Somerset is a beautiful county, full of rolling hills and open fields. There are loads of places to walk your dogs – here are three of our favourites!

Cothelstone Hill

This has to have one of the best vantage points in Somerset! The 360 degree view from the ruins of a Folly at the top is amazing, no matter what the weather is like. It never fails to take our breath away.  The walk has a mix of open grassland, heathered moorland and woods – you can find a map of the area here. You can almost always see the Exmoor Ponies, hear the grating squawk of the Pheasants and find evidence of rabbits. It’s full of interesting new smells for dogs. There is a car park area but it is popular on weekends and holidays (definitely get there early on Boxing Day!) but if it is full, then there are lots of others close by – why not try…

Wind Down

This Forestry Commission plantation feels like a Secret Place – there is very little information about it online, and we discovered it purely by accident. There are defined paths, all of which seem to loop back to the main path, but there are also little tracks where you can discover groves of wild garlic, bluebells and lots of interesting things to play with – try agility over and under fallen branches or hide and seek (great for recall!)

There is limited parking but as a result if you can get a space, you’ve pretty much got the plantation to yourself!  You can find the OS map here.

Both Cotheltsone and Wind Down are great for off-lead walks. If you’ve got a younger/older pup or want to get some loose-lead practice in (and want a lovely cup of tea at the end of your walk!) why not try…

Fyne Court

This National Trust Property is ideal for a family day out. There are several walks to choose from, none of which are overly taxing. There are hidden gems around every corner – from the mill pond to the secret garden. Dog Owners are politely asked to keep their dogs on a lead – we found using a long line was acceptable, so that there was freedom of movement but also control. There are walks through wooded areas, open fields (some with cattle, so do take care here) and alongside streams.

There’s a delightful tea room where all the walks start/end, with plenty of seating inside and out, with games of Giant Jenga for the kids too. We particularly liked the interesting display about the history of Fyne Court next to the tea room.

Unusually, for the National Trust, it is (at the time of writing) free. They ask for donations for parking (of which there is plenty) but other than that there is no entry fee.

You can find out more about Fyne Court here.

We love walking in Somerset – where are your favourite places to go? Tell us in the comments below and please share this post with all your friends