust members), but it fills up fast on summer weekends, often from 9am, so an early start is a good idea.