A lot of our regular/favourite haunts are out of bounds for our gang of four at the moment: lambing season, excessive rainfall causing flooding and fast slowing rivers,etc. I would gladly drive my dogs anywhere in the county (or over the border to N or W Yorkshire) for a decent bit of free running. Dogfriendly.com doesn't seem to have much to say about our part of the world, sadly!

Does anyone have any suggestions?I was consdering Stocks Reservoir or Grizedale, but I suspect there are sheep around Stocks (and definitely deer). Forestry Commission woodland a plus! Thanks everyone.

Lancashire is rather large and if you are talking about grizedale you may be too far north for my knowledge, but Rivington is a great walk - there is often sheep but they are generally well fenced in (it seems beagleproof so far).  You can walk round the reservoirs, through the terraced gardens, up to the pike top and even across to Winter Hill. 

Dovestones reservoir is another good walk, sometimes there are sheep early on but once you get a bit further on you are out of their boudaries. 

Leeds Liverpool canal may be a possibility in both Lancs and Yorks.

Also there is a walk round Greenbank reservoir near Norden, again some areas have sheep but once you are clear you should be ok. 

Or the tower at Summerseat, although the sheep there should be after the cattle grid their fence is not beagleproofed! 

Have you tried any country parks, Cliffe castle over Bradford way might be feasible for you, or Pennington Flash near Leigh, Haigh Hall - wigan way,  some areas of Lancs have some good not over used bridle paths too. 

I might be able to make some better suggestions if you give a more specific area...

ah, bless you, Roxylola! We are near Colne, so I am willing to drive anywhere to give these guys a decent run. We usually go to Hardcastle Crags, but the way it's been raining Hebden Water may not be safe, and having had a very narrow escape a couple of years ago I am not taking any chances. I have welsh springers and while they ar not interested in sheep, the problem could be the other way round if sheep see 4 loose dogs.

I tend to avoid the canal becuase of cyists and the fact that the dogs like to hurl themseves into the water :-)...coud be a bit of an issue if they start exploring the other side of the bank.

I will look some of these up--I don't know Dovestones but that could be good. Any other suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

Hmm grew up in Barnoldswick... 

I have an ESS so know what you mean about the sheep!

Have you been along the walk going out of Colne towards Laneshaw bridge, turn right just off the roundabout and drop down a hill the road sort of swings left and right into a bit of a park.  You can walk right along to the road to trawden (comes out by the emmott arms)  all a fairly narrow footpath but off road and was safe enough for Baddog the beagle!

Old railway lines at the back of the punch bowl in Earby - used to be able to walk right along to Thornton down there.  From memory I would deem it safe enough to be off lead but it's not fenced so not 100% secure as such. 

Weats hill will probably be alright at the moment too - might need an OS map for it.  It was a bridle way back in my day.  Most bridle paths will be pretty quiet at this time of year.

How about Trawden rec?  Or Wycoller country park?

Brimham Rocks, or Cow and Calf rocks up at Ilkley.

Another one down my current way (based in manc now) is Daisy Nook Country park.  Lots of free running although there is some water but we have not had too much rain here - rivers seem pretty normal

Also Prestwich clough is just off the motorway really - you get cyclists (and some horses) at a weekend but pretty quiet in the week, can get in to Clifton country park and all over the place from there.  I managed to get lost there once so a map might be an idea!

Dovestones is Saddleworth area - pretty foolproof really, just a good long walk around reservoir.  Daisynook is mainly straight paths, I have never needed a map.

I used to live near Brimham rocks some years ago. Great area for an off lead run with a dog, but getting very popular now although there are places that are not quite so well used. Owned by NT so if not a member it is quite pricey to park.
I used to live in the Yorkshire Dales, hence the knowledge of Brimham rocks, and it is a bit far from your bit of Lancashire. However, there's some good walking up above Grassington although a lot of it is Open Access land with lead restrictions and of course, sheep. Around Bolton Abbey is nice with good walks, but the Wharf can be a bit fierce with all the rain. Above Kettlewell is another good area.

Rivington country park at horwich near bolton .... Very wet ( where isn't ) but no problem running dogs. Circular walk round entwhistle and wayho reservoir is ok too. Always the Beach at  formby  or southport

I have been hiring an indoor equestrian centre once a week and really brilliant and if the jumps have been left out I lower them and they have fun going over them, just a suggestion while weather is bad.