Merlin's Meadow Tewkesbury - Dog Park

Your dog won't need convincing to head to Merlin's Meadow in Tewkesbury. This open meadow gives dogs proper freedom to run about without a lead, which is genuinely rare in the area. The space is straightforward - it's field rather than fancy - but that's rather the point. Dogs get to be dogs, and owners get to watch them burn off energy without constantly checking for cars or other hazards.

The meadow works well if you're camping nearby at Millavon Holiday Park or the Abbey Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite, both within walking distance. After a morning here, your four-legged friend will likely be content for the afternoon while you explore Tewkesbury itself - the abbey is genuinely worth an hour of your time, and the town's sitting right on the rivers Avon and Severn, which makes for decent waterside walks if you fancy something different later.

Bring water in warmer months and check conditions after heavy rain - like most meadows, it can get boggy. There's no formal facilities that we're aware of, so this isn't the place for a lengthy picnic, more a quick blast of off-lead freedom. Allow thirty minutes to an hour depending on how knackered you want your dog. It's free, obviously, and works as a decent pit stop rather than a destination in itself. Fair play if you're staying at Croft Farm Water Park or Cotswold Grange further out - a ten-minute drive gets your dog what most parks can't offer.