Can anyone tell me of any public rivers/lakes in Kent, Surrey or Sussex that
a) allow dogs to swim in them and
b) are deep enough for dogs to have a good swim in

We have some good local walks that include water, but none that offer the scope for swimming.

My GSD girl loves to swim and my young GSD boy has never been out of his depth, and I would like to give him the opportunity to try. I used to take them to New Barn park to swim in the lake very early in the morning, but they have now banned dogs from the lake

Can anyone offer some suggestions?
Many thanks
Kat

Have you tried the beach which is where our dog swims every day - brilliant in this baking weather. We live on the outskirts of Whitstable and ,although dogs are banned from the main beach between April and September, we live by a piece that they can have access to and it has a field that leads to it which is great for walking too.

Is that the Tankerton bit, Harley?

Just on from Tankerton at Swalecliffe - it's called Long Rock - are you local then :)

No my sister is, she lives in Chestfield and so walks her dog down at Tankerton - and my dog is going there later this week for a 9 day holiday :D

I've looked up Long Rock on streetmap and it seems to be where I am thinking of.  We drive down Marine Crescent, past the beach huts  and park up at the end, and then walk along up the towpath until you get to the field bit, with the long grass and the mud and sand area on the left and  if you go right up to the top you can cross the stile and go over on to the pebble beach.  Or am I way off?

Yes you have the right place just going in from the opposite end to the directions I have given. In summer it is often quite hard to park anywhere near Marine Crescent but there is often room on the estate to park. If you go there we have the Golden Retriever who swims endlessly and doesn't like coming out of the water - and no he wasn't the one who swam out a mile and had to be guided back to shore by the lifeboat but I think he is in training for the next Olympics as he will swim up and down between breakwaters practicing his "laps". The other day he swam from Hampton back to Long Rock rather than walk along the beach with us - and it takes us about 40 minutes to walk it :)

Sounds good Harley.  Think I'll take a trundle down the A2 and the Thanet Way one eveing (if this decent weather holds out). 

Keep on the old Thanet way, turn off under Chestfield railway bridge go left at mini  roundbout take 1st right into estate and keep going to the end of the road and you will see the field with sea beyond it.

Have you tried Bewl Water?

Thanks Harley and One Two Three

They love the beach, but it is a long way for us. The other problem is they will insist on drinking the saltwater :rolleyes:

I have been researching Bewl Water, are dogs definitely allowed to swim there? On the sites i've looked at it said people aren't allowed to swim in it, but no mention of dogs. It would be perfect if they could.
Thanks
Kat

How about the Thames.  We live in Molesey in Surrey right opposite the Thames and loads of dogs swim in there.

Well, I've swum mine in Bewl Water with no probs! 

I've swum mine there in the past - but it was a long time ago! Is there enough water there at the moment? ;)

Hello Kat
Try Leybourne lakes (it has a website with directions).  If you can go on a Monday (from April to September) or any weekday during winter there will be no watersports and it is wonderful for swimming - nice clean water.  Just noticed you mention New Barn Park, if this is the one near Swanley (which it could well be as they have recently banned dogs) then Leybourne lakes will be pretty easy for you to get to.
Best wishes

Try Hayesden, off the A21 at Tonbridge.  You need to drive down Brook Street - past West Kent College and then bear right and carry on until you think you're in the middle of nowhere.  You will eventually come to a little car park, right under the A21.  There's a lake and a river - but watch out for fishermen!. 

>but watch out for fishermen!. 

LOL, I live really close to there, but can only go out of the fishing season or my Dalmatian eats all their sandwhiches.

Lovely clean water for swimming the dogs in though.

Danson park? it can be a bit manky but its deep enough for a good swim! and if you're in/near swanley then its very near! also shorne country park has a special dog swimming lake! only 10/15 mins up the A2!

I didn't realise Shorne Country Park had a dog swimming lake...I just know that dogs have to be kept on leads in the park...Think I'll take my two for a swim now I know of the doggie swimming pool there.

Thank you all, this is absolutely brilliant

I'm going to try them all!. Treacle, yes New Barn is in Swanley and is often called Swanley Park.

A question on the Shorne Country Park (which sounds so cool to have a dog swimming lake) How can you swim your dog if dogs have to be kept on the lead? Although it sounds great, the thought of keeping my 3 on lead in a fun open space just isn't bearable - I see visions of me being dragged across the grass like in an old western

Thanks again so much!
Kat

PS
I am in Beckenham in Kent. So Swanley is about a half hour drive, but as this type of visit will be a weekend jaunt, am prepared to travel. However, if anyone does know of something much nearer, I may be able to incorporate into my weekday walks too.

But thanks for all the replies, and yes, I am going to try them all.

Kat

at shorne they only have to be on leads for part of the walk (the first part) . the doggy pool is basically a lake but has a jetty thing for them to jump off! i would say danson lake is better than swanley/new barn as it is much bigger.

Hi Kat
Shorne is lovely but the 'lake' is rather more a pond and dries up in the summer - still had lots of water (and mud) a week ago though.  You only have to keep your dog on a lead through the bit with the adventure playground and the trim trail, after that the whole park is off lead (from dog lake onwards).  Lovely place - have fun!!
Alex

I go regularly to Danson Park and try to keep my dobermann away from the lake.  It is disgusting - the last time he went in I had to bath him, he stunk, it was awful.  At the edge on one side of the lake it is black thick mud and the smell is awful.  The other thing is recently the ducks have had their babies and a few weeks ago I saw a lady on the other side of the lake with two dogs running in and out of the water, but the fun of it seemed to be chasing the ducks.

yeah i agree it is a bit nasty in places! we find one of the nicer places with the little beach bit if you know what i mean?!!! and its fine there!

Just thought of somewhere else - Lullingstone country park.  This is just past Eynsford (about ten minutes from Swanley).  Lovely walks and dogs can swim right along the river then walk back and dry off through the fields.  It's always great fun trying to avoid the ramblers who don't always appreciate wet dog!

Hi Kat,
Have you tried South Norwood Park? its right by you!
Parks& Lakes in Beckenham
HTH
(If your from Beckenham you'll recognise the River in my profile @ Harvington! ;) )

forgot to say!..click on the 'parks' link then South Norwood and you can see the lake :)

Hi Huskygal
Harvington is their everyday weekday walk!  We are usually there about 7.30am. Just that the river is great for a splash about, but not a serious swim. I'm sure I recognised Camber Sands from your profile too? The lake at the country park at South Norwood has been forbidden (and blocked off to dogs for about the last 18 months), but it isnt' actually all that deep anyway, my two are GSD's so need some water depth to actually swim!. Plus you upset all the birders

Some great suggestions though. My friend took me to Lullingstone last Friday and it was lovely, but the river hasn't got much depth at the moment although my girl found two small spots where she had to actually swim.

I want to thank dudleyl for this recommendation.   I was sitting under a tree at Hever Castle with my 15 year old Springer yesterday (hottest day of the year) wondering if there was a nearby lake she was welcome to swim in and found this post. 20 mins later we arrived at this amazing country park and she swam to her heart's content for ages. And had an ice cream from the kiosk!  (They don't take cards, btw). It costs £1.40 to park for four hours. Although a fair old drive from where I live, I will be taking my dog back again. Never underestimate the power of the Internet!

Great to get your dogs swimming, if they are so minded, BUT be careful.   I don't think it's been hot enough for long enough but in lakes that have no good flow, algae can build up and that's dangerous to dogs (and us!).   Also it gets very hot on beaches (sand) so be aware too.

There's a long lake in Richmond Park, be carful of the ponds their if the swans are in mating season though, there's also the river Thames but I advice you to keep her on a long leash as the water can get a bit rough, then there's green lane Park but abit shallow, only go their in the summer though, I'm sure there's some dog beaches aswel, if you have transport I went to Littlehampton dog beach years ago, not sure if it's still open though.