Visiting Crickley Hill with your dog

Our pawprint rating system

We’ve been working on making it easier for you to find out how dog-friendly your visit will be before you and your four-legged friend arrive. To help with this, we've created a new pawprint rating system and given all the places in our care a rating. You can find this information in the National Trust members’ handbook.

Crickley Hill is a one pawprint rated place.

Dogs are welcome here, but facilities are limited. They’ll be able to stretch their legs in the car park and walk in the nearby open spaces, depending on the season. Read on to discover exactly where you can take your dog.

Dogs on leads

March through to July is a prime time for nature. Many birds, reptiles and mammals are breeding, so we've set aside areas where dogs should be kept on a lead to protect wildlife from being disturbed.

Nesting skylarks and the red paw print system

Even friendly dogs can scare animals and birds away from their nests, leaving the young to face an uncertain future. You can find out where you should keep your dog on a lead by keeping a look out for the red paw print signs when you visit.

A red paw print sign means that you're in an area where wildlife is vulnerable to disturbance. Please give nature a helping hand by keeping your dog on a lead and under close control in this area.

Running free

We've also set aside areas where dogs can roam freely, stretch their legs and enjoy a good run. These areas are marked with a green paw print.

Please note that the red and green paw code of conduct for dog walkers only applies between 1 March and 31 July when wildlife is at its most vulnerable.

Facilities for your dog

If your four-legged friend needs refreshment, there are water bowls in the café area.

You can find dog poo bins located around the visitor car parks.

Thank you

Thank you to the dog walkers who help us keep a safe home for all the wildlife, keeping the countryside clean and healthy for all Crickley Hill visitors.

The Canine Code

We’ve worked with our partner Forthglade to come up with this Canine Code, which helps to make sure everyone can enjoy their day:

• Keep them close: using a short lead helps to keep your dog from disturbing ground-nesting birds and farm animals. It's essential to use a short lead around sheep. But if cattle approach you, it's best to let your dog off the lead, and call them back when it's safe to do so.
• Pick up the poo: please always clear up after your dog. If you can't find a bin nearby, take the poo bags home with you.
• Watch the signs: keep an eye on local signs and notices wherever you're walking. They'll tell you if a beach has a dog ban, for instance, or if a path has been diverted, or if you're in an area where dogs can run off-lead.
• Stay on the ball: remember that not everyone loves dogs, and some people fear them. So make sure your dog doesn't run up to other people, especially children.

Keeping control of your dog

Our definition of close or effective control is: ​

• Being able to recall your dogs in any situation at the first call
• Being able to clearly see your dog at all times (not just knowing they have gone into the undergrowth or over the crest of the hill). In practice, this means keeping them on a footpath if the surrounding vegetation is too dense for your dog to be visible
• Not allowing them to approach other visitors without their consent
• Having a lead with you to use if you encounter livestock or wildlife, or if you are asked to use one