# Sense Valley Nature Reserve
**Type:** Walk | **Location:** Ibstock, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom
**Murphy & Me Rating:** 3.5/5 (space, sniff factor, facilities, ease)
## About
With another mini heatwave, we've swapped daytime adventures for evening walks. The mission was simple… find somewhere shady with a splash spot for Murphy.

Sense Valley had been on our list for a while, so off we went.

The main walk follows a large lake on wide gravel paths and it's a lovely, peaceful place to wander. There are a few spots where the stream runs alongside the paths too, which Murphy obviously interpreted as an invitation to stop every few minutes for "just one more paddle."

Head away from the main loop and you'll find woodland paths weaving through the trees. Some were lovely, but others had become quite overgrown with brambles, nettles and long grass, making them pretty narrow in places. There were a few muddy sections too… which Murphy considered a highlight rather than a problem.

Keep exploring though because eventually you come out into a huge open meadow.

This ended up being our favourite part of the walk.

With the sun beginning to set, there was hardly anyone around and Murphy was having the best time charging through the long grass. Sometimes dogs don't need much… just a field, a few good smells and the freedom to bounce around like an idiot.

Good to Know

Sense Valley is a wildlife reserve, so protecting nature comes first.

That means dogs need to stay on leads throughout the reserve and there are no dog waste bins, so you'll need to take any bagged poo home with you.

Unfortunately, not everyone does. We spotted several discarded poo bags during our walk, which was such a shame in an otherwise beautiful setting. That's down to the people leaving them behind rather than the reserve itself, but it's something worth being aware of.

If you're visiting later in the day like we did, the main car park closes at 7pm, even during summer, so we parked in a nearby lay-by instead.

There's also a coffee van in the main car park, although we're not sure what time it packs up.

One final tip… pack insect repellent. The horseflies absolutely loved us. Murphy seemed blissfully unaware while Greg and I spent half the walk swatting the air.

Would We Return?

Absolutely.

Would it get a Murphy Approved sticker?

Not this time.

This isn't because Sense Valley isn't beautiful—it really is. The lake, woodland and meadow make for a lovely evening walk.

For us, though, a Murphy Approved walk needs to be somewhere dogs can really enjoy themselves too.

With dogs needing to stay on leads throughout, no poo bins available, discarded poo bags taking away from the experience and some of the woodland paths becoming quite overgrown, it just falls short of earning the badge.

That's not a criticism of Sense Valley. It's a wildlife reserve first and foremost, and we'd much rather see wildlife protected than rules relaxed.

It's simply not somewhere Murphy gets to be his happiest, sniffiest, splashiest self.

## Murphy's Verdict
*Reviewed by Murphy, Cavapoo and chief sniff tester at Murphy & Me — The Dog Edit*
> "Excellent streams. Excellent meadow zoomies. Questionable lead policy. Zero stars for the horseflies… although I did enjoy watching Mum flap her arms around trying to escape them. 🐾"
## Highlights
- Dogs must stay on leads throughout the reserve
- No dog waste bins — take bagged poo home with you
- Main car park closes at 7pm, even in summer
- Coffee van available in main car park (times unknown)
- Some woodland paths overgrown with brambles, nettles and long grass
- Stream paddling spots alongside paths
- Pack insect repellent — horseflies can be relentless
## Dog-Friendly Features
Gravel Paths, Water / Swimming, Woodland
## About This Review
Sense Valley Nature Reserve was personally visited by Murphy & Me — The Dog Edit, a trusted dog-friendly recommendation network covering Leicestershire and beyond. Every review is based on a genuine visit. No paid placements. Murphy approved where earned.
**Source:** [Sense Valley Nature Reserve on Murphy & Me](https://murphyandme.co.uk/walks/sense-valley-nature-reserve)
**Publisher:** Murphy & Me — The Dog Edit | murphyandme.co.uk
**Published:** 2026-06-29