REVIEW: Walkies Dog Field, Great Amwell

This field is in a great spot – located behind an enormous garden centre (tucked away) it’s easy to access – just drive straight through the car park and follow the signs.

It’s about 1 mile from the nearest junction with the A1 and about a mile and a half from Ware – really easy to get to and less than 45 minutes drive from central London.

Booking and Accessing Walkies Amwell

Booking is straight forward and secure and communication was great – it needs to be with the Walkies fields because of the entry system!

Walkies use a phone-up service for secure access to the field so having been on the road most of the day, I had to remember to make sure my phone was charged both for getting in and out of the field (and that it was the same one I booked with) – this is something regular users of the Walkies fields are well rehearsed in but for a number of practical and safety reasons, I would prefer at least a push-button escape from the field. As the car park is technically a waiting area for other clients I would have to juggle two dogs on lead, and my phone, and pull a heavy gate towards me to herd them out and into the car. Not a deal breaker for me but just a bit more hassle than the lower tech alternatives.

What is Walkies Amwell Like?

This was one of the best fields I’ve been to in a long time. We all had a blast and our onboard barometer for a great field was refusing to get back in the car to go home. It’s one of those that feels much bigger than it’s 2 acres and sits in what feels like you’re own little private parkland.

They have some nicely presented activities – great to see play sand being used in their sand pit and a smaller one for medium sized dogs.

It’s surrounded by mature trees which gives it a really secluded feeling and the bonus of having been able to grab a sausage roll and a coffee after a long drive before I checked-in was great.

There are a few enormous trees in the field that will make this field fab in summer, lots of natural shade.

Facilities-wise, there is a shelter with a light, fresh running water, general waste and poo bins.

The garden centre is one of those places you could probably move into – restaurant, food hall, toilets, farm shop, etc so worth a trundle around and the field is located well out of the way of usual everyday traffic. The parking may come up to the field area in high season but it’s well enough set back not to be any kind or real distraction.

Is Walkies at Amwell Secure?

This is a great example of a secure fencing set-up within the field – the fencing in 6ft+ with a secondary ‘belt and braces’ layer of chicken wire on the opposite side of the fence. Take a look at the photos for scale.

The only thing that is a shame about this field is the parking set-up. Technically, the parking is a waiting area which means you can drive in before the previous user has finished and the next person can drive in and wait whilst you load. The absence of a buffer makes this more likely. You need to put your dogs on the lead from the car to the field.

As you have to put your dog on a lead to get them to the field gate, the fact that the gate has a sizeable gap under it isn’t really important but if you didn’t read the instructions properly and thought you were in a secure parking area, this might be an issue for someone with an escape artist.

Walkies dog fields in Hertfordshire:

• Walkies North London – Barnet
• Walkies Amwell – Great Amwell
• Walkies South Mimms – Potters Bar
• Walkies Tewin – Welwyn
• Walkies Hertford – Hertford

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