Visiting with Dogs

Visiting with Dogs

Seven Sisters Country Park is managed for wildlife and nature. Responsible dog walkers are very welcome.

Please keep dogs under close control, and if you see signs asking you to keep your dog on the lead, please do so.

Cuckmere Haven and surrounding landscape is a special place and home to birds, wildlife and grazing animals throughout the year. Any disturbance can have an impact on wildlife but particularly during ground nesting season and when pregnant and young livestock are on the park.

To help you get the best from your visit:

• Keep dogs under control and on a lead near livestock, wildlife and open water
• Bag and bin dog poo – there are no bins within the landscape so please don’t leave it, you’ll find bins in our car parks or take it home
• Protect ground nesting birds – stick to the main paths, especially between March – September so eggs and nests are not damaged

We recognise that there will be occasions when dogs disturb wildlife, but with your help we can keep Seven Sisters Country Park a special place for wildlife and for visitors to enjoy.

What do I need to think about when walking my dog at Seven Sisters Country Park?

• Cliff Safety & Sea tides

  Keep at least 5 meters away from the cliff edge and the base of the cliffs. Cliff falls happen at random and often without warning. Keeping dogs on a lead when walking along the Seven Sisters cliffs ensures that they always stay away from the edge and are not distracted by rabbits, seagulls or other visitors.

  When walking dogs on the beach at Cuckmere Haven be aware of changing tides and strong winds, especially if walking under the cliffs, as conditions change quickly and there is limited mobile signal to call 999 if you are in distress.

• Open Water:

  We do not encourage dogs swimming in the meanders, lagoons or saltmarsh in the park. These are home to a variety of wildlife who will be disturbed by dogs chasing or destroying nests and eggs.

  Toxic medications found in flea and worming treatments also pose a risk to ground nesting birds and aquatic life, so keeping dogs out of these water environments helps to preserve these habitats.

• Grazing Animals:

  Throughout the year you will find sheep, cows and ponies grazing to help us to manage chalk grassland and ground nesting habitats. Keeping dogs under control around grazing animals ensures the safety of both the livestock and your dog. If you do feel threatened by cattle, let your dog off the lead and move to safety quickly.

• Be Tick Aware

  During spring and autumn tick seasons, dog owners are reminded to make regular checks for ticks especially when walking through woodland and grassland. If you find a tick on your pet, remove them straight away to reduce the risk of Lyme disease.I

• Adders

  Adders are known to be found in various locations at the country park and although rare, may bite if disturbed by curious dogs. Adders are most commonly found between April – July. If your dog is bitten, seek vet attention as soon as possible.

   

• Why are there no dog poo bins in the country park?

  Seven Sisters Country Park is a special, protected landscape designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), so we want to keep the landscape as natural as possible and are restricted by the amount of furniture, signage and bins we can have.

  Dog poo and general waste bins can be found in both the north and south car parks and by the Visitor Centre, so please don’t leave poo bags on the ground or dangling from bushes.

  Dog poo can spread diseases that cause harm to livestock, in severe cases causing animals to abort and die as well as being unpleasant for other visitors to walk through. Treatments for fleas and worms via dog poo can also be toxic to the environment.

• Why are some areas roped off

  During ground nesting season (March – September) you may find areas of the park roped off to encourage and protect habitats to support ground nesting birds.

  As an important wetland, we want to encourage a wide range of ground nesting birds to nest and are working hard to create the right environments for species including Skylark, Greenshank, Redshank, geese and ducks.

  If you do come across roped off areas around the meanders and vegetated shingle, please respect the boundaries and keep your dog away.

• Can I walk my dog off the lead in Friston Forest?

  Visit the Forestry England website for information about visiting Friston Forest with your dog.