Walk of the month: Symonds Yat Rock

We know that sometimes it can be hard to find a walk that both you and your dog will enjoy, so here at Cill Dubh Hounds we're going to tell you about some of our favourite walks.

Our walk of the month: Symonds Yat Rock

Where: Wye Valley, GL16 7NZ

Parking: Yes, there's plenty of parking but be sure to read the signs as you will need to pay.

Cafe nearby: Yes! There's a cafe a short walk away from the car park and the toilets. There's plenty of spaces outside, and even a handy place to tie your dog's lead so you can have both hands free for your sandwich and snacks.

Difficulty: This depends on which trail you take. Some aren't great in winter as they get quite muddy, so they might not be accessible all year round for wheelchair users. Other trails include steep slopes, uneven ground and the Biblins Loop has a suspension bridge which might not be be suitable for dogs. We advise to check the Foresty England website before arriving so you have a good idea of what trail you and your dog want to walk.

We walked part of the Mailscot Wood trail - it was steep and rocky in places, and we also went to the main viewpoints. The trail to the viewpoints had a short section that went along a public footpath by the side of the main road. If youre dog is nervous of cars, or reactive to other dogs in close proximity, it would be best to avoid this trail at busier times.

Other info: Once on the trail, there are no poo bins so be sure to take any used bags back with you and put them in the bin at the beginning of the trail. In summer the car park is open until 9pm. We took Leo at 7pm during peak summertime school holidays, there were less than 15 cars in the car park and we only saw a handful of other people. It was nice to feel like we had the forest to ourselves, and to not worry about taking evasive action to avoid other dogs as Leo can sometimes be a little reactive.

Gear to take with you: Poo bags, a water bottle and a travel bowl.