Dog owners slammed for stuffing poo bags into Hadrian’s Wall

Steeped in history, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has stood as a dominating spectacle close to the England-Scotland border for almost 2000 years.

But rangers say an increasingly common sight along the famous 84‑mile route, which stretches from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway, is dog mess left beside the path, or worse, poo bags stuffed into gaps in the historic wall itself.

Margaret Anderson, a senior ranger at NNPA, said she wants to highlight the issue “before it becomes a bigger problem”.

“Northumberland National Park rangers and volunteers are cleaning up dog fouling at locations across the national park every day,” said Margaret.

“It’s an issue the rangers and volunteers have noticed more of recently, where dog poo bags are being hidden either in the wall or in places that are more out of sight.”

A hotspot for illegal dumping is reportedly in the section of the wall close to Steel Rigg, along the Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail towards Sycamore Gap.

At times, dog poo bags have also been captured lining parts of the Steel Rigg car park (Image: NNPA)

The ranger is encouraging dog owners to “visit responsibly” and “do their bit to keep the National Park unique and special for everyone who visits”.

“It’s a real shame when we find dog poo bags left in the national park – it really does spoil the tranquil beauty of the place and the experience for others,” she said.

“We love seeing people out enjoying the countryside for their health and wellbeing. One of the best parts of the job is meeting people in the national park.

“Most dog owners are brilliant and are already doing the right thing; we just need more help keeping it looking its best.”

NNPA are currently averse to adding more bins along the route; something it believes “would spoil the natural beauty of the landscape”, Margaret added.

The ranger said that even if there is no nearby bin, taking it a little bit further “makes a big difference”, adding: “If you’ve bagged it, just take it with you.”

She said: “Dog poo might seem like it just disappears, but it sticks around longer than people think and can upset the balance of delicate ecosystems, including plants, wildlife and water quality, which are really important for nature to thrive. It can also transmit diseases to livestock.

“Poo bags, even the biodegradable ones, don’t just vanish overnight; they can take years to break down.

“We’re all here because we love these places, so let’s look after them together.”

Park chiefs advise that members of the public should not approach those suspected of dog fouling, but they can report it to NNPA via its website.