Autumn Dog Walking at St. Ives Estate, Bingley

26 Oct

Bingley St Ives Estate is a beautiful country park and estate with woodlands, meadows, and a historic mansion. It’s a weekend favourite for us and has loads of circular trails, including around Coppice Pond. I headed out there this morning with the dogs to clear my head and make the most of the autumn sunshine. The leaves are at peak colour now and it’s looking fabulous 🍂

St Ives Estate dates back several centuries and was once a private estate owned by the Ferrand family, with records mentioning the family’s ownership since the 17th century. It was eventually sold to Bingley Urban District Council in the 1920s and opened to the public. Today it’s a popular walk for dog owners and families in the Bradford area.

Coppice Pond is an artificial lake built to enhance the estate’s landscape. Today, it's a scenic spot for birdwatching, fishing, and home to swans and ducks. If my other half walks the dogs here he does the perimeter forest route which is hilly and has a range of terrains - including some pretty steep slopes. I do the shorter version but then tag on a few laps of the pond, so depending on what kind of walk you like to do, there are options. There is also an adventure playground if you want a stop off with the kids (dogs are not allowed in the playground area though).

St Ives is part of a designated Local Nature Reserve, covering woodlands, meadows, and moorland. It's home to lot of wildlife, including roe deer, badgers, and various bird species - so just a word of warning, if you have a dog who loves to chase then excellent recall is a must!!

Car parking is pretty good here and isn’t overly expensive - it’s about £1 per hour. You can pay cash or use the RingGo app if you have it. There are car parks at the bottom entrance, next to the adventure playground and next to St Ives Golf Club. There are some stables near the Golf Club, and riders regularly hack along the trails, so be prepared to keep your dog on a lead in these areas.