It’s great because: “It has a dog exercise area.”
Be aware: “The dog exercise area could be bigger!”
It’s great because: “Space, space, space.” “A great space for the dogs to run free, fetch, play and explore. No pond to distract our swimming-obsessed doggy, which is great as we can have a stress-free walk. This is a great space for long lead/recall training too.” “Mix of grass, forest and scrub. And a pub with a nice view over the plain.” “Plenty of friendly dogs and owners.”
Be aware: “Horses” “Cattle” “Remote control airplanes” “That mud sticks to dog fur!” “There is a real problem on the field part in particular with people clearing their poo and this may be due to a lack of bins.”
It’s great because: “A nice lake walk and forest trails, and a great place for picnics.” “It’s a nice walk and not too far from the Royal Forest pub – on a nice day walk along the plain, then stop and have a drink or lunch outside with your dog.”
Be aware: “There are only bins by the car park.”
It’s great because: “This is not a park, but a proper wild forest. You can walk all day here! There are plenty of car parks and some great pubs to call in along the way. Look out for muntjac deer. Beautiful whatever time of year you go.” “Sheer variety, and the sense of being somewhere unspoiled (apart from litter at popular spots!)” “You can walk for miles and the dog finds great sniffs.” “Freedom to roam for miles. There is the Butler’s Retreat coffee and lunch, and ponds for dog dipping.” “Nice and cool in the summer.” “Try the monthly guided walks run by Friends of Epping Forest.” “If you have an anxious dog, the forest is great during the week as there’s no one there.” “Long quiet walks.” “It’s HUGE!”
Be aware: “Gets very muddy in winter, and very busy with cyclists, walkers and riders in the summer if you stick to the popular areas. Get a map and go off the beaten track. The forest is not fenced so take extra care of dogs near the roads.” “Don’t get lost. It’s easier than you would think.” “Take wellies.” “Take water.” “Watch for horses.” “The weekend is far busier.” “It is squirrel central, so if you have a chaser then best avoid.” “There are not a lot of places to throw away doggy bags so you’ll need to double bag for long carries.” “In the summer when there’s picnics take care of broken glass – my dog has had some bad paw lacerations.”
It’s great because: “It has a nice variety of forest and park, which means you can clean your dogs in the lake before letting them dry themselves in the park.” “Great fun for the dogs with so many smells.” “It’s on my doorstep and my dog thinks its her given right and knows the way when we go out the door.”
Be aware: “Roads are nearby, so if your dog is a chaser best to keep him on lead unless you have brilliant recall.” “Not everyone picks up their dog mess.”
Larks Woods & Larkswood Playing Fields
It’s great because: “It’s a combination of a thickly wooded, hilly area, and a flat ‘playing field’ area.”