Dog-Friendly Quantock Hills (2026)

Yes, and they are one of the most relaxed and uncrowded places to walk a dog in the South West. The open ridge gives miles of free-roaming heath with huge views, the wooded combes offer shade and streams, the National Trust sites welcome dogs, and the surrounding villages are full of dog-friendly inns. Best of all, the Quantocks are far quieter than nearby Exmoor or the Mendips, so you often have the hill to yourself.

The thing to plan around is the wildlife and grazing. The hills hold sheep, free-roaming ponies and a herd of wild red deer, so a lead is essential near stock and the deer, particularly in the spring and the autumn rut when the deer are sensitive. The coast at Kilve has unfenced ledges, so keep your dog close there too. Otherwise the going is gentle and welcoming.

Yes. The high spine of the Quantocks is open-access land and some of the best free-roaming dog walking in the South West, reached quickly from road-gates like Crowcombe Park Gate and the Triscombe Stone. Dogs are welcome, but the heath is grazed by sheep and free-roaming ponies and is home to a herd of wild red deer, so keep your dog on a lead near livestock and the deer, especially in spring and during the autumn rut. The tops are exposed, so carry water for the dog on a warm day.