Top 5 Dog-Friendly Walks in South West Wiltshire

The southwest of Wiltshire is a visitor favourite when it comes to dog walks all year round. However, the Autumn season is one of the most beautiful months to enjoy this part of the county. The landscapes are beautiful, with trees dropping their leaves and gorgeous Autumn colours shining through.

Here are our Top 5 Dog-Friendly Walks for the season. We have also highlighted some fantastic places to find refreshment on route, as well as particular views to look out for. All of our food and drink recommendations are also dog friendly. We would recommend a sturdy pair of shoes or boots, or even wellies, for wetter Autumn days.

Stourhead

Our favourite walk, not just in the Autumn, is at Stourhead, located just North of the A303 at the junction for Zeals and Mere.

If you are a National Trust member (or don’t mind paying to park), then you can park in the main National Trust car park for Stourhead. If not – then you can park further down High Street, Stourhead. Please do respect local residents though when parking on street. After walking down to the lake at Stourhead, you have two options. We love the walk around Stourhead lake, but this requires National Trust membership or paying for a day pass. If you would rather walk for free, then you can continue your walk up through the woodland towards King Alfred’s Tower. Look out for the beautiful Autumn colours and crunch through fallen leaves as you wind your way through the woods.

Here, you will find the fantastic Alpine Coffee Company, who serve hot and cold drinks, cake and other snacks virtually all year around. Make sure that you check their Facebook page for their opening hours daily. If you want to extend your walk, you can do so on the footpaths and bridleways leading towards Gasper and Penselwood. A good OS map or the OS app is a must to keep on track! Refreshments are also available at Stourhead, both in the courtyard by the lake and at the main car park. Alternatively, head to Zeals for a delicious pub lunch at the Bell & Crown.

Mere and Castle Hill

Mere, a historic market town, just off the A303 – is a great place to spend a morning exploring. We recommend parking in middle of the town, close to Sprout & Flower – a deli and coffee shop selling and serving beautiful produce, cakes and hot drinks, and the Angel Tea Rooms. From the market square, you can head in virtually any direction for a beautiful autumnal walk. Key landmarks to visit include Castle Hill, Ashfield Water (via Mill Lane and then back by the footpath close to Yapp Brothers wine merchant) and the footpath from Lordsmead to Mere Cemetery. If you wish to extend your walk, head North over Castle Hill towards Stourhead, or head up Manor Road towards Mere Down. There are three pubs in Mere for refreshments if you need more than just a coffee and cake.

Mere Down

There are multiple places that you can park to walk at Mere Down – either the Stourton or the B3095 end (on the road towards the Deverills). The main walking here is along an unsurfaced track, leading in an East-West direction. You can visit an Iron age hillfort at White Sheet Camp, as well as heading to the North on bridleways towards Kingston Deverill. The Autumn beauty here is in the views from Mere Down, particularly to the South towards Shaftesbury and Gillingham. See what you can spot on the horizon and take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the changing colours of the woodland in the distance. Although there are no refreshments on route, you can head to some of our recommendations in Zeals, Stourton or Mere before or after you walk.

Longleat Estate

We recommend parking at Shear Water or Heaven’s Gate car park. Here, you can walk between the two on a rough surfaced bridleway through gorgeous autumnal woodland. At the top of the walk where you enter Heaven’s Gate, you can walk amongst towering statues and gaze over the landscape towards Longleat House. At the bottom, you can walk around Shear Water lake, taking a minute to sit underneath the changing colours of the woodland and gather your thoughts in the reflections of the water. We recommend the tearoom at Shear Water to fuel up, or booking a table at the Bath Arms at Horningsham (a short drive away) afterwards for a full pub lunch.

Cley Hill

A short, steep and often windy walk up Cley Hill is sometimes exactly what you need to clear your head! This was a favourite of our greyhound, Ted, who sadly passed over the rainbow bridge a few years ago. He would walk up the top, point his head into the wind and look deliriously happy! We, on the other hand, were bracing ourselves from the cold and ferocity of the gusts. It’s not always like this – and you will enjoy taking in the surrounding landscape towards Frome and fiery woodland colours on the horizon. Parking is available, but we recommend visiting out of peak hours to ensure you can grab a spot. After, why not head into Frome for a walk around town and to visit one of the many excellent coffee shops. Rye Bakery is a particular favourite, serving lunch and coffee.

Make the most of your Wiltshire experience by booking a stay at the Dog House, Mere. Visit for 2 nights or longer before 31 November 2023 and benefit from a discounted stay of £85 per night! More details here.