Our drawing of the route — the shape of the walk, not a navigation aid. Carry OS Explorer on the hill.
Two miles there and back along the Victorian promenade at Spittal, from the far end of the sea wall north to Sandstell Point where the Tweed comes out, then a short way up the estuary shore towards the old jetty. Level tarmac the whole way with the sand alongside, so it works with a buggy or a stiff dog. Northumberland County Council's dog control PSPO names only Newbiggin and Blyth as seasonal dog-free beaches, so Spittal sand carries no summer ban and a dog can be off the lead here in August. The estuary end has strong tidal flow and the sandbars cover fast, and the Spittal play park is enclosed, which puts it out of bounds under the same order.
A large Haven caravan park on the cliff top at Magdalene Fields, ten minutes' walk from the Elizabethan walls and with its own steps down to the sand. Haven's own park page states plainly: "We welcome dogs with open arms! There's a dog-friendly beach and restaurant terrace as well as nearby areas to walk that'll make your pooches' tails wag. You can even bring well-behaved dogs into designated areas of the main restaurant." Dogs go in pet-friendly caravans only, which are a subset of the stock and must be selected at booking, so a general availability search will show you vans you cannot use. The Brigs of Tweed is the on-park bar and restaurant with the dog terrace.
An easy mile and three quarters there and back along Quay Walls, past Ness Gate and out onto the half-mile stone pier to the squat red lighthouse at its end, with the whole of Spittal and the Tweed mouth on one side and open North Sea on the other. It is flat concrete and stone the whole way with no stiles and no gates. The council's dog control PSPO carries no exclusion or lead order here. What matters instead is the sea: the pier has no railing on the seaward side for much of its length, waves break clean over the parapet in any easterly, and it is closed off by the harbour authority in rough weather. Keep a dog close and turn round if spray is landing on the deck.
Three and a half miles there and back upstream from below Stephenson's Royal Border Bridge, following the north bank of the Tweed out of town through the trees to the Whiteadder confluence and Canty's Bridge on the Paxton road. It leaves the crowds within five minutes and the far end is all heron, goosander and salmon nets. Bank path and estate track, muddy after rain and with two kissing gates. The county dog control PSPO puts no exclusion or lead order on the route, so it is off-lead ground, but the bank is undercut in places with a fast deep river below and the last field before Canty's Bridge is grazed.
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