Dog-friendly Swinton

A flat two miles of towpath along the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation from Swinton Lock, where the old Dearne and Dove Canal met the Don, south-east to Kilnhurst. It runs between the working navigation and the river through the ground the collieries left behind, past Swinton Lock Activity Centre on Dun Street and out to the washland at Kilnhurst Ings. Swinton and Kilnhurst both have stations on the same line, so you can walk one way and ride back. The towpath is level and mostly surfaced, but it is unfenced against the water in places.

One of two recreation grounds Rotherham Council keeps in Swinton, this one off Queen Street on the northern side of the town, with pitches, changing rooms and a path round the perimeter. It is flat, open and lit at the road end, which makes it the practical everyday walk for the top end of Swinton. For anything longer, the navigation towpath at Swinton Bridge is a mile south-east and Manvers is two miles west. Keep off the marked pitches when games are on.

The short north-eastern leg of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation from Swinton Lock up to Mexborough, about three quarters of a mile each way on a level towpath beside the working waterway. Swinton Junction, where the derelict Dearne and Dove Canal turned west, is at the Swinton end. It is a working navigation with commercial-sized locks, so the water is deep and the edge is unfenced in places. Both towns have a station on the same line if you want to walk one way and ride back.