Your independent vets in Wroughton
Your local Drove Vets
We are right on Wroughton’s doorstep – our hospital on Croft Road is just a few minutes’ drive from the village, sitting on the A4361 heading north towards Swindon.
We’re a proudly independent practice, and have been throughout our history – with roots going back as far as 1839. We like to say we’re big enough to handle anything unexpected and small enough to know you and your family by name. That’s not just a saying – it shapes everything we do, from the way our team greets you to the investment we make in our facilities, including our on-site CT scanner.
If you’re looking for a vet near Wroughton, we’d love to welcome you. As well as our hospital, we have branches across Swindon and the surrounding area, and our Drove Vets 24/7 service means there’s always a familiar face from our team available when you need us most – day or night.
You can find out more about everything we offer below.
Dog walking spots in Wroughton
Dog walking spots in Wroughton
Barbury Castle Country Park
Right on Wroughton’s doorstep, this is the big one – and the walk that most local dog owners will know and love.
Situated on the outskirts of Wroughton, Barbury Castle spans across 60 hectares of open grassland and is the highest point in Swindon, offering spectacular views of the surrounding towns and villages.
The iron age hill fort itself is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and the sense of space up here is hard to beat – dogs can really stretch their legs across the open downland.
Walk a section of the ancient Ridgeway trail, with scenic routes towards Hackpen Hill or Avebury. However, keep leads handy as sheep graze freely in the area. And it’s only an 8 minute drive from our hospital.
The Dog Space
Not a traditional walk, but worth including as a local gem. The Dog Space provides a huge, naturally maintained secure field for dogs to run, play and adventure, located right in Wroughton.
The field has 6ft–11ft high fencing with rabbit wire along the bottom, accessed via a padlocked gate. They’ve kept the field natural and authentic – with long grass, exploration areas, logs, a digging pit, a tunnel and a tyre stack. Particularly popular with owners working on recall. A brilliant local resource right on the practice’s patch.
Dog friendly activities in Wroughton
Avebury Stone Circle
A genuine world-class National Trust site sitting right on the practice’s doorstep. It’s about a 20 minute drive south on the A361 from our Wroughton hospital, and easily reachable from all of our branches.
Dogs are welcome at Avebury, on leads and under control, throughout the site apart from Avebury Manor and the Circles Café. That means dogs can walk amongst the stones themselves – the largest prehistoric stone circle in the world, running right through a living village. You can also buy doggy ice cream in the Circles restaurant and doggy treats at the shop. After exploring the stones, the Ridgeway picks up nearby for those who want to extend the day into a longer walk. A genuinely unmissable day out for any dog owner in the area.
Top independent local pubs
The standout dog-friendly venue in the village. A Grade II listed, dog-friendly thatched pub that is only a 7 minute drive from our Wroughton hospital.
The White Hart serves classic pub food with a twist inspired by the seasons, focusing on fresh local ingredients. Their Sunday roast is very popular. Dog-friendly rooms are available on request too, making it a destination as much as a local. Nearby landmarks include Avebury, Barbury Castle and the Ridgeway mentioned above – it’s perfectly placed for a post-walk stop.
Dog friendly events in Wroughton
From duck races to dog shows
Wroughton and the surrounding area has a great calendar of events for pet owners throughout the year. The Wroughton Duck Race is a much-loved village tradition that draws the whole community together every May bank holiday at Willow-Brook Gardens. Crowds gather to watch rubber ducks race down the stream, with something for everyone – a children’s race, a business challenge where local companies enter their best-dressed duck, an adults’ race and the Mike Hinder Memorial Cup, where individuals, families and groups design and build something that will float. Food vendors, stalls and children’s activities run throughout the afternoon, with all money raised going to local children’s groups. Ducks can be bought in advance from businesses around the village for just £1. Slowways
A little further afield but well worth the trip, the Paws Charity Dog Show is held annually in summer at Rainscombe Park, Oare, near Marlborough. The day features agility courses, dog diving, flyball, fancy-dress contests and 12 fun family dog show classes open to all dogs six months and over, raising money for the Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance. It’s a brilliant day out for the whole family – dogs very much included
Your local, independent vet
Registering with Drove is simple. From transparent pricing to our Lifetime Care Club, everything we do is designed around you and your pets – cared for by a team who are big enough to handle anything and small enough to know you by name.