Thrunton Wood and Long Crag Circular
Northumberland
Thrunton Wood is a Forestry England conifer forest on the Fell Sandstone hills between Rothbury and Alnwick, where two long sandstone escarpments, Thrunton Crag and Long Crag with Coe Crag, rise out of the trees. Most of the circuit crosses forest and heather moorland with little livestock, so a dog can run free, though a lead helps near timber operations or shared bike tracks. This 12.1km circuit from the free car park off the A697 climbs to the viewpoints on Thrunton Crag and Callaly Crag, passes a Bronze Age cairn at Hard Nab turned into a shelter with picnic seats, then follows the heather ridge of Long Crag past its trig point to the outcrops of Coe Crag before dropping back through the forest. There is about 394 metres of ascent on forest tracks, heather moorland and a footbridge, with walkers' gates rather than stiles, and the heather is at its best in August.
This is a dog friendly walk with plenty of room to roam, most of it through forest and open moorland where livestock is rarely met, so a dog with reliable recall can spend much of the day off lead. The wood is a working forest, so keep dogs close near any timber operations and watch for mountain bikers and horse riders, who share the tracks. There is a stream crossing but little other water on the high ground, and the ridge is exposed, so carry water for your dog in warm weather. Parking is free, but there are no toilets or cafe, so come prepared.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 12.1 km (7.5 miles)
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Duration
- 4 hr
- Walk Type
- Forest, Moorland, Historic
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- High
- Livestock Risk
- Low
- Facilities
- Picnic area at the car park; no toilets or cafe; nearest village is Whittingham.
- Parking
- Thrunton Wood car park, Forestry England, free.
Dog Friendly Stays Nearby
Make a weekend of it. These are the closest dog friendly places to stay to Thrunton Wood and Long Crag Circular, each one checked for its dog policy before we listed it.
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All dog friendly stays in NorthumberlandFrequently Asked Questions
Is Thrunton Wood and Long Crag Circular dog friendly?
Thrunton Wood and Long Crag Circular earns a strong 8 out of 10 for dog friendliness. The 12.1km circuit runs mostly through conifer forest and open heather moorland where livestock is rarely encountered, giving dogs plenty of room to roam. Walkers' gates rather than stiles make the route easy to navigate with a dog in tow.
Can dogs be off lead at Thrunton Wood and Long Crag Circular?
Dogs with reliable recall can spend much of this walk off lead, as the forest and heather moorland sections see little livestock. That said, it's worth keeping your dog close near any active timber operations and when mountain bikers or horse riders are sharing the tracks, as this is a working forest with mixed use.
What should I know before visiting Thrunton Wood and Long Crag Circular with my dog?
There is a stream crossing on the route but little other water on the high ground, so bring plenty of water for your dog, especially on warm days when the exposed ridge can get hot. The car park is free, but there are no toilets or cafe on site, so come fully prepared. The nearest village is Whittingham if you need to pick up supplies beforehand.
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