Wiltshire is chalk downland, ancient forest and National Trust land, which makes for good dog walking, with sheep and ground-nesting birds to think about. We’ve given the rules we could confirm from official pages and said plainly where we couldn’t. Swindon is a separate council with its own rules, and we could not confirm a current dog order for Wiltshire Council itself.
Council rules and Salisbury Plain
Swindon Borough Council’s borough-wide order was extended in September 2025 for three years, so it runs to about 2028. You must pick up your dog’s mess, and dogs are banned from fenced, hedged or walled children’s play areas. The fixed penalty is £100 if paid within 14 days. At Lydiard Park, a separate order requires a lead of 2m or less between 1 April and 30 September, 10am to 6pm, in zones including the main drive, visitor centre, house, front lawn and café. Dogs are excluded from the Walled Garden and Rick Yard.
For Wiltshire Council, we couldn’t open its dog-control pages or confirm a current county-wide order, so we won’t quote dates or fines. Contact its Dog Warden Service before relying on a rule. On Salisbury Plain, the MOD says access is prohibited when red flags or red lights show, and Imber Range is out of bounds at all times. Check the published firing times on gov.uk before you go. The MOD’s general dog-walking leaflet asks for dogs on leads from 1 March to 31 July unless you’re on a public right of way, but that is general MOD land guidance, not specific to the Plain.
National Trust walks
At the Stonehenge Landscape, signs at field entrances show green for effective control, orange for a lead and red for no dogs, and a short lead is essential around sheep. There’s no National Trust car park there, and the English Heritage visitor centre charges £4 (free for members). Dogs aren’t allowed in the Stone Circle itself. At Avebury, dogs are welcome except in Avebury Manor and Circles Café, with a short lead around sheep and a short fixed lead in the Manor garden, car park, farmyard, museum and shop.
Stourhead welcomes dogs in the garden on a short lead, though only assistance dogs can go inside the house and garden buildings. At Lacock, a short lead is essential around sheep, and dogs aren’t allowed in the parkland during the summer holidays. Win Green, the highest point of Cranborne Chase, says “dogs on leads welcome”. The same chalk country is grazed, so keep a short lead handy near livestock.
Forest, lakes and country parks
Forestry England lists dogs as allowed at Postern Hill in Savernake Forest near Marlborough (SN8 4ND), where the car park is free and locked at 7pm. It asks you to use a lead if your dog doesn’t reliably come back. Coate Water Country Park in Swindon (SN3 6AA) allows dogs, but not in the nature reserve, play area or Splash Park, with a 1.75-mile lake walk. Barbury Castle Country Park is a downland hill fort whose amenity field is described as good for exercising dogs. The council page gives no other dog rules, and we couldn’t confirm a postcode.
What we couldn’t confirm
The National Trust pages for Calstone and Cherhill Downs and Lockeridge Dene give no dog rules, and we found none for West Woods or Pewsey Downs, so check signs on arrival. The Cotswold Lakes Trust asks for close control and no swimming at the Cotswold Water Park, but the county split of its routes is unclear. Castle Combe has no confirmed policy. We also left out Imber village, which is closed to the public.
Livestock and open downland can overwhelm some dogs, and a calming bite may help take the edge off. If your dog struggles to settle outdoors, that’s worth a chat with your vet. For everything else, see our Wiltshire dog services hub, and if you’d like a fenced space to let a reactive dog run, our secure dog fields in Wiltshire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I walk my dog at Stonehenge?
Yes, on the surrounding National Trust land, following the field signs. Dogs aren’t allowed in the Stone Circle itself, and a short lead is essential around sheep.
Is there a dog lead rule at Lydiard Park?
Yes. Swindon’s order requires a lead of 2m or less between 1 April and 30 September, 10am to 6pm, in the signed zones.
Can I walk my dog on Salisbury Plain?
Only where public access is allowed. The MOD prohibits access when red flags or red lights show, and Imber Range is always out of bounds, so check firing times on gov.uk first.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who has strong views on downland sheep.
