Dog-friendly walks in Wareham

A short 1.6-mile hour on the heath above Poole Harbour, following the grey-marked Coombe Heath trail out to the viewpoint over Corfe Castle and the harbour islands, on sandy paths and boardwalk with 40 metres of climb. Start from the RSPB Arne car park at the end of a three-mile dead-end lane off the A351: free to RSPB members, charged otherwise, and small enough that it closes to arrivals on busy days, so come early. Dogs on a short lead are welcome on the designated dog-friendly trails, including Coombe Heath and the Raptor trail, but are not allowed on the Hyde’s Heath trail at all; the reserve is grazed by cattle and Sika deer, and adders are widespread on the heath.

Five and a half miles of forest road through pine plantation and open heath restoration, two and a half hours, almost flat at 80 metres of climb and firm enough for a pushchair or a dog that hates mud. Sika deer genuinely do cross it at dawn and dusk. Start from the Sika Trail car park off the Bere Road north of Wareham, where Forestry England charges nothing at all, and there are three more free car parks at Woolsbarrow, Stroud Bridge and Sugar Hill if it is busy. Well-behaved dogs are welcome off lead on the forest roads under close control, but the heath sections hold nightjar and woodlark nests on the ground from spring into summer and adders are common, so a lead where the signs ask for one.

A gentle 2.4-mile there-and-back of about an hour and a quarter through the village requisitioned in 1943 and down the valley to the shingle horseshoe of Worbarrow Bay, on a broad stony track with 70 metres of climb. Park in the MOD car park at Tyneham, donation box, generous in size, and free: the catch is access, because this is inside the Lulworth Ranges and the gates open only at weekends and holiday periods, opening about 4.30pm on Friday and closing 8am Monday. Dogs are welcome in the village and at the bay, but you must keep to the paths marked with yellow posts at all times because of unexploded ordnance, which in practice means a lead the whole way.