Dog Friendly Walks in County Durham

The River Tees gives dogs a drink for much of this Barnard Castle loop, which ends at the ruins of Egglestone Abbey for their humans to explore.

Gentle, dog friendly stroll from Bowlees up a wooded beck to Gibson's Cave, the recess carved behind Summerhill Force.

Plenty of scent among ancient yews and no livestock make Castle Eden Dene's gorge trail a favourite with dogs, ending back at a tea room for their humans.

A dog exercise field and an off-lead riverside path lead to Lumley Castle views, with a dog friendly cafe waiting for their humans.

Urban riverside loop beneath Durham's UNESCO cathedral and castle, dog friendly along the wooded Wear banks with cobbled lanes and peninsula views.

Waymarked forest loop through oak woodland, burns and conifer stands at Hamsterley, dog friendly with plenty of off lead scope on the forest roads.

Cliff top and dene combo on the Durham Heritage Coast, dog friendly with sea air above and wild garlic in the wooded ravine below.

Short dog friendly loop linking the Low Force cascades, the single-file Wynch Bridge and an easy riverbank return from Bowlees.

Landmark circular climbing the Lambton Worm hill to Penshaw Monument, then down across the lakes of Herrington Country Park, dog friendly throughout.

An easy loop linking a wide family country park with the climb up to Penshaw Monument, with huge views across Wearside.

This level former railway path gives dogs high off-lead freedom across open moorland, crossing the dramatic 46 metre Hownsgill Viaduct for their humans to admire.

Flower-rich clifftop grassland gives dogs room to roam, above some of the Durham coast's largest sea caves for their humans to explore below.

Remote Upper Teesdale tramp from the Cow Green dam down to the roaring Cauldron Snout cascade, dog friendly but wild and exposed.

Short dog friendly wander around the world's oldest railway arch, with wooded gorge paths dropping to the Causey Burn.

Open grassy clifftop paths give dogs room to explore above Chemical Beach, before steps drop to Blast Beach and sea stacks near Nose's Point for their humans.

Easy circuit of a restored 18th century pleasure garden near Sedgefield, dog friendly on lead with a designated off lead exercise area.

Riverside Teesdale ramble from Bowlees to England's most dramatic waterfall, dog friendly on lead with real sheep country to respect.

Flat, traffic free former railway running through farmland and the Browney valley, dog friendly with generous off lead stretches between villages.

Open heather moorland gives dogs room to roam above one of England's largest reservoirs, with wide water views over Derwent Reservoir for their humans.

Rare lowland heath gives dogs room to roam at Waldridge Fell, with a dog friendly pub nearby for their humans afterwards.

A flat, shaded Weardale reservoir loop for dogs on a lead, past a nature reserve where herons and other waterbirds reward their humans' patience.

River Wear path past the WWT Washington wetland reserve, dog friendly on the public riverside section only since the reserve itself does not allow dogs.