Tooting Common Circular
London
Tooting Bec Common and its smaller neighbour Tooting Graveney Common together cover around 88 hectares of historic common land bought by the Metropolitan Board of Works in the 1870s to save them from enclosure, their open acid grassland giving dogs plenty of room to roam off lead. This circular route of around 4.3km crosses both commons, taking in an avenue of ancient oaks said to mark a visit by Elizabeth I in 1600, the open-air Tooting Bec Lido, and areas of rare acid grassland that make the site a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. The ground is flat throughout on a mix of grass and gravel paths, and the common is divided by a railway line and by roads including Tooting Bec Road and Church Lane.
This dog friendly common gives dogs a lot of open grassland to run on, with no livestock anywhere on site and plenty of space away from the busier lido and stadium areas. The main hazards are practical rather than natural: keep dogs on lead near the roads and the railway crossings that cut across the common, and around the athletics stadium and playgrounds where standard park rules apply. There is no significant open water for dogs to swim in, since the lido is a swimming pool rather than a natural pond. A cafe operates on Tooting Bec Common near the lido, and parking is mostly on the streets bordering the common, including Tooting Bec Road and Church Lane, rather than in a dedicated car park.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 4.3 km (2.7 miles)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Duration
- 1 hr 10 min
- Walk Type
- Park, Historic
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- High
- Livestock Risk
- None
- Facilities
- Cafe on Tooting Bec Common, near the lido.
- Parking
- No dedicated car park; on-street parking around Tooting Bec Road and Church Lane.
Dog Friendly Stays Nearby
Make a weekend of it. These are the closest dog friendly places to stay to Tooting Common Circular, each one checked for its dog policy before we listed it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tooting Common Circular dog friendly?
Tooting Common Circular is rated 8 out of 10 for dog friendliness, and it's a great choice for a south London outing with your dog. The combined 88 hectares of Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common offer plenty of open acid grassland to explore, with no livestock on site and a 4.3km circular route that's flat throughout on grass and gravel paths.
Can dogs be off lead at Tooting Common Circular?
Yes, much of the common is well suited to off-lead running, with wide open grassland giving dogs real room to stretch their legs. You'll want to put leads back on near the roads that cross the common — including Tooting Bec Road and Church Lane — as well as at the railway crossings, around the athletics stadium, and near the playgrounds.
What should I know before visiting Tooting Common Circular with my dog?
There's no dedicated car park, so you'll need to use on-street parking around Tooting Bec Road and Church Lane. A café operates on Tooting Bec Common near the lido if you fancy a stop along the way, though it's worth knowing that the lido itself is a swimming pool rather than a natural pond, so there's no open water for dogs to splash around in.
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