My Favourite Dog Walking Spots in Sidcup & Bexley
Living and working with dogs means I spend a lot of time exploring local walking spots, and we are really lucky to have some lovely places around Sidcup and Bexley. Every dog is different, so having a mix of open spaces, woodland walks, quieter areas, and busier social environments gives us plenty of choice depending on what our dogs need that day.
Foots Cray Meadows is probably one of my favourite places for a longer walk. There are huge open green spaces, lovely woodland sections, and a fantastic stream where many dogs enjoy a paddle or cool down in warmer weather.
It is a brilliant spot for sniffing opportunities, exploring, and allowing dogs to engage in natural behaviours. The variety of environments can also make it useful for practising training skills in different settings.
At weekends it can get extremely busy with families, picnics, cyclists, runners, and lots of dogs, so it is worth considering if your dog prefers quieter walks. One thing to watch for is overflowing bins during busy periods. Unfortunately this can create scavenging opportunities for determined dogs, so keeping an eye on what they are sniffing out is important. Please be mindful of wildlife too!
After your walk, you could always stop by Penelopes for a coffee and a sit down before heading home.
Marlborough Park is a great option if you want a walk without getting completely muddy. The shaded tarmac pathways are helpful during wetter months, but there is still plenty of open grass space if your dog enjoys running or playing fetch.
This park can be very dog busy and you will often come across friendly off lead dogs. For sociable dogs this can be lovely, but for dogs who need more space or calmer environments, visiting during quieter times may help.
There is also a stream for dogs to cool down in, and one of the nice things about this area is that you can extend your walk into nearby parks like Willersley Park and Hollyoak Wood Park by crossing a few roads along the way.
If you are looking for a calmer on lead walk, The Hollies is a lovely choice. It is a pretty area to wander through with small wooded sections and open green spaces.
It is ideal for slower sniffy walks, decompression strolls, and dogs who may not enjoy the chaos of busier parks. Sometimes the quieter walks are exactly what our dogs need.
Danson Park is another popular local spot with lots of space to walk, a lakeside setting, and a coffee kiosk with outdoor seating.
The park itself is lovely, but personally I would avoid letting dogs swim in the water there. It is also a very busy environment, especially during spring and summer when events are often taking place.
If your dog struggles with crowds, noise, children, scooters, or busy environments, it is definitely worth checking event dates before visiting. For confident social dogs though, it can be a great place for practising training around real life distractions.
Joydens Wood is fantastic if you love woodland walks. The huge expanse of trees provides plenty of cool shade during warmer weather and shelter when it is raining.
It is a brilliant place to explore with dogs and offers endless sniffing opportunities, different trails, and lots of enrichment through natural exploration.
A Few Walking Reminders
No matter where you walk, it is always worth being considerate of the dogs and people around you.
If a dog is on lead, please give them space. There could be many reasons why they are on lead, including training, injury recovery, nervousness, age, or medical needs.
It is always useful to carry:
Poop bags
Fresh water
Treats
A long line if you are practising training skills
These environments are wonderful places for proofing training, practising engagement, recall work, loose lead walking, and allowing dogs to enjoy natural behaviours like sniffing, exploring, paddling, and simply having fun with their humans.
At the end of the day, the best walks are not always the longest or busiest ones. Often the best walks are the ones where our dogs get to feel safe, relaxed, enriched, and happy.
