The moment you pick up the lead and begin pulling on your boots is the moment your pup pal goes barking mad for. It’s their favourite time of the day – the dog walk!
The best time to walk a dog has to be first thing in the morning and last thing at night. It’s so exciting for your canine pal, and why shouldn’t it be special for you too? We wanted to uncover the most beautiful places for dog walks in autumn, and decided to do that by following the UK’s most spectacular sunrises. We combined mapping and weather data to discover truly rewarding autumn walkies for both you and your canine pal.
Read on for impressive autumn sunrise walks that are sure to make tails wag! Coastal destinations came out highly rated in our report – click the button below if you’d like to plan a pet-friendly holiday by the sea.
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How we uncovered these top destinations
Methodology: To uncover the UK’s best autumn sunrise walks for dog owners, we combined mapping and weather data to build a complete picture of the top-rated sunrise walking spots.
We focused on nine of the UK’s most popular outdoor regions: the Brecon Beacons, Cornwall, the Cotswolds, Dartmoor, the Lake District, Norfolk, the Northumberland Coast, the Pembrokeshire Coast and the Scottish Highlands. Each region was chosen based on its popularity as a walking destination and its scenic, dog-friendly character.
First, we used Google Maps API data, examining ratings and reviews, to identify the nation’s most popular dog-friendly walks.
Second, we analysed meteorological and solar data from NASA Power API, focusing on the autumn months (October to December) across the past 3 years, to find locations with the clearest skies, sunniest mornings, best visibility, milder temperatures and calmer winds. This gave us an idea of the best areas for vivid sunrises with more enjoyable walking conditions.
The two categories were then combined with equal weighting to create an overall index ranking the best-performing regions of the UK and individual destinations within them. Our results are below.
Top three places for the best autumn sunrise dog walks
You’ll notice all three on our list are in paw-friendly Cornwall! This enchanting county often comes out top for the mild weather and beautiful skies, and the rave ratings and reviews revealed the nationwide love for this region’s dog-friendly walking trails too.
If you’d like to find scenic dog walks near you, check out our infographic further down detailing our full list of impressive sunrise destinations across the UK.
St Ives, Cornwall
Dog-friendly walking score: 90.59/100
Autumn sunrise score: 50.27/100
Total score: 70.43/100
The ever-popular St Ives in Cornwall topped our list! Everyone goes barking mad for this popular Cornish town, including our pup pals.
Boasting scenic coastal walks that have received an average of 4.78/5 stars from visitor reviews, and with high sky clarity and sunlight intensity ratings, St Ives is pick of the litter when it comes to dog walks with outstanding sunrises.
You’ll be having a ball with a stay in this wonderful autumn sunrise destination. Enjoy early-morning strolls along the harbour where you might spot seals playing in the bay, or you and your hound can follow the South West Coast Path to nearby Carbis Bay.
Penzance, Cornwall
Dog-friendly walking score: 83.32/100
Autumn sunrise score: 50.27/100
Total score: 66.80/100
Famous for its nautical heritage, with immense sandy stretches of beach where your dog can run, dig and play, Penzance comes second in our list.
With the pup-friendly walking trails in town, the countryside and by the sea all being rated an average of 4.74/5 stars, it’s a paw-fect place for adventures any time of year. And with the same meteorological ratings as St Ives, the autumn sunrises in Penzance will be a hit.
Venture down to the Penzance Promenade, take a trip through Trevaylor Woods, stroll to Newlyn Green or head to the coast path. At Longrock Beach, you can watch the sun rise over the water while your pup pal splashes about in the waves.
Newquay, Cornwall
Dog-friendly walking score: 81.84/100
Autumn sunrise score: 50.29/100
Total score: 66.06/100
The third of our top destinations for dog walks with an outstanding autumn sunrise is the seaside haven of Newquay.
You may associate Newquay with surfing and water sports, but our fellow canine-loving travellers have rated this town's walking trails a wag-tastic average of 4.69/5 stars. The ratings for sky clarity, sunlight intensity and temperature were only slightly below those of St Ives and Penzance, so it’s earned its place in our top three destinations for dog walks during an autumn sunrise.
Head down to the coastal path early in the morning, where your pup pal can leave pawprints in the sand while you watch the sky turn vibrant colours. Both Fistral Beach and Towan Beach welcome our canine companions all year round, while the Bowgie Inn Walk leads you to a clifftop viewpoint.
Top destinations for autumn sunrise strolls – full list
Where will you and your hound go next on your travels? These are the fantastic places that came out on top during our research.
From the Scottish Highlands to the Lake District, the UK is bursting with locations for catching that magical sunrise this autumn with your pup pal by your side. For dog-friendly walks near you, take a look through our locations spanning the UK.
| Rank | Location | Dog-friendly walking score | Autumn sunrise score | Total score |
| 1 | St Ives, Cornwall | 90.59 | 50.27 | 70.43 |
| 2 | Penzance, Cornwall | 83.32 | 50.27 | 66.80 |
| 3 | Newquay, Cornwall | 81.84 | 50.29 | 66.06 |
| 4 | Fort William, Scottish Highlands | 81.45 | 50.20 | 65.83 |
| 5 | Postbridge, Dartmoor | 79.84 | 50.35 | 65.09 |
| 6 | Ullapool, Scottish Highlands | 78.47 | 50.18 | 64.33 |
| 7 | Padstow, Cornwall | 77.79 | 50.29 | 64.04 |
| 8 | Keswick, Lake District | 77.41 | 50.25 | 63.83 |
| 9 | Falmouth, Cornwall | 76.92 | 50.28 | 63.60 |
| 10 | Aviemore, Scottish Highlands | 76.87 | 50.25 | 63.56 |
| 11 | Tavistock, Dartmoor | 76.67 | 50.33 | 63.50 |
| 12 | Princetown, Dartmoor | 76.62 | 50.35 | 63.48 |
| 13 | Ullswater (Glenridding), Lake District | 74.75 | 50.25 | 62.50 |
| 14 | Sheringham, Norfolk | 73.44 | 50.33 | 61.89 |
| 15 | Glencoe, Scottish Highlands | 73.53 | 50.19 | 61.86 |
| 16 | Cromer, Norfolk | 73.28 | 50.33 | 61.80 |
| 17 | Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Dartmoor | 72.79 | 50.35 | 61.57 |
| 18 | Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire Coast | 72.18 | 50.28 | 61.23 |
| 19 | St Davids, Pembrokeshire Coast | 71.71 | 50.30 | 61.00 |
| 20 | Bamburgh, Northumberland Coast | 71.38 | 50.25 | 60.82 |
Top tips from Dr Emma
Following our investigation into the region’s top autumn sunrise spots, we asked Dr Emma for more information on why getting out and about early each morning is so important for our four-pawed friends.
Why is a consistent morning routine important for your dog?
Just like us, providing your dog with a morning routine can set them up positively for the day. It provides consistency and stability, helping them to predict what comes next in their day.
They really thrive on the predictability, which helps to reduce stress and anxiety. It also offers many health benefits – ensuring they are well rested, fed and exercised at the start of each day.
Is a morning routine even more important during the autumn/winter months?
A pink autumn sunrise behind Cromer Pier in Norfolk.
A morning routine can be even more important during the autumn/winter when it’s dark, cold, wet and windy.
Some of us, and some dogs, don’t want to go out in bad weather. But stopping or shortening a dog’s walks, not letting them out as usual and changing the timing of the walk throws their routine and can cause anxiety, stress, and potentially even stomach and behavioural issues.
If you need to shorten dog walks due to bad weather, consider supplementing your dog’s morning routine with extra playtime indoors or offering enrichment toys.
What kind of health benefits can it have on your dog when you have a good morning routine?
Sunrise from the South West Coast Path with St Ives in the distance.
Having a good morning routine can help your dog’s mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
This can be through feeling less stressed and anxious, getting better sleep, and improved digestion and exercise, leading to improved weight management and an improved bond with you.
Feeding and exercising your dog at the same or similar time every morning can help to regulate their body clock and aid their digestive health and metabolism.
Helping your dog’s body to know when their next meal is coming can assist with managing hunger cues and prevent a build-up of stomach acid and bile, reducing the chance of bilious vomiting syndrome. Similarly, exercising at an appropriate time will prevent vomiting from exercising on a full stomach. In addition, knowing when their next bathroom break is coming reduces the chances of any accidents in the house.
How does a consistent morning routine affect your dog’s behaviour throughout the day?
Ensuring your dog has a consistent morning routine will involve:
- Getting up at a similar time, helping your dog to be well rested
- A morning walk, so they’re well exercised and have had mental stimulation
- Ensuring they have a good breakfast, so they feel full
This can help your dog be less destructive for the rest of the day, improve their ability to nap and settle, and help them focus during any training sessions.
What is the best morning routine for a dog?
The ruins of Old Inverlochy Castle in Fort William.
Begin the day at a consistent time, give them their morning walk first and then breakfast after. This gives them a chance to relieve themselves straight away after holding it all night and means they’re not exercising on a full stomach.
You will probably need to let them out to ‘do their business’ around 10–30 minutes after they’ve eaten their breakfast as well. If you can fit in any playtime or cuddles before you need to start your day, such as going to work, they would really enjoy that too!
However, the best morning routine is what works for you and your family too. Your dog will pick up on you being stressed, so finding a routine that keeps you both happy is best. Some prefer to let their dogs out and give them breakfast, then do the morning walk once the dog’s food has gone down. Whereas some hungry pups will demand breakfast first before going out at all.
What signs indicate that your dog might need a better or adjusted morning routine?
Autumn sunrise over Ullswater in the Lake District.
There are many behavioural signs to watch out for that your dog might be unsettled and benefit from a better or adjusted morning routine. These include changes in eating habits such as going off their breakfast, restlessness and struggling to settle, destructive behaviour, lethargy and disinterest in walks or playing, excessive vocalisations like barking for your attention or whining, and having accidents in the house.
Ideas for a better morning routine
Depending on the behavioural sign, different adjustments can be made to improve things. You could try:
- Changing the timing and/or order of the routine
- Increasing their exercise on their morning walk
- Increasing their mental stimulation with playtime and/or enrichment toys
Can having a set morning routine strengthen the bond between you and your dog?
Saundersfoot Harbour during a pink sunrise.
Having a set morning routine provides quality time and a consistent positive connection with your dog.
It can also help build your dog’s trust in you, which is especially important if you’ve adopted a rescue or a new puppy.
Interacting together, particularly cuddles, playtime and walks, releases the neurochemical oxytocin for you both. This is nicknamed the ‘love hormone’, so you’ll both physically feel more bonded from your time together!
Catch the sunrise
Getting up and outside is important for both you and your beloved family pet to counteract the darker days and colder temperatures.
It’s easy to hide away inside and wait for summer to return, but then you’d be missing out on the beautiful landscapes that dominate during these chilly months. Your favourite canine companion will thank you! Grab the lead, get out, and catch the sunrise.
If you’d like to hear more statistics about where fellow pup parents like to travel in the UK, check out our dog-friendly travel trends report.
Seaside escapes came out on top in our report. Ready to book a break by the sea? Check out our dog-friendly holiday cottages by the coast.
Emma Scales-Theobald PhD MSc
A canine behaviour and nutrition consultant who provides regular expert advice to Canine Cottages on the subjects of canine health and behaviour. She holds a PhD in Veterinary Medicine and Science from the University of Surrey, as well as an MSc in Animal Behaviour from the University of Exeter.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.