can anyone tell me what this is like as a dog walking area? potential puppy owners tell me its ok there to walk a bh but im doubting anywhere that close to london is really safe from roads etc so would like to know what it is, and if its public access or private and if its fenced in securely? thanks in advance.

It's 'fairly' safe from roads, in that it is mostly fenced, but it is miles and miles of Crown forest. Lovely for dog walking, but a dog that took it into its head to run could go a very long way and could eventually find either roads or Army ranges if it didn't come back first. Lots of deer too, if squirrels not enough incentive to run.

M.

ETA - lots of it is public access, some areas not.

pretty much what i thought. thanks :)

Fantastic place to walk a hound on a long line though, if they're prepared to be sensible, and there are less vast and interesting places around that are secure for some off lead exercise.

M.

I practically life in those woods.. In fact I was up there with my head torch and boys only a few hours ago. Hell they are MY woods ;-) .. But it is not just the Look Out the countryside around here is beautiful. Just close your eyes as you drive through Bracknell ;-)

I will keep an eye out for you Bilbobaggins, im up there Thursday with my friend as it happens.  I can often be seen on my bike up there with 3 dogs and towing my little girl in her trailer !! 

One side is quite close to the main road, my mum has a lurcher who chases, I certainly wouldnt let her off up there.

Up there most days but always on a Sunday morning (followed by hot chocolate/ and treats on the patio!)

Scatty Dallie and GSP in tow!

I usually advoid going over that side but  I like to walk up to Englemere Lake. Into what I call the old woods. No pines there. Good to go that way for lead walks and a bit of training.
Did you see the Huskies last week in the snow by any chance? It was shown on TV it was fantastic to watch? And deafening to hear!!

well you cant miss me ...... 2 Setters and a Kelpie - but it often looks like its just me and the little one as the dogs disappear the minute we get there and all we see is the occasional blur as they come out the woods and back in again !

>I usually advoid going over that side but  I like to walk up to Englemere Lake. Into what I call the old woods. No pines there. Good to go that way for lead walks and a bit of training. Did you see the Huskies last week in the snow by any chance? It was shown on TV it was fantastic to watch?

Yes I like the lake too.  I dont know it too well up there so tend to stick to the routes that I know (im so good at getting lost !!)

I didnt see the huskies, shame I bet that was really good.  We do canix and bikejor events up there, although the last one we didnt park at the lookout, they based us the other side of the woods, it was really good (less public !!)

Dallie can at times get a bit silly so I keep him very close. But GSP is the same as yours he loves his running and has amazing re call so I can relax a bit more with him. Mine love Surrey Hill  the straight paths and the sand for running and rolling in, Lurcher would probably enjoy that too ! I will "look out" for you.

We'll all have to watch out for each other - I'm regularly up there (and Englemere Pond/Swinley Woods) with a couple of Rough Collies - although the tri girl is normally a blur in the woods too as she chases the squirrels.

M.

:-)

We train our huskies there ;-)

In answer to Sam, I don't think there are many places in the UK where you are ever that far from a road, even a small lane can have traffic on. And that is without factoring in live stock too

The area is quite large - we can get 10 miles of training in

> We train our huskies there ;-)
>

> We train our huskies there ;-)
>

Wow... what a small world.... the huskies help make our woods special IMVHO

Ahh thanks for that, we don't see that many dog walkers when we are running as we try to get out early, we see more as we are packing up to go home :-)

Met a team of Huskies yesterday. Much later than we usually see them and in an area we have never met them before.

There were our 5 dogs and 8 adults not one of us heard the team coming from behind. We just realised as the team approached .The speed they were going was fantastic. We had no time to clip leads on our dogs so we just grabbed. I had three dogs by the collar a Dallie, a GSP and a alsatian x lab. Well GSP wriggled free. It was the funniest and amazing sight I have seen. My GSP loves to see if he can out run other dogs it is his game he challanges all sorts to a race. Well he just bombed after the huskie rig barking and howling and running like the wind.. Thank fully he has amazing recall and stopped dead and returned when I called. But he spent the next two hours looking for his hero's... He wanted to join the team no doubt. Every corner we came to he howled for them. It was rather entertaining.

I would add it was amusing and at no time was he close enough to cause an issue with the huskies, he did not stand a snowball in hells chance of catching up!!

There were only a few out this weekend as we were racing at Ashley Heath in Dorset.  Next weekend will be quite busy, and we are just planning our nibbles and drinks for Xmas morning (lovely tradition!)

> Next weekend will be quite busy, and we are just planning our nibbles and drinks for Xmas morning (lovely tradition!)

Sounds like fun, do you havet he nibbles & drinks before you set off? Part of me is thinking sarnies & soup in a thermos, but the sensible part is imagining hot mince pies and a stirrup cup of port!

No, after we finish, every one brings something so we can have everything from the elaborate to the mundane.  We have had mulled wine, bucks fizz, coffee, baileys, chestnuts, pigs in blankets, canapes, cheese, mince pies, xmas cake, sweets, etc etc

Same as Sarah, we train our huskies there but try to be in and out before the dog walkers arrive. We've been really busy over the past few weekends, so we've been training a couple of times midweek each week - sometimes we've been in and out without seeing a single other person. There do seem to be a lot more deer around this year though!
Hopefully see you Christmas morning Sarah!!

Mick

My OH and I went to the Ice Hotel and for new years day my OH gave me a husky trip through the woods, then we stopped in a wooden cabin and had hot coffee and cake and we were allowed to pet the dogs, all their eye lashes were iced and the team driver had an iced beard it was -26 one of the highlights of my life!! Your post put me back there - bliss.

> try to be in and out before the dog walkers arrive

And the mountain bikers.....there are so many lately and different from the riders we have been used to meeting!    Remember here I am a daily, (not just a fair weather), cyclist and  dog walker ;-)

Sarah will you be racing/spectating on March 12th - 13th?

Racing :-) (I hate night rallies!)

Busy weekend as it is Crufts for us on the Friday.

Will you be watching at all - Buttersteep will be easier as it is daylight, but night rallies are quite exciting in a different way to watch

We have seen a bit before rather noisey to say the least. I expect we may have a wander over..We will make plans to walk our boys elsewhere though just to be sure we are not in the way..Enjoy Crufts. I am not going this year, .. Have a family day at RAF Cosford,so had not linked the dates :-)