This Thrunton Woods dog walk was just what our two Golden Retrievers needed after a day on leads.
We wanted a quiet spot for them to run, so we picked the one-mile Crag Top Walk instead of the longer Castle Hill route. The Castle route is supposed to be tough! The walk itself was an easy 45-minute loop through the woods, though finding the car park actually took us longer than walking the trail. If you want to stay nearby with your dog, Rothbury is a good base for exploring Thrunton Woods and the local countryside.
The closer we got to Thrunton Woods, the more it felt as though we were driving into the middle of nowhere. Fields and narrow lanes everywhere, while our older sat-nav became less convincing.
It told us to turn right. We followed a narrow lane for about a mile before arriving at a farm.
A man got off his tractor and came over. Laughing, I asked, “This isn’t Thrunton Woods, is it?”
“No, mate,” he replied. “You’ve missed it. It’s about two miles back the way you came.”
Forestry England says Thrunton Wood is signposted from the A697. It’s better to follow those signs instead of relying on an old sat-nav. There’s also no direct public transport to the car park.
The car park was just a gravel square by the road, and it was easy to find a spot. Another couple headed off to the right, but we took the shorter Crag Top Walk to the left and didn’t see another person or dog for the entire circuit.
The route followed broad forest roads rather than tight woodland paths. The tracks switched between dark stone and distinctive reddish surfaces. Tall trees, bracken and open sections provided variety without making the walk feel strenuous.
Explore Northumberland With Your Dog
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The dogs found a shallow woodland watercourse and stopped for a paddle. It was natural water, not a supplied drinking point, so take fresh water with you.
The loop brought us back to the bottom of the access road without having to retrace our steps. From there, it was a short walk uphill to the car park.
If you’re looking for more, our guide to some great dog walks in Northumberland covers longer coastal, riverside, woodland, and hill routes.
After the other couple took the opposite path and the track ahead was clear, we let our dogs off their leads.
They sometimes ran 50 to 100 yards ahead, but we could always see them on the straight parts and they came back when called. Forestry England asks visitors to keep dogs close, visible, and under control. If your dog might wander off or not come back when called, it’s better to use a lead or long line.
The forest is shared with walkers, mountain bikers, and horse riders, though we didn’t see any during our visit.
We thought the Crag Top Walk was pretty easy. It’s only a mile long, and the wide forest tracks made it simple to follow.
The path isn’t totally flat or smooth. There are gentle slopes, some loose stones, and uneven spots, and it could get muddy after rain. We didn’t come across any gates, stiles, or road crossings.
Crag Top follows green waymarkers and gave us a manageable 45-minute walk with spectacular viewpoints of the Cheviot Hills.
Castle Hill follows red waymarkers and is a much bigger challenge. Forestry England says it’s five miles, rates it as hard, and warns about a long climb up to Thrunton Crags. We didn’t try it, so our experience is just with Crag Top.
Yes, especially if you’re after a short, peaceful forest walk instead of a full-day hike. What we really remember is having the path to ourselves after the trails split.
It might not always be this quiet, and access can change after storms or forestry work. Thrunton Wood is also a good choice if you’re staying in dog-friendly accommodation in Alnwick or Rothbury and want a short woodland walk away from the town and coast.
