The Project
trainer
Funding Partner
The short version.
Nene Valley Woofs is an initiative designed to promote harmonious dog walking with wildlife in Special Protected Areas.
We run pack walks with professional trainers to build confidence and comfort living by and promoting this message.
If you want to walk with your dog in a Special Protected Area, we ask that you keep your dog on-lead and follow Woof’s Ways, which are listed below.
If you want to walk with your dog off-lead, we encourage you to use one of the Lead-Off Alternative sites listed below.
This project is run in collaboration with Daisy’s Dog Training, a qualified dog trainer and canine behaviourist.
Lead-On Sites & Lead-off sites
Special Protected Area Sites (Lead-On) | Distance in between (drive) | Lead-Off Alternative |
|---|---|---|
Northampton Washlands | 15 mins | Brackmills Country Park |
Grendon Lakes | 12 mins | Irchester Country Park |
Summer Leys Nature Reserve | 7 mins | Irchester Country Park |
Chester House Estate (Spinney Lakes) | 9 mins | Irchester Country Park |
Ditchford Lakes and Meadows (Nene Wetlands) | 8 mins | Irchester Country Park |
Rushden Lakes (Nene Wetlands) | 12 mins | Irchester Country Park |
12 mins | Warth Park Country Park | |
Higham Ferrers Pits (Nene Wetlands) | 9 mins | Warth Park Country Park |
Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows (Nene Wetlands) | 7 mins | Warth Park Country Park |
Stanwick Lakes Nature Reserve | 5 mins | Warth Park Country Park |
Kinewell Lake | 5 mins | Warth Park Country Park |
Thrapston Nene Valley Park
(Thrapston Town Lake) | 13 mins | Warth Park Country Park |
Titchmarsh Nature Reserve | 14 mins | Warth Park Country Park |
8 mins | Fermyn Woods Country Park | |
Stornton’s Pits [honourable mention] | 4 mins | Hunsbury Hill Country Park |
Hi. We're Nene Valley Woofs.
Who are Nene Valley Woofs?
Nene Valley Woofs is an initiative operated by Nene Rivers Trust in collaboration with Daisy’s Dog Training that offers access to free pack walks with qualified dog trainers for dog owners through the Nene Valley Special Protection Area. The programme has been in actions since 2023 and is funded by the Wildlife Trust BCN.
Nene Valley Woofs is part of the Nene Valley Works project – a scheme comprised of three projects: Woofs (for dog ownership in the Nene Valley), Wanderers (for personal wellbeing and connecting with nature), and Watchers (for bird watching and wildlife appreciation).
Wait. Why does a river trust run a dog project?
It’s a good question. And the answer makes more sense once you know the history.
the history.
Here in the Nene Valley, we are home to the Upper Nene Valley gravel Pits Special Protection Area. This is an area of former gravel pits that are now home to thousands of internationally protected bird species that migrate thousands of miles here every winter between October and March to nest and feed.
These gravel pit lakes are perfect for these species due to extensive shallow and deep open waters, sparsely vegetated islands, gravel bars, and other “bird-friendly” habitats.
You might have experienced one of these special protection areas yourself, especially if you’ve ever been for a walk around Summer Leys, Rushden Lakes, Titchmarsh Nature Reserve, Northampton Washlands or Grendon Lakes. They’re beautiful, they’re serene – and so naturally, dog owners see them as wonderful spots to walk their pups.
Are they not?
No, they are. The problem is that free roaming dogs pose one of the biggest threats to protected bird species within these areas. Sniffing around nests and chasing birds can mean that these already endangered species use up their precious energy supplies running away from a perceived threat – your pooch might just be being nosy, but the birds don’t know that!
Even when dogs don’t chase birds, just by encroaching on their safe spaces, these birds can feel threatened and fly away, with each disturbance using their limited energy supply.
But if they’re only migrating here for the winter, that must mean it’s not a problem in the summer, right?
Not exactly. You see, during the spring and summer months, there are many breeds of ground nesting birds in these habitats that remain here throughout the year. Although undetectable to the human eye, they can be easily sniffed out by dogs with their highly sensitive noses and inquisitive minds. These ground nesting birds will be less likely to reproduced if disturbed by unnatural “predators” which includes your pups and us.
These dangers to the already endangered bird species are what has the Wildlife Trust so concerned, which is why Wildlife Trust BCN wanted to raise awareness with dog owners and the public in general.
This is where Nene Rivers Trust comes in.
As a charity committed to delivering for people and nature around the Nene catchment, Nene Rivers Trust are uniquely qualified to handle raising of awareness around these issues, promoting socialising between dog owners, bettering owner’s relationships with their own pets, and helping people to engage with nature in their every day.
And so, Nene Valley Woofs was born.
WOOF's ways.
But does that mean you’re saying people shouldn’t take their dogs out on these sites?
No, not at all. Nature is for everyone – us, our pets, and the birds. The primary function of Nene Valley Woofs is to raise awareness of how we and our pets can live in harmony with the wildlife. To do this, we have some guidelines we ask people to abide by, for the safety of them, their pups and the wildlife at the same time.
We call these Woof’s Ways. And they go like this –
- Stay Close & In Control: Pups should stay in sight of their owners and remain under control whilst walking around these protected sites.
- Follow Lead Signs: Pups and owners should follow signs requesting that dogs are kept on leads in specified areas (here you can find the best on and off lead dog walks around the Nene Valley).
- Stick To The Paths: Pups and owners should stick to main paths in nature reserves.
- Bag It & Bin It: Dog poo should be bagged and binned to reduce the spread of pathogens.
- Swim Safe, Stay Healthy: Pups should only swim in safe waters (and opt for flea tablets to avoid contamination).
- Avoid A Fine: By law, an owner can be fined up to £1,000 if found with their dog off a lead in a lead-on designated area.
We love our furry friends and we want them to get the most out of their adventures within the Nene Valley. For all dogs and their owners to have the best experience, it is important that we respect each other and our surroundings. There is a place for us all in nature and we can enjoy these spaces whilst allowing the bird population to happily coexist with our furry friends.
Okay, so how can I get involved with Nene Valley Woofs?
There are three ways.