Wilson's Walks
Fineshade Woods
Woof here we go for our next adventure. Mum took me to a forest with all those lovely woodland smells – perfect for my sniffer senses.
After a short 30 minute drive from The Deepings we arrived at Fineshade Wood part of Forestry England, located off the A43 between Stamford and Corby. Once parked Mum clipped on my long line lead.
There are three walking routes at Fineshade and we combined two of the routes to make a good long walk.
Both walks start from the bottom of the car park which is near the visitor centre. Easy for our Humans to use the toilets and get a coffee before the walk or at the end.
We took the Mill Wood Walk for 6 miles following the pink arrows and it’s really well signposted. This walk takes you away from the busier parts of the woods and was much quieter. The path is well trodden and smooth underfoot and can get pretty muddy, plus there are lots of stinky streams and puddles to get into!
Then we took the Dales route for 3 miles and followed the purple arrows. Mum decided to add an extra mile by not turning left at the last purple arrow. Instead we carried on straight ahead and then took a left further down the route. The path is well laid and mostly hard standing and is a busier route with lots more dogs.
Fineshade Wood has a Forest Dog Code to keep us dogs and our owners safe. Leads are not compulsory, however they advise while forests are a great place for us to enjoy, our humans need to know when to use the lead. (Forest Dog Code is on their website.)
I stayed on my long line lead because in the forest you often can’t see far ahead, so Mum can let me run off, and I can’t get lost (or in trouble!)
This is a lovely walk if you’re happy to be around other dogs. If you prefer to be on your own we found the Mill Wood Walk was quieter.
We loved our visit to Fineshade. There were poo bins at the start and end of the walks and in the forest bag and bin your waste to keep forests clean. There’s a lovely onsite dog friendly café. (Mum recommends the hot chocolate!) They also have a kiosk outside in the courtyard too.
Fineshade Woods Visitor Centre and Cafe is open from 9:30am to 4pm weekdays and opens at 9am and closes at 5pm over the weekend. There is a £7 parking fee for all day parking or free for National Trust Members.
Summary
Time to Travel: 30 mins from Market Deeping
Length of Walk: Both 9.5 miles
Time of Walk: Both 3.5 hours
Paw Rating for ease: 5
Sniff Rating: 4
Overall Woof Rating: 4 out of 5
Off Lead: Follow the Forest Code
Dog Friendly Cafe: Onsite and Kiosk
In Wilson’s Bag: Poop Bags, treats and water in water bottle
Poop Bins: Bag and Bin It.
Other Wildlife: Birds, small mammals, deer.