Forestry England has created the 'ultimate forest dog walk', with stimulating challenges and puzzles for owners and their dogs to solve along the way — not to mention appearances from Wallace and Gromit.
Now open at its Mallards Pike site in the Forest of Dean, the new 'Forest Walkies' route encourages owners to bond with their dogs, with interactive activity panels dotted along the two-mile route.
Challenges include asking your dog to sit and wait while you count to 30, give you a high-five or lie down under the canopy. There's a photo opportunity at the end of the route for your dog to say 'cheese Gromit', too.
Before setting off, pick up an activity pack from Mallards Pike Cafe, including a doggy bandana and specially designed Wallace and Gromit tote, as well as a crossword puzzle to solve on your way around.
There's also a competition to win a dog-friendly holiday with Forest Holidays, worth £1,500 — with all the details of how to enter included in the activity pack.
The route at Mallards Pike is one of 22 installed across the nation's forests — with another at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum in Tetbury, for Gloucestershire dog lovers. It's also plotted on Ordnance Survey's Maps app, for easy navigation without the need for phone signal.
Look out for special appearances from Gromit in the year ahead too, as he takes on the role of Forestry England's celebrity ambassador — as part of Forestry England's long-term partnership with Wallace and Gromit creators, Aardman.
Dan Weston, Forestry England’s recreation manager in the Forest of Dean, said: 'We can’t wait to welcome dogs and their owners for their Forest Walkies with this brand-new campaign. Mallards Pike is the perfect place for dogs to have fun, exercise and stay healthy all year round.
'As well as being a beautiful environment for us as we take our dogs for a walk, it’s also a place full of enrichment for them with sights and smells to keep your dog happy and stimulated.'
Just remember to follow the forest dog code when visiting, which means keeping your dog under control and in close sight; following signage to stay safe and protect the forest wildlife; and clean up their poo, with dog waste bins located around the lake at Mallards Pike.
Check out SoGlos's hot list of 14 best places to walk your dog in Gloucestershire for more dog walking ins-paw-ation.
