Riding With Dogs at the Forest of Dean

The rule that catches everyone out

This is the one people get wrong, so let's be clear up front:

Dogs are not allowed on the dedicated cycling trails — that means the Verderers, the Freeminers and the downhill tracks. This is Forestry England's guidance, and the reason is simple: bikes and dogs at speed on narrow singletrack is a recipe for someone getting hurt — the dog, the rider, or both.

Dogs are welcome on the shared-use Colliers Trail and the wider forest tracks and fire roads. So you're not shut out — you just can't take them on the fast, dedicated MTB trails.

If you've driven down assuming the dog can come round the Verderers with you, that's the bit worth knowing before you set off, not at the trailhead.
 

So where can we actually go?

The Colliers / Family Trail is your main option — wide, gently graded, follows old railway lines, and shared-use by design. You can ride at a relaxed pace with a dog running alongside, and there's plenty of room to give walkers space.

The wider forest is laced with fire roads and forest tracks that are perfect for a steady ride with a dog. Cannop Ponds and the tracks around it are lovely, and quieter than the main trailhead.

The trade-off is honest: these are gentler than the singletrack. But for a lot of people, a relaxed forest ride with the dog is exactly the point.
 

 Keeping your dog safe

Keep them under close control, ideally on a lead near other users. The Colliers is shared with walkers, runners and other riders — a dog darting across the trail can cause a crash.

Watch the temperature. Dogs overheat far faster than you do, especially trying to keep pace with a bike. On warm days, keep it short, keep it shaded, and don't ask them to run flat-out.

Bring water for them. Cannop Ponds looks tempting but isn't always the cleanest drink. Carry water and offer it often — a dog running beside a bike is working hard.

Clean up after them. Obvious, but it's the thing that gets dogs a bad name on shared trails. Bag it and take it home — and note the Forest Code specifically asks you to keep dogs under control and clean up.

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The wild boar question

This is the one that genuinely matters here and doesn't apply at most trail centres.

The Forest of Dean has a large wild boar population — well over a thousand animals. Dogs and boar are a bad mix. Boar have attacked dogs in the forest, and a sow with piglets will defend them hard.

Keep your dog close and under control, especially:

• At dawn and dusk, when boar are most active

• Near freshly churned-up ground beside the trail — that's boar rooting, and means they're nearby

• In spring and late summer, when there are piglets about and sows are most defensive

A dog that chases or corners a boar can turn a non-event into a serious one, fast. This is the single biggest reason to keep them on a lead in quieter parts of the forest. 

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Practical bits

• Bike wash on site — for the dog as much as the bike, if they've found the muddiest puddle in the forest.

• Parking — same as any visit; the Cycle Centre and forest car parks are all charged. Getting Here.

• Water and shade — the café area has both if you need to cool a hot dog down between loops.
   

The bottom line

Bring the dog — just ride the right trails. The Colliers and the wider forest tracks are made for a relaxed ride with a four-legged companion. Keep them close, keep them cool, watch for boar, and clean up after them.

And save the Verderers and Freeminers for when it's just you and the bike.