Oxleas Wood and Shooters Hill: Ancient Woodland Dog Walk in SE London
Shooters Hill, London SE18
Oxleas Wood is 133.5 hectares of connected ancient woodland on the edge of south-east London, and most Londoners south of the river have never visited it. The woodland complex takes in eight distinct areas - Oxleas Wood itself, Castle Wood, Shepherdleas Wood, Jack Wood, Eltham Common, and several smaller sections - giving a route that changes character as it moves through different tree cover and opens briefly onto meadow sections in between. Dogs are welcome off-lead throughout: there is no livestock, no formal lead requirement anywhere in the woodland, and the absence of roads within the site makes it genuinely good off-lead territory.
Severndroog Castle in Castle Wood is an 18th-century triangular gothic folly built in 1784 and the views from it on clear days extend across London and into five counties. The grounds around the castle are open and dog-friendly. The Oxleas Wood Cafe sits at the heart of the woodland and is open daily from 8am, but the cafe building itself operates within a fenced enclosure where dogs are not permitted. Tables immediately outside the fence are dog-friendly and the practical arrangement for most walkers is to order and eat just outside the perimeter. This is worth knowing before you go rather than discovering at the gate.
The woodland sits on the Green Chain Walk, the 52-mile network connecting south-east London’s parks and open spaces, and fits naturally into a longer day if you want to extend the route. In spring the bluebells in the older oak sections are a genuine draw. Ticks are present in the grassland and scrub sections from spring through autumn; check your dog before getting back in the car. The main Oxleas Wood car park off Shooters Hill Road carries no charge and fills early on busy sunny days.
Frequently asked questions
Are dogs allowed off-lead in Oxleas Wood?
Yes. Dogs are welcome off-lead throughout the Oxleas Wood woodland complex. There is no livestock and no formal lead requirement anywhere in the woodland or meadow areas. The only exception to note is the immediate area around the Oxleas Wood Cafe enclosure, which is fenced and does not permit dogs inside. Tables outside the fence are dog-friendly. Ground-nesting birds are present in the grassland sections in spring, so keep dogs close to the path in those areas between March and July.
Can dogs visit Severndroog Castle?
Dogs are welcome in the grounds around Severndroog Castle. The castle is an 18th-century gothic folly in Castle Wood and the surrounding grounds are open access. Check the Severndroog Castle website for current opening times if you want to go inside the tower itself; the grounds are generally accessible as part of the woodland walk without needing to enter the building.
Is there parking at Oxleas Wood?
Yes. The main Oxleas Wood car park off Shooters Hill Road (SE18 area) carries no charge. It fills quickly on busy sunny weekends and bank holidays, so arriving before 10am is advisable on those days. Additional street parking is available around the edges of the woodland off Rochester Way and Welling Way.
Why is Oxleas Wood better for dogs than better-known SE London parks?
Oxleas Wood offers something the formal SE London parks do not: genuine ancient woodland with no livestock, full off-lead access throughout, and enough connected area to give a dog a proper run across varied terrain. Greenwich Park and Crystal Palace Park are pleasant but formal; Oxleas is wilder, larger, and considerably less crowded. The combination of the woodland, the castle grounds, the open meadow sections, and the cafe as a practical midpoint makes it a complete half-day walk without needing to go further out of London.
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