MY TEN TOP PLACES TO TRAIN AROUND SALISBURY
- Katy Renny
- Jan 1
- 5 min read
These are my top ten places to train around Salisbury. They are not listed in order of preference, as each location offers different training opportunities:
1. CHURCHILL GARDENS
SP1 2JN
Training opportunities:
Churchill Gardens offers a variety of ‘urban’ socialisation, being situated alongside a busy road, there is the sound and sight of traffic for the dog to become accustomed to. The park is relatively busy with people and other dogs to train amongst and practise walking on the lead along the pathways past people and runners. Recall can be practised (dogs are allowed off-lead) taking care as the park is not enclosed and has the River Avon flowing alongside it too. There are children’s playgrounds and a skateboard park which adds another element of socialisation for the dog to learn to adjust and get used to.
2. VICTORIA PARK
SP1 3NE
Training opportunities:
Victoria Park is a small, urban walled park with open exits to the road. Inside there are pathways around pretty gardens to practise walking on the lead, and areas where recall could be practised (taking care as the park is not fully secure). There is a café which is dog-friendly in the outdoor seating area, which is an opportunity to train a dog to settle whilst you relax with a cup of coffee. The park is a popular place with the public, sports people and dog owners and is a good place to train a dog to get used to seeing people and dogs and how to be a good-mannered dog in society.
3. ELIZABETH GARDENS
SP2 7TD
Training opportunities:
Elizabeth Gardens is a small open park, in the heart of Salisbury. It is used by the public as a place to walk through, as well as picnic and paddle in the water. It is a good place to practise walking on the lead with these distractions, and recall can be practised on the grass (taking care as the park is not fully secure). The park has a stream where ducks and swans come to, and is a training opportunity to teach the dog to ignore birdlife. There is a young children’s playground which dogs are not allowed in, but lead walking could be practised outside to train the dog to be calm when hearing the sound of children. For an extended walk, one can follow the Town Path across the water meadows and river to Harnham and another public open land, plus a pub which offers an opportunity to train the dog to settle whilst you relax with a drink.
4. HUDSON’S FIELD
SP1 3SB
Training opportunities:
Hudson’s Field is a large open area of sports fields, that is flanked on one-side by a busy road and lies below Old Sarum which offers an extension to walks. Dogs are allowed off lead on the sports field and there is plenty of space to keep your distance from other dogs and people, to play with your dog and practise recall, (noting that there is a busy road near-by).
5. AVON VALLEY NATURE RESERVE
SP1 3JY
Training opportunities:
Spacious meadows with tracks cut through the grass offers a good opportunity to practise both lead walking, recall and play with your dog. A popular place with dog owners, it is a good place to teach your dog to get used to seeing other dogs and how to behave in a calm and well-mannered way. Like the other places, it is a nature reserve so it is important to respect other creatures by keeping the dog under control and cleaning up after them (if a dog is out of sight, you can’t see if he is defecating).
6. LIME KILN WAY OPEN SPACE
SP5 4NZ
Training opportunities:
Lime Kiln Down is an area of grasslands and bush overlooking Salisbury. There are cut pathways where lead walking can be practised and provide channels to practise recall, to avoid disturbing nature. However, it is required that dogs are kept under control, on-lead whilst birds are nesting (March 1 to July 31).
7. HARE WARREN - LORENZO TRAIL
SP2 0NF
Training opportunities:
Hare Warren is a 300-acre woodland with public trails and provides an opportunity for training lead walking and recall in an environment that with added distractions of scent. As the name suggests, the woods are inhabited by wildlife including deer, so whilst it offers scent stimulation it can also generate prey drive, if a dog gets sight of moving animal. Therefore, an awareness of your dog’s training limitations and a reliable recall is necessary for dogs off lead (Let’s not forget Fenton!)
8. FIGSBURY RING
SP4 6DT
Training opportunities:
The track leading to the car park, off the A30, is quite bumpy and this puts some people off visiting the location, which can make it an ideal place if you are looking for a relatively peaceful place to train. What’s more, because it is very open, it is possible to see in the distance if you want to avoid other dogs and people whilst training. It is National Trust land and is sometimes used for grazing, in which case a sign informs you to keep your dog on a lead.
9. BENTLEY WOOD & BLACKMORE COPSE
SP5 1AG
Training opportunities:
Bentley Wood is a vast woodland (1,700 acres) so it is easy to lose your way if you don’t follow the tracks, and it has been known for dogs to get lost, so take care to keep them under control. They are permitted off lead in the woods, so it’s a good place to reinforce a reliable recall, being aware that there is the distraction of deer and other wildlife. Some enclosures have livestock grazing, so in these areas put the dog on the lead and practise lead walking.
Nearby Blackmore Copse is a smaller woodland, and is a quieter location in which to train along the marked tracks, and practise lead walking as dogs are not permitted off-lead in this wood.
10. PEPPERBOX HILL
SP4 8DX
Training opportunities:
This public open space, just off the A36, is owned by National Trust, and is set on a hill overlooking Salisbury with a folly on the top. It is a beautiful location in which to practise dog training – lead walking, playing with your dog and recall. The meadows are partially fenced, as they occasionally graze cattle and the surrounding fields are also used for grazing sheep. So, at these times it is necessary to keep dogs under close control and on a lead.
Comments