Dog-friendly Tissington

Five and a half miles there and back on a level old railway, two and a half hours at an easy pace, with cuttings, embankments and long views over the limestone plateau. It starts from the Tissington Trail car park at the old station, pay-and-display, a two-minute walk from the village green and duck pond; a second car park at Alsop en le Dale lets you shorten it. The surface is smooth and traffic-free, which suits stiff old joints and buggies alike, dogs need only close control rather than a lead, but livestock graze right up to the fence line in places and there is no water on the trail, so carry a bottle and a bowl.

Thirteen miles of the old Ashbourne to Buxton line, running from Ashbourne up to Parsley Hay where it joins the High Peak Trail. The surface is level compacted stone the whole way, with accessible car parks, picnic sites and toilets, which makes it the kindest long walk in the county for an arthritic dog. Tissington's old station yard is the best mid-point start; dogs need close control where the trail runs between grazing fields.