ABERDEENSHIRE’S SCENTRAL BARK DOG PARK NAMED BEST IN THE UK
Source: AberdeenLive (Extract)
Posted: August 20, 2024
An Aberdeenshire dog park is celebrating after being named the best in the UK out of more than 1,800 entries.
Scentral Bark, situated in a picturesque area just outside Udny Station, has won the British Dog Fields People’s Choice Award for British Dog Field of the Year.
The awards success comes after they were previously named the best in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands and Islands following a public vote last year.
The park, which opened in 2022, is described by founders Martin and Lynsey Duthie as a place where dog owners can have a ‘true off lead experience.’
Speaking previously with Aberdeen Live, the duo were stunned the park had proven to be so popular, with Martin explaining that they were partly inspired to open it by their own dog, Haggis, who gets nervous around others.
He said: “During Covid, with people working from home, there was a significant rise in dog ownership in the area. In fact, we had just gotten our dog right before the pandemic.
“Even though we live in the countryside, it isn’t always easy to train your dog without encountering other people. Our dog is quite reactive—he’s a collie—and we couldn’t take him to popular spots because other dogs would set him off.”
“We thought there was nothing really in our area that suited our needs at that time, so we came up with this idea for Scentral Bark – using part of our land to create a safe space for owners to truly connect with their dogs where there’s no other members of the public, no traffic, no cyclists.
“We’ve got such a beautiful spot here in Aberdeenshire. It gets people away from the city and lets them bond with their dogs.”
Martin and Lynsey, who come from backgrounds in the oil industry, are overjoyed by their recent award success, which saw Scentral Bark surpass venues in Gloucestershire and Warwickshire to claim the top spot.
Upon receiving the award, Martin said: “We are thrilled to be recognized as the best dog park in the entire UK out of 1,800 parks.”
“As a self-funded small business, growing and getting off the ground can be very challenging, so this honor means a great deal to us.”
