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!

Yes I would, but then I used to walk my dog at about 10pm for his final walk of the day.

I walked at 5am on a deserted beach/golf course for over 10 years all year round. The only people I met were other dog walkers and made a few friends along the way. It always felt safe, I figured that I had the dogs with me and anyone weird was likely still asleep! I only had a torch for finding the poo - my eyes adjusted to the dark and I could see quite far. With a torch, I could only see the small patch of light. Mind you, I only walked that route in the mornings - it had a very different feel at night.
I loved spending an hour first thing in the morning on the beach.

I live in London and walk my dog at 2am sometime. As long as you have everything on you.

I feel safe as my dog is a "scary dog" what dog do you have??

I do it, about 5am, and I have had a guy jump out the bush (and I'm in Western Australia, so was very isolated). Luckily my dog's 60kg Ridgeback / Mastiff, so he quickly chased him off, and once the police tracked him down the guy turned out to be having more of a mental health breakdown rather than being a criminal. I'm generally more worried about snakes / accidents though.

@prawntoastie

I live in London and walk my dog at 2am sometime. As long as you have everything on you.

I feel safe as my dog is a "scary dog" what dog do you have??

A 25kg mixed breed rescue puppy who's ridiculously friendly and outgoing. No idea whether she'd defend me or not.

I walk my dogs in a quiet rural area about 6.30 every day. Rarely see a soul. I remember a work colleague being horrified that I go to do my horse on my own in the dark I was 🤷‍♀️

I wouldn't do it op . But I am very nervy lol ,

@Malteser71

I’ve spent a lot of my life working with offenders.

The vast majority of them were never up before 11am !

Tickled me this has 😂😂😂

For everyone saying it won't happen because it's a quiet beach or sand dune . There have been loads of murders like this . I do listen to crime podcasts tho lol my own worst enemy . But look at the Pembroke murders . Two people just walking along a track off the beach

I would do it. Realistically what are the chances of some criminal hanging around waiting for a victim when there is no one around? You would probably be at more risk later in the day when there are more people. It feels scarier when there is no one around, but it is actually safer.

@dudsville

I can't vote. The reality is there's a risk. And it shouldn't be this way, and it would be a lovely thing to do.

You're more at risk of being killed driving to the shops than you are of being murdered walking your dog at 5am.

Does that mean you never drive anywhere?

Of course not. You evaluate. So take a torch. Make sure someone knows where you're going. Make sure your phone is fully charged and that you don't have headphones in.

I'm a dog walker and walk alone in rural locations everyday. I feel more unsafe on the roads than I ever do anywhere else!

I’d do it, and do do it.

I’m tall, and so probably entirely misguidedly, tend to think potentially attackers would look for an easier target.

I’d do it. I don’t worry at all about things sort of thing (maybe I should?).

I love this type of walk with my dog. Gives me a real sense of calm. I take my phone and a dog attack spray (citronella spray). Just in case anything tries and disturbs my calm.

I do this with my 5 dogs, but much earlier than that most days.
I like the solitude and cold to walk in.
A male friend who worries about me got me a very heavy torch to carry a few years back.
Since then though I've got a German Shepherd rescue dog who won't let anyone within 20 feet of me, so don't carry it now.

Just a word of warning though, incase this kind of thing would bother you - my local sand dunes are an active dogging spot early in the mornings and at night, so you might stumble upon people now the weather is better

I'd do it. I never worry about stuff like this. I won't live my life in fear of terrible but very unlikely things happening.

@cactuslover1992

For everyone saying it won't happen because it's a quiet beach or sand dune . There have been loads of murders like this . I do listen to crime podcasts tho lol my own worst enemy . But look at the Pembroke murders . Two people just walking along a track off the beach

But using that logic you should never go anywhere at all. Murders, attacks, rapes can happen anywhere at all and statistically far more likely to happen in either your own home or a busy town.

@cactuslover1992

For everyone saying it won't happen because it's a quiet beach or sand dune . There have been loads of murders like this . I do listen to crime podcasts tho lol my own worst enemy . But look at the Pembroke murders . Two people just walking along a track off the beach

I also read a lot of true crime stuff but it doesn't impact how I live my life.

The most risky activity people do each day is crossing the road or getting into their cars.

I think I’d feel comfortable doing what you describe. It’s light. I walk my dog alone late at night (a Lab - like you I have no idea if he’d kill an attacker or do what he does with all other humans, which is sit with his tail wagging hoping they’ll give him a cuddle). I don’t go to totally unlit places though.

I’m a bit surprised you wouldn’t meet anyone else - I used to live near a beach and sand dunes and pre-8am was peak dog walker time. People loved watching the sunrise over the dunes.

Of course there’s a small risk, but women can’t live imprisoned in our homes by the threat of male violence.

A friend does this. She gets up before dawn and does down to the beach with her dog to take photos of sunrise every day which she posts on FB. A highlight of my day is seeing her stunning photos.

I would do it, if the area where you live is safe.

@cactuslover1992

For everyone saying it won't happen because it's a quiet beach or sand dune . There have been loads of murders like this . I do listen to crime podcasts tho lol my own worst enemy . But look at the Pembroke murders . Two people just walking along a track off the beach

Someone got stabbed in Dunstable High Street at 2.15 in a Tuesday afternoon. By your logic women should avoid busy high streets too.

I used to drive from Clapham to Wimbledon common with my dogs around 6am and it worried my dm. I was there the day before Rachel Nickel was killed. Yet my parents wouldn't let my dh walk over Clapham Common back to his flat 25 years earlier. There was a notorious area o the edge of the common. Ironically the route that the missing girl took who they are looking for.

I used to like the space on places like Wimbledon Common or Richmond Park. I live in Cornwall now and used to travel nearly 20 miles to work for 20 years, which I found soothing rather than travelling on the tube. It's to do with seeing the sky and countryside.

So I think there are risks

Do it, but don't wear headphones. My relative did and she didn't hear her attacker until he was on top of her.

So I think there are risks

Nothing in life comes without risk.

I used to do early morning walks with my dog even in the dark I loved it no one else around and I could sing away with my headphones , there was one other person who I would consistently cross paths with but we would both have headphones in and nod hello and carry on .