Despite being a heavily populated area, there are lots of lovely dog walks in West London.
Being able to let your dog off the lead and let them run free does wonders for their physical wellbeing, and the mental stimulation that comes from exploring new places is great for their mental health too (and ours!)
Dog friendly parks in West London
So, without further ado, let’s grab the dog lead, call out “walkies!” and check out the dog walking adventures West London has to offer. Their new favourite stroll might be just around the corner…
With 65 acres of green space, beautiful gardens, woodland areas, waterfalls and a grand mansion at the centre of it all, Chiswick House and Gardens is a dog walking dream.
Does your dog like to play? After they’ve picked up all the sniffs the garden has to offer, take them to one of the large open spaces, such as the Western Lawn or the cricket pitch, where lots of dogs run free and play together.
You can then refuel in the cafe, which serves top-notch food along with doggy sausages for any hungry pals – just note that dogs aren’t allowed inside, but they can sit outside with you, as long as they’re on their lead.
It’s worth noting that not all areas are open to dogs, but the clearly marked out signage helps guide you around the grounds, making sure you and your pooch stay to the areas that are suitable.
Finding Chiswick House and Gardens:
- Sat nav: W4 2QN (parking is £4 for 4 hours)
- Tube: Chiswick Park (16 mins walk)
- Train: Chiswick (10 mins walk)
Battersea Park
With 200 acres of glorious green space, Battersea Park is another doggy heaven. As one of the most popular and well-loved dog walking spots around, there are always more than a few other paws around to keep your dog enjoying the exercise and interaction.
From the central point, marked by the bandstand, there are many paths which lead to different areas of the park. It gives plenty of options for you and your dog: beautiful bridges, woodland areas, a lake and sub-tropical and old English gardens.
If so inclined, once you both need to recharge, there’s the dog-friendly, open-air Pear Tree Café. A perfect place to grab some brunch with your best pal!
Finding Battersea Park:
- Sat nav: SW11 4NJ (Parking is £8.10 for 3 hours Monday – Friday, or £5.40 for 3 hours Saturday and Sunday
- Tube: Sloane Square (20 mins walk)
- Train: Battersea Park (2 mins walk)
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is full of nature and conservation. A beautiful place to visit for you and your dog; walking them through the many areas, including the Isabella Plantation, is nothing short of dreamy.
The vast greenery and oak trees is where the viral “Fenton!” video took place, which many of you may have seen. As such, it’s very much advised that in certain areas you keep your dog on a lead, so they don’t bother the herds of deer that call the park their home. However, with a further 2,500 acres to explore, there’s plenty of space for your dog to roam free.
There are a few refreshment points dotted over the park for whenever you feel the urge for a pit-stop, whether you want to tuck into a bacon butty, freshly brewed coffee or ice cream.
Classed as London’s largest site of Special Scientific Interest and a European Special Area of Conservation, Richmond Park has a rich habitat adored by wildlife, so you’ll enjoy the surroundings as much as your dog will!
Finding Richmond Park:
- Sat Nav: TW10 5HX (parking is free)
- Tube: Richmond Tube (23 mins walk)
- Train: Richmond Rail (23 mins walk)
Tip: It’s a longer walk, but we would recommend turning left out of the station, crossing the road, darting down one of the lovely shop-lined alleyways, and cutting diagonally across Richmond Green. Once you reach the top left corner of the green, you can head through the small grounds of Richmond Palace, and take a left onto Old Palace Lane which connects to the river path. Take another left along the river front (great people watching!), walk underneath the bridge and continue past Richmond Canoe Club. Take another left after that, across Petersham Road, and into the beautiful Terrace Field. It’s a steep climb to the top, where you’ll see the Ham Gate and the most painted view of the Thames behind you!
Gunnersbury Park
A large, free-to-enter park with free parking in West London that encourages dogs off the lead across the whole park? Yes please.
Saying that, the duck pond may provide too much temptation for your doggy, so make sure you keep them close by as you pass!
With 186 acres of woodlands, gardens and buildings, there are plenty of places to explore and lots of sniffs to be had.
Gunnersbury Park is known for how much it changes during the different seasons, so it’s worth a visit at any time of year.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, you can treat yourself to a wood-fired pizza from the cafe.
Finding Gunnersbury Park:
- Sat nav: W3 8LQ (free parking)
- Tube: Action Town (6 mins walk)
- Train: Kew Bridge (7 mins walk) or Gunnersbury (9 mins walk)
Bushy Park
Bushy Park is made for dogs. With large expanses of green, both long and short grass and well-defined walkways, there’s plenty of opportunity to find your favourite spots.
Bushy Park is a royal park, so it does have a certain amount of restrictions, but is still very much pooch friendly.
Home to the mile-long Chestnut Avenue and a collection of bird wildlife, along with the Diana Fountain, Bushy Park is sure to get their tails wagging!
The Pheasantry Cafe is located right in the heart of the park, where you can choose from the selection of homemade cakes and speciality coffees. Tasty.
Finding Bushy Park:
- Sat nav: KT8 9AU (Parking is £1.50 per hour)
- Tube: No tubes around these parts
- Train: Hampton Court (4 mins walk) or Teddington (8 mins walk)
Go grab the lead!
With an excellent choice of parks in West London, there’s no end of places to explore together with your dog.
And, we’ve even found a boat ride you can do! Starting from Paddington, you can take a GoBoat all the way down Regent’s Canal. Our mates at Dog Furiendly tried it out; you can read their review here.
Though if you’re looking for someone where local to you, check our our guides to the North, East and South of the city too!
If your pooch is a new addition to your family, you may want to look at our guide to your first walk with a new doggo.
If you need some help walking your dog, here at Gudog we have a range of dog sitters ready and waiting to give your four-legged friend the long walk they deserve. You can find our experienced dog walkers here.
What is Gudog?
Gudog is the easiest way to find & book the perfect dog Sitter. Thousands of loving Sitters are ready to care for your dog like family! All bookings come with Veterinary Care & Free Cancellation.
