Dog and bike friendly sites
Hey All
We’re new members in an 8.2 m motor home with emtbs and three well behaved golden retrievers. We’ve tried a local site but don’t want the dogs to have to be tied up all day and are looking for some pitches countrywide that will enable us to cycle out direct from the site and be able to let the dogs have a run alongside us. If there was a forest or a beach and a pub involved that would be ideal ! I realise club rules require dogs to be on a lead but just wondered if there are any like minded souls out there who could steer us in the right direction ? Many thanks and happy touring.
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Lydford Caravan Site Devon - cycling and dog run on the Granite Way ex railway track across the edge of Dartmoor. But are your dogs safe with sheep?
To the south you have Drakes Trail - 20 miles from Tavistock to Plymouth and five sites around Tavistock to choose from. To the north theTarka trail in north Devon with more sites up there. The choice is wide. Use the Search for Sites or PitchUp websites.
But be aware some campsites have limits of just one or two dogs
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The New Forest sites are good, particularly Black Knowl but you'd need to have the dogs under control due to roaming animals.Cycle tracks are so popular that it's difficult to think of a dog safe one too. We used to take our dogs in a cycle trailer.
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Ferry Meadows is ideal for what you are looking for there are plenty of cycle/dog walking paths ,away from the main visitor areas ,that as long as you can control the dogs ,will be quite nice to use
,we have used FM site since the early 1980s in the past on our cycles and all our collies have been off the lead ,even now with the park being used more there are places when we have not seen anyone else or very few ,
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Might be worth considering just how fit in terms of constant running your retrievers are before booking something. Long sustained running alongside a bike isn’t for all breeds. I mention it because we tried it with our very young and fit Labrador, and he got quite distressed after a couple of miles of running alongside, it was something we didn’t try again. However, you know your own dogs of course.
Nene Park nice, but not all dogs are bike friendly, and we found some owners a PITA in terms of control. Great if it’s not busy though.
There are some superb cycle routes in Peak District, Tissington Trail, Monsal Dale etc.... lots of CLs here. We use a nice CL near Cromford to Cycle canal and beyond. Dog Friendly, Splash Farm.
I think this time of year, you might have to look beyond Club Sites, not that many stay open.
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Any of the trails in the peak district will have the same if not more problems with cyclists do they not think that when aproaching from the rear some walkers may not have the sort of hearing to hear a pin drop
Just today on two occasions cyclists had to brake hard to avoid hitting me and OH on her buggy, as we had no idea they were approaching from behind at speed
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Yes it’s a problem wherever you ride. I do my best when on busy paths not to frighten anyone, or make them jump, as I don’t like it myself. I use my bike bell, say hello, if I can. However, it’s a problem with anyone hard of hearing, or my own favourite, the phone or music zombie, who are also usually unaware of other users. The only thing you can hope is that they don’t require the whole width of the path (a lot do), and they try to be aware of what’s going on around them, and don’t walk more than two abreast. I have been knocked off my bike three times so far by other path users, twice by someone suddenly stopping dead in front of me, and once by a child running across me. Dogs on long leads are a ruddy nuisance. I’d rather a dog wasn’t on a lead than try to dodge some prat with their dog five metres away on a line. I haven’t learned to hurdle leads on my bike yet😡 Everyone using a shared discipline path needs to respect other users. Pedestrians have right of way as far as I am concerned.
You could consider rear view mirrors for your OH, on end of handles. Might help a bit. No excuse for riders to zoom past at high speed, that’s bad manners👍
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One has to wonder why they don't slow down and/or use a bell if they see someone in front of them. I always do and I don't consider it a great inconvenience. Those who do consider it too much of an inconvenience, should not be using a cycle.
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That is actually not a bad idea. Lots of horse riders wear informative tabards, I know we did, asking folks to slow down and drive wide. I was gifted an old Police type tabard. I occasionally wore it if I took our horse out onto main roads, and put all sorts of other reflective stuff onto him. The difference in how drivers behaved was astonishing to be honest.
You shouldn’t have to do it, folks should care a bit more, but if it helps. I always thought about wearing a tabard that said “Drive up my @rse, and I will sit on your bonnet” when out riding. That would just have had the not so caring honking instead though☹️🤷♀️
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Stamford and Clumber club sites are both adjacent to forests/country parks with good cycle routes which might suit you, Gench. However both are popular with walkers and their dogs so care definitely needed. Poolsbrook has a direct link into a cycle trail, there always the promenade adjacent to the Southport site, and cycle way around the Wirral from the Country Park site, White Water Park also has cycle routes from the site. Edinburgh, Pembrey C P and Tredegar House C P are others that could also suit. Plenty of CLs near forests and cycle trails but you will have to do your own research there as there are a lot to choose from.
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Thank you so much everyone. We’ve now booked into Black Knowl towards the end of October as it’s the nearest and only a couple of hours away. But we also have your other ideas for when we venture further away so thank you all for your replies. Much appreciated.
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Just an idea. Should there be a symbol for Club sites or an onus on CL owners to list Dog Friendly/No Dogs. After all its done for kids.
It would inform peoples choice. I must admit my heart sinks when I arrive at a CL and find outfits with 1,2, 3 and in one case 4 dogs.
I know its a personal choice but it might help both camps.
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There is a symbol for "dogs not allowed" for CLs in the Site Directory, it is a dog with a red line through it, although it doesn't appear on the web site symbols, only one for dog friendly sites.
When I receive a new site directory I work my way through the CL section highlighting the no dogs symbol, so that I know easily which ones to avoid when searching for a site to use.😁
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Many years ago, people had "a" dog. Now it seems de rigueur to have a minimum of two and often more than that. Is it a wonder that there is a perception, even if exaggerated, that site are overrun with dogs?
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I always thought about wearing a tabard that said “Drive up my @rse, and I will sit on your bonnet” when out riding.
I actually had one made up with similar words after a TR7 sports came up behind my Hunter at traffic lights while waiting to cross over to St Annes beach...William did a 'dump' which repainted the bonnet...Interesting conversation followed.
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Completely agree with almost everything above. However, I do find it a difficult decision about whether to use one's bell or not. I find that using it tends to make people jump; sometimes people who have been made to jump get very angry. On the other hand, I was once told in no uncertain manner that I should use my bell when I hadn't. Despite that, I remain very reluctant to use the bell. I just cycle up to within a few yards and wait for the pedestrians to spot me. They do usually although it is true that sometimes it takes a while. Then I'll say hello and offer some other pleasantry and slowly move on by. It's a tricky issue sometimes.
Pedestrians should always take priority, which is another reason why it feels rather arrogant to me to use the bell; It seems to be saying that they should jolly well get out of my way.
Loose dogs can be as big a problem as those on long leads in my experience although I perhaps agree that it is marginally preferable. I always slow to a crawl when I see dogs ahead of me. Some dogs, I have found, get a lot of pleasure from chasing cyclists!
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