To go walking early alone with my dog?

[Catslovepies]

I walk my dog for an hour each morning from around 6-7am through the local streets, but now it's light out earlier I'd like to do something different. I live local to a beach with lots of trails through the sand dunes. If I were to walk my dog along those trails we wouldn't run into anyone else the whole time, as usually no one else gets there before around 8.

This area isn't really high crime or anything. Would you feel safe walking the trails alone so early? I'd have my phone with me and would tell someone where I was going. I've done it once before and it was amazing although a little bit spooky!

Yabu= too scary/dangerous
Yanbu = sounds fun, go for it!

DH used to go walking with me sometimes but now he's hurt his knee and can't go far at all or walk on sand. Plus he doesn't like to get up so early!

I’d go. I walk my dog in lots of places where I rarely see anyone else. It’s lovely and peaceful. As I see no one it seems to me highly unlikely that the local serial killer would be out hiding behind the bushes waiting for me - it would take him/her ages to wait for a victim!!

Yanbu to do what you enjoy. I certainly would and do walk on the beach near me at that time of day and earlier in the summer, but I won't go out on the trails near me until 9am! They've become massively busier since lockdown but before that I used to feel a bit nervous. No idea why, nothing untoward has ever happened to me!

I do OP. I carry a weighted torch which would seriously hurt if I smacked someone with it and walk with confidence.

I don’t see why not. I run all over the place early in the morning/late in the evening. We live in the country. Unless I run up and down our (mostly single track and empty) road, I have to use empty trails.

Are you worried about having an accident or being attacked?

No one messes with my 2 dogs’ mum. We go to the woods early or the park or the beach, based on tides etc not people.
I sometimes carry a bagged poop longer than necessary if I feel a bit off.

The only thing I would be aware of is changing routes in light of dog thefts. Dont be predictable.

Sadly as a female runner I would not be going it alone to beautiful but secluded spots as a matter of safety.

How scary is your dog?

I walk my dog in some really secluded places late at night, midnight etc.

I love that there is no one around.

I have my phone, a head torch and the dog wears a light collar so I can see him.

I would

Wouldn't bother me 🤷‍♀️

I was my dog round some local woods for an hour most mornings - usually around 7am.
I absolutely love it. So peaceful.
Enjoy!

The one time I went for an early early dog walk (6am, Epping Forest), I saw a van driving around suspiciously.

I ended up going back to the same place later on with someone else and it was crawling with police because a body had been found.

@user1149254825482534232

Are you worried about having an accident or being attacked?

Being attacked. Although logically having an accident is probably statistically more likely it doesn't really scare me.

I do this all the time. It wouldn't occur to me that somebody might attack me.

Honestly, keep the risk in proportion to reality.

Also, don't be too predictable about when and where you go.

Depends on the area, are there often dodgy people lurking about? Lots of crime? If not I wouldn't give it a second thought. Way safer than the city imho.

I wouldnt but perhaps I am too cautious. You just never know. If theres a safer place to walk I would choose there.

I'd love to be able to do that if I had a beach nearby. Absolutely damn right I'd do it and wouldn't even think twice about it.

It wouldn't cross my mind to see risk in what OP proposes.

I am pretty bad tempered and have chased off would be attackers before (in busy streets at dodgy times like 7:30am or 6pm) . I guess that means I know I can take care of myself anyway.

Dog theft is apparently most relevant to small designer mongrels that the thieves can carry away (said on radio this evening).

@lemorella

Sadly as a female runner I would not be going it alone to beautiful but secluded spots as a matter of safety.

How scary is your dog?

I don't really know if she'd be scary. She's a one year old mixed breed Romanian rescue dog about the size of a lab. If someone tried to attack us I have no idea whether she'd hide behind me, attack back, or try to make friends with the attacker!

Dog theft is apparently most relevant to small designer mongrels that the thieves can carry away (said on radio this evening).

Designer mongrel is a contradiction in terms. Do you mean crossbreed? Mongrel = unknown parentage, mix of many breeds. By definition not designed. Crossbreed = known parentage, mix of two distinct breeds.

I don’t enjoy getting up early for any reason! Not even once I’m up etc etc So I wouldn’t find it fun myself.

However it doesn’t sound particularly dangerous to me.

Sorry no but my perception is skewed as I have worked in forensics. Doesn’t matter how nice the area is you wouldn’t see me out alone early morning.