8 best dog walks in East London

Dog walking is a brilliant way to explore the leafier side of East London.

While there are plenty of cool urban dog walks to enjoy in East London, what could be better than wandering through the area’s beautiful parks, meadows and woodlands with your favourite furball beside you?

Being surrounded by greenery will help you and your canine companion de-stress, away from the city’s hustle and bustle, and more importantly, visiting new places is an excellent source of mental and physical stimulation for dogs!

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Dog-friendly East London parks and walks

Put on your comfiest shoes, grab a stash of poop bags and take a walk on the wild side of East London – your pooch will thank you for it! 

Victoria park

If you’re looking for a buzzing canine hotspot, take your pooch to the oldest of London’s parks, situated in Tower Hamlets. Voted the nation’s most loved park, Victoria Park is visited by roughly 9 million people a year. 

The eastern section of the park is doggy heaven: vast green expanses perfect for games of catch and chase. It also features a whole host of wildlife, perfect for enquiring pooches keen to explore.

Post-walk, head to the west side, where you’ll find the gorgeously refurbished Pavilion Café serving up delicious, freshly prepared food. 

Beware, it’s full of cool people. Like, really cool people. 

How to find Victoria Park:

• Sat nav: E3 5TB
• Tube: Mile End or Bethnal Green Underground Station (both 12 mins walk), Stepney Green (14 mins walk) or Bow Church on the DLR (19 mins walk)
• Train: Cambridge Heath (14 mins walk) or Bethnal Green (18 mins walk) or London Fields (19 mins walk)

Allens Gardens

Does your dog prefer a little peace and quiet? If so, you might want to take them to Allens Gardens, Hackney’s very own secret garden, sitting behind Bethune Road in Stoke Newington. 

On one side, this quiet little park is lined by a long row of large Edwardian which we like peering into, and at the end of the park, children (not doggos) can enjoy a magical adventure playground and zip line.

Find yourself amidst raw natural beauty as you stroll through this green space, taking in old yew trees and woodland borders your pup will love exploring.

How to find Allens Gardens:

• Sat nav: N16 5BD
• Tube: Manor House and Seven Sisters are each a good 30 minute walk away 
• Train: Stoke Newington (8 mins walk) or Stamford HIll (11 mins walk)

Springfield Park

At Springfield Park in Upper Clapton you and your furry pal can venture through both polished formal gardens and enjoy scenic conservation areas, taking in panoramic views out across Walthamstow Marshes and beyond, to the Lee Valley. 

A £3.3 million restoration project is now underway, so the Springfield Park Café in the lovely large white manor house has temporarily relocated to the former Bowling Pavilion, but otherwise the park is looking wonderful! 

Pooches aren’t allowed to enter the extensive sports facilities (five tennis courts, a bowling green and grounds for rugby and cricket) or the children’s play area, but they’re allowed everywhere else! 

Be warned, the park is spread across a steep slope down to the Lea River at the bottom – we’d advise starting at the top on the Stamford Bridge end! 

How to find Springfield Park:

• Sat nav: E5 9AX
• Tube: We wouldn’t advise it 
• Train: Clapton (14 mins walk) or Stoke Newington (17 mins walk)

Clissold Park

First opened in 1889, Clissold Park is a cherished piece of Hackney’s history. Despite being in one of London’s most rapidly developing boroughs, Clissold Park remains a beautiful and tranquil green space for visitors and locals to enjoy.

Since 2006, the park has held a Green Flag award, and in 2010 an £8.9 million restoration project kicked off. Alongside the historic mansion – Clissold House – the former country estate’s lakes and natural beauty were given some much needed TLC, making the park even more instagrammable to go dog walking in. 

While the kids’ play zones, sports areas and animal enclosures are off-limits to canines, your pooch will love roaming about in Clissold Park. Finish off your adventure with a cup of tea in the on-site café.

How to get to Clissold Park:

• Sat nav: N16 9HJ
• Tube: Manor House (11 mins walk) or Finsbury Park (15 mins walk) 
• Train: Stoke Newington (15 mins walk). We’d suggest taking a left out of the station, crossing the road and taking a right along Stoke Newington Church Street. It’s a gorgeous street filled with artisan cafes and independent stores.

London Fields

Hackney-based London Fields has a rich natural history, having formerly been used as a grazing site for animals in, like, the olden days. The 31-acre park is one of the capital’s most beautiful, boasting its very own heated 50-metre lido.

Your furry friend will love leaping through the wildflower meadow, taking in all the sounds and sights. There’s never a dull day in London Fields park and the lively Broadway Market filled with cafes, pubs and independent shops is just a stone’s throw away. 

Doggos are more than welcome, but aren’t allowed in the children’s play area. 

How to get to London Fields:

• Sat nav: E8 3EU
• Tube: This part of East London is way too cool to be connected by tube
• Train: London Fields (1 min walk)

Mile End Park

Furball full of energy? Mile End Park was practically made for mutts, featuring an excellent dog agility trail that includes jumps and ramps, sure to put your pooch through their paces!

Owners and pups can venture through diverse scenery, taking in Regent’s Canal, impressive views of Canary Wharf and the award-winning Green Bridge. 

Wildlife is abundant in the park’s diverse woodlands and meadows, so loads fo sniffs your your pooch! There’s also a playground, adventure park and café.

How to get to Mile End Park:

• Sat nav: E3 4QY is the official postcode, but t’s a long, narrow park so best check Google to find out which end is best for you!
• Tube: Mile End (1 min walk)
• Train: We wouldn’t advise it

Tottenham Marshes

Prefer to go dog walking right off the beaten track? Your canine can really run free in the Tottenham Marshes, which forms part of Lea Valley Regional Park. 

Whether you and your dog prefer a gentle wander along paths or a lengthy hike, you’ll be content here. A roomy stretch of grassland is home to wildflower meadows, scrubland and waterways – more than enough to entertain excitable pups. 

The Marshes house a phenomenal range of wildlife, including kestrels, linnets, voles, butterflies and more, so wildlife nuts – bring your camera!

How to get to Tottenham Marshes:

• Sat nav: N17 0XD (Parking on-site)
• Tube: Tottenham Hale (18 mins walk)
• Train: Northumberland Park (10 mins walk) or Tottenham Hale (18 mins walk)

Weavers Fields

A wide, open space, Weavers Fields will allow your pooch the space to run their little heart out, while you enjoy the park’s glorious views of the London skyline. 

Weavers Fields is named in commemoration of the silk weavers who once occupied the area; visitors can see the park’s lineage depicted in sculptures dotted around the place. 

With a designated dog walking area, a football pitch and adventure park, there’s plenty to do at this Green Flag  park. Highlights of the self-guided nature trail include majestic Oaks, woodland, shrubbery and wildlife.

How to find Weavers Fields:

• Sat nav: E2 6HD
• Tube: Bethnal Green Tube (6 mins walk)
• Train: Bethnal Green Rail (4 mins walk)

Get dog walking!

Whether your four-legged friend has only recently joined the family or not, dog walking is a great way to bond with your favourite furball. Outdoors, you can play fetch or chase, and shower your dog with love – learn more about the benefits of outdoor play here. 

If you’re interested in exploring more of London, take a look at our North, West and South London guides! 

Tight on time? Here at Gudog, we have a wonderful team of friendly dog sitters itching to introduce your pooch to the best dog walks in London – our experienced walkers can be found here.