Instagram hashtag data has revealed the most beautiful dog-walking trails in the UK.
The team at dog supplement company, YuMOVE, has analysed more than 265,000 Instagram hashtags from the UK’s favourite dog-walking trails to uncover the most shared spaces.
Topping the list is Delamere Forest in Cheshire with a whopping 13,879 photos per mile.
The North West's top dog walking hotspot has 62% more Instagram posts per mile than the UK’s second most-snapped location, West Wittering beach in Chichester (8,591 posts per mile), and nearly double that of the third-placed Hardcastle Crags in West Yorkshire (7,274 posts per mile).
The two Somerset locations making an appearance are Ninesprings Country Park coming in fifth and Ham Hill Country Park with made it into 17th place.
It would appear the country’s dog owners are also fond of a bit of tree-bathing with some 14 of the top 20 walks being in forests.
Beaches are another popular choice for dog walking, with picturesque Instagram favourites including Holkham Beach in Norfolk and Fraisthorpe Beach in Yorkshire.
READ MORE: National Dog Day: Most dog-friendly beaches in the UK
A spokesperson for YuMOVE said: “We’re very lucky to have such incredible scenery in the UK. And dog owners often get out to enjoy it more than most.
“Up and down the country, it’s clear that dog owners see some truly stunning places – and post them online.
“While locations like forests are undeniably beautiful during winter, it’s important that dog owners – especially new ones – think about the effects of winter on their dog.
“It’s crucial to keep them stimulated at home if they’re put off walking by the cold.
“You can make them more comfortable outdoors with a coat, particularly the short-haired breeds. And all breeds will need their paws checking for ice, grit and other foreign matter.”
20 most picturesque UK dog walks according to Instagram
1. Delemere Forest Walk
Where: Cheshire
Length: 3.7 miles
Type of walk: Hilly, forest
2. West Wittering Beach Walk
Where: Chichester
Length: 2.8 miles
Type of walk: Beach
3. Hardcastle Crags
Where: West Yorkshire
Length: 2 miles
Type of walk: Hilly Forest
4. Holcome Beach
Where: Norfolk
Length: 4.8 miles
Type of walk: Flat, beach, forest
5. Ninesprings Country Park
Where: Somerset
Length: 1.9 miles
Type of walk: Hilly, forest, park
6. Tandle Hill National Park
Where: Greater Manchester
Length: 1.5 miles
Type of walk: Forest
7. Lytham Hall
Where: Lancashire
Length: 2.7 miles
Type of walk: Forest, park
8. Cobtree Manor Park
Where: Kent
Length: 0.6 miles
Type of walk: Park
9. Fingle Bridge
Where: Exeter
Length: 3.3 miles
Type of walk: Forest, park
10. Fraisethorpe Beach
Where: Yorkshire
Length: 3 miles
Type of walk: Beach
READ MORE: DogTV: What we know about the TV network for UK dogs
11. Langsett Reservoir
Where: Sheffield
Length: 5.3 miles
Type of walk: Hilly, forest
12. Sandstone Trail
Where: Cheshire
Length: 5.9miles
Type of walk: Forest
13. Jeskyns Country Park
Where: Kent
Length: 1.3 miles
Type of walk: Flat, park
14. Harlestone Firs
Where: Northampton
Length: 2 miles
Type of walk: Hilly, flat, forest
15. Dimmingsdale
Where: Stoke-on-Trent
Length: 3 miles
Type of walk: Hilly, flat, forest
16. Knettishall Heath
Where: Norfolk
Length: 1.8 miles
Type of walk: Forest
17. Ham Hill Country Park
Where: Somerset
Length: 1.7 miles
Type of walk: Hilly, flat, forest
18. Holcombe Hill
Where: Cumbria
Length: 7.7 miles
Type of walk: Hilly
19. Greenham Common
Where: Berkshire
Length: 6.7 miles
Type of walk: Flat
20. Goit Stock
Where: West Yorkshire
Length: 2.7 miles
Type of walk: Forest
READ MORE: The most expensive puppies in the UK - full list
How to walk your dog safely during winter
As temperatures drop, it’s important that dog owners consider the impact of adverse weather conditions when walking their pets. Here are some tips for keeping yourself and your canine friend safe.
- Train your dog not to pull on the lead, so they don’t cause you to fall on ice, and wear shoes with good grip.
- Buy a winter coat for short-haired or hairless breeds, making sure it’s not too tight.
- Look after your dog’s joints by giving them a warm place to sleep, and consider joint supplements.
- Watch out for grit, making sure none gets stuck in your dog’s paws.
Why are you making commenting on HeraldScotland only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here