We list dog-friendly walks across the Cotswolds, from the Slaughters and Bibury to the edge above Cheltenham and Wotton-under-Edge and the river towns of the south. Each one says where walkers met sheep or cattle, where dogs go on a lead, and which stiles have no gap for a dog.
39 walksAll walks
39 walks
Walk · Starts in Bibury · 1 hr, 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 4-mile (6.6km) circular walk from the bridge by the Swan in Bibury, an hour and a half to two hours with a few short, steep climbs. It goes out by the church and up above the Coln to Oxhill Wood, along the line of the Roman Akeman Street and back over farmland to Arlington Row.
Walk · Starts in Blockley · 2 hrs, 15 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 4.9-mile (7.9km) circular walk from Bell Lane in Blockley, about two and a quarter hours of moderate walking with two climbs and deep mud in winter. It goes up Pasture Lane, down to Batsford's church, through Batsford Park past the arboretum, and back over the hill.
Walk · Starts in Bourton-on-the-Water · 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 2-mile (3.1km) circular walk from the middle of Bourton-on-the-Water, flat and easy, in 45 minutes to an hour. It goes out along Rissington Road and back through Greystones Farm reserve, past a replica roundhouse and the banks of Salmonsbury Camp, and is often wet underfoot.
Walk · Starts in Broadway · 1 hr, 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 3.7-mile (6km) circular walk from Church Close car park in Broadway, about an hour and three quarters, moderate with one steep climb and descent. It crosses the fields south to Pye Corner, climbs to the Cotswold Way and comes down its fields to St Michael's.
Walk · Starts in Burford · 2 hrs, 30 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 6-mile (9.7km) circular walk from Guildenford car park in Burford, about two and a half hours of moderate walking with stiles and some road. It crosses the old bridge to Fulbrook and the fields to Widford's church, and returns along the Windrush meadows, which flood in winter.
Walk · Starts in Chipping Campden · 1 hr, 15 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 3.3-mile (5.3km) circular walk from St Michael's church in Broad Campden, easy and mostly level, in about an hour and a quarter. It draws a figure of eight over the fields to Lady Juliana's Gateway, along Chipping Campden's High Street, by St James's and back.
Walk · Starts in the Cotswold Edge · 1 hr, 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 4-mile (6.4km) moderate loop of about an hour and three quarters on the highest ground in the Cotswolds: from the main road at Cleeve Hill past the golf club, across Cleeve Common, back along the scarp by the hill fort and Cleeve Cloud, and down through Thrift Wood.
Walk · Starts in Coln St Aldwyns · 2 hrs, 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 6.5-mile (10.6km) circular walk from Coln St Aldwyns, moderate and two and a half to three hours: up the River Coln and through Oxhill Wood to Bibury and Arlington Row, then back over the open wold by the Roman Akeman Street to the village pub and shop.
Walk · Starts in Broadway · 3 hrs, 15 mins · Dog-friendly
A 6.5-mile (10.5km) one-way walk on the second section of the Cotswold Way, from Broadway's green, moderate and three to three and a half hours: a long climb to Shenberrow, a steep descent into Stanton, then field paths by Stanway's church and gatehouse to Wood Stanway.
Walk · Starts in Chipping Campden · 3 hrs, 30 mins · Dog-friendly
A 6-mile (9.6km) one-way walk on the first section of the Cotswold Way, from the Market Hall in Chipping Campden to Broadway, moderate and about three and a half hours: up to Dover's Hill, along the edge to Broadway Tower, then steeply down into the village.
Walk · Starts in the Cotswold Edge · 3 hrs, 15 mins · Dog-friendly
A 5.5-mile (8.8km) one-way walk on the fifth section of the Cotswold Way, from the golf club on Cleeve Hill to Dowdeswell reservoir, moderate and about three and a quarter hours: along Cleeve Cloud and across the common, then quiet lanes and a wood down to the A40.
Walk · Starts in Marshfield · 6 hrs · Dog-friendly
A 10.2-mile (16.5km) one-way walk on the last section of the Cotswold Way, hard and about six hours: from Cold Ashton down to Lower Hamswell, up to the Lansdown battlefield, along the top past Bath Racecourse, and down through Weston to the stone disc at Bath Abbey.
Walk · Starts in the Cotswold Edge · 3 hrs · Dog-friendly
A 4.7-mile (7.6km) one-way walk on the sixth section of the Cotswold Way, from Dowdeswell reservoir to Leckhampton Hill, moderate and about three hours: a stiff climb through Lineover Wood, field paths to Seven Springs, then Hartley Lane and Charlton Kings Common.
Walk · Starts in Dursley · 4 hrs, 30 mins · Dog-friendly
A 7.5-mile (12km) one-way walk on the eleventh section of the Cotswold Way, moderate and about four and a half hours: from Dursley round the rim of Stinchcombe Hill, down to North Nibley, up to the Tyndale Monument and along the ridge to Wotton-under-Edge.
Walk · Starts in the South Cotswolds · 4 hrs, 15 mins · Dog-friendly
A 7.2-mile (11.6km) one-way walk on the thirteenth section of the Cotswold Way, moderate and about four and a quarter hours: from Hawkesbury Upton down Bath Lane, over two Iron Age hill forts, through Old Sodbury and across Dodington Park to Tormarton.
Walk · Starts in Stroud · 4 hrs, 15 mins · Dog-friendly
A 6.7-mile (10.8km) one-way walk on the tenth section of the Cotswold Way, moderate and about four and a quarter hours: from Middleyard up through Stanley Wood to Coaley Peak, along the edge past two long barrows, over Cam Long Down and down into Dursley.
Walk · Starts in the South Cotswolds · 3 hrs, 45 mins · Dog-friendly
A 6.6-mile (10.6km) one-way walk on the fourteenth section of the Cotswold Way, moderate and about three and three quarter hours: from Tormarton over the M4, round the wall of Dyrham Park, through Dyrham village and up through Dyrham Woods to Cold Ashton.
Walk · Starts in Winchcombe · 2 hrs, 45 mins · Dog-friendly
A 5.6-mile (9km) one-way walk on the fourth section of the Cotswold Way, moderate and two and a half to three hours: from Winchcombe by Sudeley up to Belas Knap, down through Breakheart Plantation to Postlip's Norman chapel, then up to the golf club on Cleeve Hill.
Walk · Starts in Stanway · 3 hrs, 15 mins · Dog-friendly
A 5.4-mile (8.8km) one-way walk on the third section of the Cotswold Way, from Wood Stanway to Winchcombe, moderate and about three and a quarter hours: a steep climb to the top, Beckbury Camp, the old track down to Hailes Abbey, then lanes into the town.
Walk · Starts in Wotton-under-Edge · 4 hrs, 45 mins · Dog-friendly
A 7.8-mile (12.6km) one-way walk on the twelfth section of the Cotswold Way, moderate and about four and three quarter hours: from Wotton-under-Edge up past Newark Park, along Wortley Hill, through Alderley and Lower Kilcott to the Somerset Monument and Hawkesbury Upton.
Walk · Starts in Cirencester and the Coln Valley · 1 hr, 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 4.4-mile (7.1km) circular walk from Eastleach, an hour and a half to two hours with about 70m of climbing and plenty of mud: past two Norman churches and over the Leach, up the quiet valley to the Roman Akeman Street, and back down the other side to the Victoria Inn.
Walk · Starts in Kingham · 1 hr, 30 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A flat 4.4-mile (7.1km) circular walk of about an hour and a half from Kingham: north-west on bridleways across Daylesford's fields to the Evenlode, back down the river meadows and over the Cotswold Line on the level. Walkers report it wet and often flooded in winter.
Walk · Starts in Lechlade-on-Thames · 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A flat 3-mile (4.8km) circular walk from Lechlade's Market Place, easy and about an hour: out to the Round House where the Coln and the old canal meet the Thames, back along the meadows past Ha'penny Bridge to St John's Lock and the Trout Inn, home by Shelley's Walk.
Walk · Starts in the Cotswold Edge · 2 hrs · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 4-mile (6.3km) circular walk from the Daisy Bank Road car parks above Cheltenham, about two hours and moderate, with one steep climb: round Charlton Kings Common, up onto the escarpment past the hillfort to the Devil's Chimney, and down the old quarry incline.
For an hour with a dog, start in Silk Wood at Westonbirt, where dogs may run off the lead under control, or on the path between Lower and Upper Slaughter, where they paddle in the River Eye. For a longer day, walkers on the open hill at Leckhampton report dogs off the lead for most of the way.
In the North Cotswolds, the Slaughters walk is 2 miles there and back from Lower Slaughter, with sheep and lambs in the riverside fields in spring. From Bourton-on-the-Water, the loop by Salmonsbury and the lakes is a flat 2 miles through Greystones Farm nature reserve, where cattle graze some fields and the Wildlife Trust asks for dogs on leads. From Stow-on-the-Wold on the walk to Lower Swell, and from Blockley on the walk through Batsford Park, walkers report sheep, cattle and horses, so dogs spend much of both on a lead.
In Cirencester and the Coln Valley, a 6.5-mile loop from Coln St Aldwyns follows the River Coln to Bibury, and the river has places where dogs swim. At Lechlade-on-Thames, dogs swim in the Thames on the flat riverside loop, but cattle are sometimes loose by the river, so a lead or a sure recall is needed.
On the Cotswold Edge, walkers report dogs off the lead for most of the walk from Seven Springs to Leckhampton Hill, though Belted Galloway cattle graze the common in autumn and winter and the Friends of the hill ask for a short lead near them. The ridge walk to the Tyndale Monument above Wotton-under-Edge is popular with dog walkers. Above Stroud, the 2-mile loop on Rodborough Common, where walkers mention a small pond the dogs enjoy and report cattle, donkeys and horses loose on the common from late spring to autumn.
In the South Cotswolds, Silk Wood is inside the arboretum near Tetbury, so entry is paid; dogs go on a lead at the Welcome Building and on the treetop walkway, and are not allowed in the Old Arboretum. In Malmesbury, walkers find space to let a dog run on the 2.5-mile walk by the River Avon, and stiles that dogs can manage.
Expect sheep or cattle on most of these walks, and keep a dog on a lead in those fields. Lambs are out in spring, and on open access land such as Cleeve Common dogs go on a lead no longer than 2 metres from 1 March to 31 July, and the Cleeve Common Trust says sheep and lambs are on the common from April to November. At Greystones Farm the Wildlife Trust asks for dogs on leads at all times, and short ones in those months. On the Cotswold Way, the National Trail asks for dogs on a lead unless told otherwise.
Stiles are the other thing to check. In Snowshill, walkers on the short, steep loop by Snowswood met one about two-thirds of the way round with no gap for a dog. Near Chipping Campden, the walk from Mickleton to Hidcote has one near the end with a gap only a small dog fits through. In the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, several walkers had to lift dogs over the stiles on the Rollright Stones walk, and the Trust asks for dogs on leads at the stones. At Broadway, one walker found a stile with no gap on the Pye Corner loop, while others found dog gates.
Our guide to the Cotswolds with a dog sets out the rules around livestock and nesting birds.
Several of these walks start or finish at a pub or inn that welcomes dogs. At the Slaughters Country Inn, at the start of the Slaughters walk, dogs stay in particular rooms booked by phone, for £10 a dog a night, but are not allowed in the restaurant or the lounges, so check before you go.
In Malmesbury, the Three Cups in Westport is a dog-friendly pub on the way back from the river, with food mostly in the evening. The Lamb Inn in Burford welcomes dogs at the end of the 6-mile loop by Fulbrook and Widford, and the Old Swan at the end of the walk from Minster Lovell to Crawley takes well-behaved dogs in some rooms. The Swan by the bridge in Bibury, where the loop by Oxhill Wood starts, welcomes dogs, and so does the Bear of Rodborough, about 120m from the Rodborough Common loop. In Stow, the Old Bakery Tearoom lets dogs in. The Lamb, the Swan and the Bear, all in the Cotswold Inns and Hotels group, put dogs in set rooms for £20 a night (£10 for each extra dog) and welcome them in the bar and garden but not the restaurant; the Old Swan charges £25 a dog a night, booked by phone.
For a whole weekend, our dog-friendly weekend is based at an inn in Winchcombe that takes dogs in every room.
Off the lead in Silk Wood, a paddle in the Eye, a swim in the Coln and the open hill above Cheltenham.
All walks starting here
Walk · Starts in Tetbury · 1 hr · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 2.6-mile (4.2km) easy, nearly level loop of about an hour through Silk Wood at Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, from the treetop walkway out to the Waste Gate, round by Oak Avenue and the maples and back along The Link. Inside the arboretum, so entry is paid.
Walk · Starts in Lower Slaughter · 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 2-mile (3.1km) there-and-back from Lower Slaughter, easy and almost level, in 45 minutes to an hour: on the Wardens' Way from Lower Slaughter's mill up the River Eye through riverside fields to Upper Slaughter's ford, church and manor, and back the same way.
Walk · Starts in Coln St Aldwyns · 2 hrs, 45 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 6.5-mile (10.6km) circular walk from Coln St Aldwyns, moderate and two and a half to three hours: up the River Coln and through Oxhill Wood to Bibury and Arlington Row, then back over the open wold by the Roman Akeman Street to the village pub and shop.
Walk · Starts in the Cotswold Edge · 2 hrs, 30 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 5.4-mile (8.7km) circular walk from Seven Springs, about two and a half hours and moderate, with steep slopes: along the Cotswold Way over Charlton Kings Common to the hillfort on Leckhampton Hill and the Devil's Chimney, and back along the foot of the common.
Commons and hills on these walks, where you will often meet grazing animals.
Sight · Nature reserve · The Cotswold Edge
Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common: 60 hectares of old quarries, limestone grassland on the Cotswold Edge above Cheltenham, with an Iron Age hillfort and the Devil's Chimney. Opened to the public in 1929 after the riots of 1902; a National Nature Reserve from 2026.
Sight · Common or park · Stroud and the Five Valleys
Open limestone grassland on the hill between Stroud and the Golden Valley, owned by the National Trust, known for rare pasqueflowers in spring, early purple orchids in May and over 30 kinds of butterfly, grazed by commoners’ cattle, with Rodborough Fort on its brow.
Sight · Common or park · The Cotswold Edge
Gloucestershire’s largest common: more than 400 hectares of open limestone grassland on the Cotswold Edge above Cheltenham, with the highest point of the Cotswolds at 330m, an Iron Age hillfort, a Bronze Age cross dyke and views to the Malverns and the Black Mountains.
Sight · Nature reserve · Bourton-on-the-Water
Greystones Farm is Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust's 66-hectare farm reserve on the edge of Bourton-on-the-Water: flower-rich meadows that are an SSSI, the Dikler and the Eye, a replica roundhouse and the banks of Salmonsbury Camp. Free and open all year.
Sight · Common or park · Minchinhampton
Minchinhampton Common is a wide sweep of limestone grassland above Stroud and Nailsworth, in the care of the National Trust since 1913, where commoners' cattle graze and an Iron Age bank, a long barrow, pillow mounds and wartime trenches lie in the turf. Free to wander.
Story · Guides · 11 minute read
The rules for a dog in the Cotswolds, where sheep and cattle graze the commons and the fields, then the best dog walks, the rivers for a swim, the attractions, gardens, pubs and places to stay that welcome dogs, and what to do on a hot day or in an emergency.
Each says it welcomes dogs, at the start or end of a walk on this page. Rules for rooms and dining areas differ, so check when you book.
All places
Inn · Lower Slaughter
An inn in Lower Slaughter, bought and renamed by the Brownsword family in 2011, with dog rooms and a Field Kitchen from April to September.
Dog-friendly · Family-friendly · Walker-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
Pubs · Malmesbury
A dog-friendly pub on the Triangle in Westport, Malmesbury, with a meat-free kitchen named best vegan pub in Wiltshire by Vegan Food and Living, and music and events.
Dog-friendly · Family-friendly
Verified Nov 2026
Inn · Burford
An inn with rooms in Burford, part of Cotswold Inns and Hotels, taking bookings for rooms and tables and welcoming dogs.
Dog-friendly
Verified Nov 2026
Inn · Witney
A 15th-century pub with rooms at Minster Lovell, sister to Minster Mill, three miles west of Witney, serving food every day from noon to 9pm.
Dog-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
Hotel · Bibury
A former coaching inn by the bridge over the River Coln in Bibury, part of Cotswold Inns and Hotels, with a brasserie, a lift, a free car park and dog-friendly rooms.
Dog-friendly · Wedding venues
Verified Nov 2026
Hotel · Stroud
A seventeenth-century former coaching inn on the National Trust's Rodborough Common above Stroud, now a hotel in the Cotswold Inns and Hotels group, with dogs welcome.
Dog-friendly · Walker-friendly · Wedding venues
Verified Oct 2026
Cafes and tearooms · Stow-on-the-Wold
A tearoom in Fountain Court off Digbeth Street, Stow-on-the-Wold, run by Jackie and Alan since 2005, where all the food is made on the premises and dogs come in.
Dog-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
Inn · Chipping Campden
A Grade II listed inn with 27 rooms on Chipping Campden's High Street, with a restaurant, parking, accessible rooms and dogs by arrangement.
Dog-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
New routes, what walkers report on the paths and the pubs that welcome dogs, in your inbox about once a month.
Yes, in Silk Wood, under control, which is where our Silk Wood walk goes. Dogs go on a lead on the Downs, at the Welcome Building, restaurant and shop, and on the treetop walkway, and only assistance dogs are allowed in the Old Arboretum. Entry to the arboretum is paid.
The loop from Coln St Aldwyns to Bibury has places on the River Coln where dogs swim, and on the Lechlade riverside walk they swim in the Thames. On the path between Lower and Upper Slaughter there are shallow places where dogs paddle in the River Eye.
Near livestock, yes, and that covers most fields on most of these walks. The National Trail asks for dogs on a lead on the Cotswold Way unless told otherwise, Blenheim asks for leads in its park, and English Heritage asks for them at Minster Lovell Hall.
Walkers report one stile with no gap for a dog on the Snowshill loop, about two-thirds of the way round, and one near the end of the Mickleton walk that only a small dog fits through. On the Rollright Stones walk several walkers lifted their dogs over the stiles.
Yes. The ridge walk from Wotton Hill to the Tyndale Monument is 3.5 miles with only about 60m of climbing, on broad woodland tracks and grass. It is popular with dog walkers, and walkers report many dogs off the lead in the woods, so keep yours close if it does not mix.
What is on, what is new and what is in season in Cotswolds Info, in your inbox about once a month.