Discover Serenity at Broads Carlton Marshes: A Tranquil Dog Walk | Cracked Nails and Split Ends

Best Dog Walk in the Broads

Part of the National Park family, the Broads are a network of rivers and lakes. This beautiful and magical area spans across two counties, Suffolk and Norfolk. The lakes, known as broads, were formed by the flooding of peat workings many years ago, and the Carlton Marshes, a nature reserve based in the heart of the Broads, comprises over 100 acres of grazing marsh, fens and peat pools. It is one of the best dog walks in the Broads.

A nature reserve walk of 3.5 miles of stunning landscape, lakes and wildlife, the Carlton Marshes is perfect for a stroll with the family and dog walks.

The walk starts from the visitor centre and commences along Sprat's Water, where the path is bordered by a field of reeds on the left and woodland on the right. Approx. 300m walk that then leads you on to a 1-mile track with dykes that follow the track on either side. The track takes you directly to the banks of the River Waveney. It's a long peaceful, but rather muddy walk full of beautiful sights and sounds, perfect for the dogs to trot along, sniffing and exploring the environment.

During the walk down the 1-mile track, we spotted hundreds of freshwater snails in the mud of the path. Carlton Marshes is known as one of the best places in the UK for its range of freshwater snails and we spotted many different shapes, sizes and colours.

The flower-studded marshes are drained by a system of dykes and grazed by cattle in summer, this environment creates a home for wintering wading birds and birds of prey including the owl. If you are lucky, water voles may be spotted in and around the dykes along with special plants including the rare and protected water soldier.

Along the track you will find a footbridge, where you can cut across the arable field, a bridal way, thus, we remained on the track and continued to the River Waveney Bank.

We arrived at the River Waveney bank and followed the path for 800m until we reached the gate which took us onto Angles Way. A raised hill was built for the path which overlooks Peto's Marsh, it was not so muddy and was great for the dogs to run up and down and around.

The whole walk is an adventure of sorts, a bracing nature walk along picturesque paths, with your pooch at your side, is a wonderful thing. It's ideal for getting the dog’s nose twitching and sniffing, things are around every nook-and-cranny. In the mud or down by the river or dyke there are plenty of places to pick up the scent, see who's been visiting before you!

The marshes are full of wildlife and home to a variety of marshland birds from, Snipe, Redshank and Swans. And, including 15 different types of Dragonflies, including the rare Norfolk hawker. On this dog walk the sights and sounds of nature never cease.

Angles Way leads you back to the Suffolk Broads Wildlife Centre.