Amazing Autumnal Dog Walks in Cornwall

As the year meanders into its final third and the length of the days begins to dwindle, it can be easy to feel a little despondent and unmotivated when it comes to the thought of getting out with your dogs every day. But never fear, as we are here to remind you that this time of year is beautiful, bountiful and full of lovely autumnal treats especially here in the South West. 

At Natural Cornish Pet we think that every time of year in Cornwall is beautiful, but that it is especially so when the leaves start to turn into the golden hues of the autumn. We also know that there is always something amazing to do with your dogs whatever the season and there is always somewhere magical to exercise and energise you and your dogs. So, we’ve collated some of our favourite places to go with our canine companions in the latter third of the year, so you can follow suit and enjoy the best of Cornwall in the autumn with your furry friends.

Perfect Places for a Dog Walk this Autumn 

As the trees begin to shed their leaves, the blackberries and sloes are getting plump and juicy in our hedgerows, and the nights begin to draw in, there's a few places we love to take our dogs, in and around Cornwall, that really show off the true majesty of autumn. Cornwall is full of places where nature is still wild and wondrous, and where the change of seasons can still be felt, seen and experienced by you and your canine companions. This time of year is also full of a plethora of new sensory experiences for your dogs, from crisp leaves under paw to the earthy smells of a damp woodland floor, as well as the influx of new sticks to play with as the wind begins to test its strength again. Below are a few of our favourite places to visit with dogs when September comes.

Golitha Falls 

Situated on Bodmin Moor and meandering through Draynes Wood is the spectacular Golitha Falls. This cascade of waterfalls, pools and river descends nearly 100 metres, so the water is always putting on a show, however at this time of year when heavier rain comes to Cornwall the falls become a torrent of breathtaking beauty with sounds to match. Draynes Wood, where the falls are located, also puts on an extravagant performance at this time of year with a mixed variety of trees losing their leaves and creating canopies and carpets of iridescent yellows, oranges and reds. There is also a handy car park at Draynes Bridge, about halfway along the falls, that isn't just a convenient place to park a car and use the facilities…. It's also the location of the amazing Inkies Smokehouse BBQ food trailer, which serves a great selection of amazing smoked and charcoaled BBQ goodies as well as drinks, ice creams and other post-dog walk sustenance. It is always vitally important to keep your dogs on leads by the water at Golitha as even strong swimmers could get caught out here.

Lanhydrock - Respryn

We love to walk our dogs here so much we even named a food after it! This beautiful National Trust owned parkland, gardens, woodland and historic countryside is the inspiration for Natural Cornish Pet’s very own Alfora-Respryn natural grain free dog food, because every time we visit this gem, with our dogs, we fall in love with the Cornish countryside all over again. As this beautiful Cornish property is managed by the National Trust there are a whole host of walks that have already been mapped out for you so you can explore the whole area effectively. From short circular walks to more challenging hikes, there's a great walk for everyone and every one of their dogs. Lanhydrock is particularly awe inspiring in the autumn when the gardens and surrounding countryside are dwindling elegantly into the winter and showing off their beautiful range of colours, scents and sounds.

Cardinham Woods

This Woodland spans well over 200 hectares and is an absolute delight when the autumnal colours begin to take hold. Managed by the excellent Forestry England, Cardinham Woods boasts a huge variety of mixed woodland as well as some fascinating historical remnants from the now defunct Cornish Mining industry. The award winning and beautifully quaint Woods Cafe is also handily located in this woodland wilderness and is the perfect way to refuel after a good morning's walk. There is also a good selection of curated walks around Cardinham woods available from Forestry England's website at the link below.

So, when the nights start to draw in and the conversations about whether the heating should be on begin, there's no need to feel like taking your dogs out is going to be a chore. At Natural Cornish Pet we think we should all embrace nature and get outside and explore our beautiful British countryside and enjoy the breathtaking changes it goes through at this time of year, give you and your dog a sensory experience not to forget and revel in the beauty of our natural world.