Are you keen to explore the wild, rugged walks and trails that Inverness and the Scottish Highlands are best known for? It makes sense to hunt down the best dog-friendly walks in Inverness if you’re travelling north of the border with pets.
Find Good Places to Walk Dogs in Inverness
As dog lovers ourselves, we know how wonderful it is to get out into the fresh air and to explore some of the most breathtaking natural beauty of the Scottish countryside with our pets. Take a look at our top picks for dog walking in Inverness below. Do also check out the pet friendly days out in Inverness, too!
The Absolute Best Walks in Inverness for Dogs
1. The Ness Islands
The Ness Islands offer an absolute highlight for dog lovers and their pets in and around Inverness. Just beyond the city itself, you’ll find beautiful island walks connected by bridges and crossings. This wonderful parkland is a great breakaway point away from the city hustle. It’s great for picnics, too.
2. Ord Hill
Ord Hill is perhaps the best dog walking spot in the Inverness area for sheer views and vantage points. Again, it’s just outside the city itself and will give you wonderful views over the Beauly Firth. Your dogs will love the forest trails here as well as the hilly climb!
3. Reelig Glen
Reelig Glen is one of many famous natural glens within easy reach of Inverness itself, offering gorgeside walks and forestry trails that you and your dog will want to take your time to explore. There are ancient trees here that stretch right up to the sky – a magnificent sight!
4. Aldourie Woods
The estate around Aldourie and its castle is absolutely lush with woodland, protected by the Woodland Trust. You can bring pets here across much of the trail, and it’s another fantastic historic site to explore with your pets if you really want to get deep into the heritage of the region.
5. Craig Phadrig
Craig Phadrig isn’t too far out of Inverness itself, offering more commanding views of the Firthland beyond. This wonderful hilly trail will take you up on high to explore ancient Iron Age sites and to explore a variety of weaving pathways and lush wooded trails. It’s hog – or dog – heaven.
Wonderful Woodland Walks in Inverness With Dogs
1. Culloden Forest
Culloden Forest is absolutely one of our first picks when we think of gorgeous woodland walks for you to enjoy with dogs. This large stretch of forest offers two relatively short trails, but again, there’s history behind it. The Battle of Culloden took place here! You’re walking into the past.
2. Daviot Wood
Daviot Wood is a famous dog walking spot for many people in the Inverness region, with this lovely patch of land also being ideal for a family day out and the occasional picnic. This is a nice, wide, open area perfect for cycling as well as for various walks.
3. Culbin Forest
Culbin Forest is a bit of an oddity in the sense that it was actually once a sandy trail! However, forestry was planted here to create a superb coastal woodland zone for people and their dogs to explore. This is one of the best wooded areas for sheer trail variety.
Memorable Dog-Friendly Coastal Walks in Inverness
1. Rosemarkie
Rosemarkie Beach is close to Loch Ness, and offers you a pleasant, breezy walk or two that are completely pet friendly. The popular circular trail here around Hillockhead is well worth looking into, but do be prepared for rocky trails! It’s one of the best coastal dog walks in Inverness.
2. Dornoch
Dornoch tends to be a great catch-all spot for family holidays in the Highlands, and the beach itself here is absolutely worth exploring with your pets. From the sandy Point to the town centre of Dornoch itself, this is a town that is a superb central base for various adventures.
3. Avoch
This shingle beach zone is close to the heart of Inverness and actually has a firm place in many local walking routes, making it the ideal focal point for many a coastal stroll with your dogs in the region. Take a look at the commanding walk around Ormond Castle, for example!
Breath-Taking National Park Walks
1. Argyll Forest Park
Argyll Forest Park is easy to find up in the Trossachs, and offers a heady mix of mountains, glens and rugged pasture. If you and your pets are ones to take on a big adventure or two without fear of getting out of breath, there is near unlimited potential.
2. Loch Muick
Loch Muick is undoubtedly a highlight of the Inverness and Highland regions, with this delightful freshwater spot being ideal for peaceful strolls with your pet every once in a while. Pine trees, wide waterside trails and local history in the Balmoral Estate are here for you to explore.
3. Balloch Castle
Much of the Balloch Castle country park is pet friendly, meaning it’s likely to be a prime spot in the Highlands for you and your dogs to stretch your legs. There’s lovely wooded trails here, and you’ll even be able to get all the way up to the shoreline, too.
Last Word
Inverness is often regarded as the capital of the Scottish Highlands. It’s not hard to see why, as it’s marvellously positioned for all kinds of day trips, walks and adventures in and around National Parkland, local lochs and glens, and more besides. The city itself, of course, is well worth a closer look. However, when it comes to the top dog walks, you’re going to need to look towards the rugged greenery and mountains lurking just beyond the city walls.
If you’re out and about with pets in the area, then it is always a good idea to take a look into pet friendly pubs in Inverness, too. As the region has become so pet friendly and open over the past decade, it stands to reason that there are now plenty of drinking spots and cafes for you to enjoy stopping at with your pets while exploring. And why not?
Inverness, the Black Isle and Loch Ness all offer brilliant pet walkies that we really think all dog lovers and their pooches should experience at least once. Ultimately, the very best of rural Scotland is right here for the exploring, and now is certainly the time to take full advantage, find your perfect pet-friendly cottage in Inverness. Of course, the dog walks listed above only offer a selection of our favourites – take a good look around for yourself and see if you can line up a few personal favourites of your own.