Visiting the Sugar Loaf and Usk Valley with your dog

Dog looking at camera — Dog walking at Sugar Loaf and Usk Valley | © National Trust

Enjoy the panoramic views of South Wales from the highest peak of the Black Mountains with your four-legged friend. The mountain is a haven for upland wildlife such as birds, as well as livestock that graze within the areas. It’s also a special area of conservation, and in order to protect the wildlife that lives there we ask that dogs please remain on leads whilst visiting.

Our Pawprint Rating System

We’ve been working on making it easier for you to find out how dog-friendly your visit will be before you and your four-legged friend arrive. To help with this, we've created a new pawprint rating system and given all the places in our care a rating. You can find this information in the National Trust members’ handbook.

The Sugar Loaf and Usk Valley is a one pawprint rated place.

Dogs are welcome here, but facilities are limited. They’ll be able to stretch their legs in the car park and walk in the nearby open spaces, depending on the season.

The Canine Code

We’ve worked with our partner Forthglade to come up with this Canine Code, which helps to make sure everyone can enjoy their day:

Keep them close: using a short lead helps to keep your dog from disturbing ground-nesting birds and farm animals. It's essential to use a short lead around sheep. But if cattle approach you, it's best to let your dog off the lead, and call them back when it's safe to do so.
Pick up the poo: please always clear up after your dog. If you can't find a bin nearby, take the poo bags home with you.
Watch the signs: keep an eye on local signs and notices wherever you're walking. They'll tell you if a beach has a dog ban, for instance, or if a path has been diverted, or if you're in an area where dogs can run off-lead.
Stay on the ball: remember that not everyone loves dogs, and some people fear them. So make sure your dog doesn't run up to other people, especially children.

Keeping control of your dog

Our definition of close or effective control is:

Being able to recall your dogs in any situation at the first call
Being able to clearly see your dog at all times (not just knowing they have gone into the undergrowth or over the crest of the hill). In practice, this means keeping them on a footpath if the surrounding vegetation is too dense for your dog to be visible
Not allowing them to approach other visitors without their consent
Having a lead with you to use if you encounter livestock or wildlife, or if you are asked to use one

A small flock of sheep is grazing at Sugar Loaf in the Brecon Beacons, Powys, with a pointed peak in the distance.

Discover more at Sugar Loaf and Usk Valley

Find out when Sugar Loaf and Usk Valley are open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.

Plan your visit

We've partnered with natural pet food maker Forthglade so that you and your dog can get even more out of the special places we care for.

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