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Top 10 UK Dog-Friendly Destinations
It's never easy leaving the dogs at home when you go away on holiday. This month we are thinking about dog owners who want to be accompanied by their furry friends. To give you a range of holiday ideas, we decided to split the list up into Top Dog-Friendly Beaches, Accommodation, Pubs and Parks. At Holiday Extras we also have a fantastic selection of UK dog friendly breaks packages to choose from!
Four Of The Best Dog-Friendly Beaches
Perranporth Beach, Cornwall
Perranporth Beach is to dogs what Disney Land is to small children. With miles of open space and sand dunes, a selection of bathing options and a healthy supply of people to get patted by, it's almost a sensory overload for pooches. As a family destination for summer weekends, you'll find everything you need in the town: from dog-friendly accommodation to surfboard rentals for days when you're feeling brave enough to get in the cold water.
Embleton Bay, Northumberland
Embleton Bay is like an aquatic petting zoo for kids and their trusted canine sidekicks. The rock pools are teeming with sticklebacks, star fish and other interesting sea creatures to load into their buckets. While your dogs and children have the time of their lives exploring the rocky shoreline, parents or couples will love the surrounding cliffs and ancient castles which are open to the public. The beaches of Northumberland are almost all dog-friendly, making it a fantastic choice for family holidays.
Pobbles Bay, Gower
Pobbles Bay is a superb beach for long walks that offer viewpoints of the finest nooks along the Welsh coast. Three Cliffs Bay, Tor Bay and other beautiful beaches are accessible during low tide, making Pobbles an excellent starting point for a day trip on the coast. It's dog-friendly all year round and relatively low key, so if you are not feeling up to a long walk, you can still head down and let your hound burn off some steam on the sand. If you are even less energetic than that, scenic picnics can also be enjoyed from the grassy hills that overlook the jagged and majestic coastline.
Durdle Door, Dorset
It is not easy for a beach in Dorset to stand out, when you think about all the magnificent options along the Jurassic coastline. However, Durdle Door Beach is one of those iconic places that would hold its own on any list. The limestone arch that joins up to the cliffs serves as an incredible backdrop for the sandy shoreline. As a family location, this dog-friendly (year round) spot is perfect for lazy days in the sun. You are required to keep your furry friends on a leash, but that doesn't stop you from taking some of the most gorgeous walks along the ancient coast or going for a refreshing doggy dip at the end of it.
Animal-Friendly Accommodation
The Swan Hotel, Southwold
The Swan Hotel, one of the jewels of Suffolk tourism, offers dog-friendly accommodation in the refurbished Lighthouse Rooms. For £10 per night/per (well-behaved) dog, your furry friends can stay with you in one of the stylish standard or classic rooms. As paying customers, each pooch gets their own bowl and a doggy treat upon arrival. Besides the four-star hotel being more than 350 years old and still on top of its game, the seaside town of Southwold is as charming as ever. No visit would be complete without a stroll along the dog-friendly beach, followed by a trip up to Walberswick Harbor for some fish and chips, before washing it down with a pint of Adnams Broadside from the local brewery. www.adnams.co.uk
Fieldhead Hotel, West Looe
Situated above the gorgeous West Looe seaside, the Fieldhead Hotel is pure relaxation for dogs and people alike. In addition to enjoying a great menu, five-star service and stylish pet-friendly rooms, guests are ideally situated for their holiday: the ocean is right on your doorstep, a mere stroll away. The village center is also within easy walking distance. Looe's history is like something out of a legendary fishing tale, and much of the town's character is drawn from its wild origins. Characters like Nelson, the one-eyed seal, make harbour tours informative and colorful, and add to the reasons you will never forget your stay in this Cornish seaside town. www.fieldheadhotel.co.uk/
Trigony House Hotel, Thornhill, Scotland
There are few places in the UK that provide this level of class and luxury to holidaymakers with dogs. The Trigony House Hotel offers exquisite countryside accommodation, with all the frills and touches you would expect at a top-end resort. Their welcome policy on dogs (which spurs from the fact that the owners are dog-lovers themselves) will make yours feel like welcome guests. The award-winning hotel is situated in the Scottish countryside, and is surrounded by great walking trails and the River Nith, which boasts excellent salmon fishing. www.trigonyhotel.co.uk/
Best Dog-Friendly Pub
The Horse And Jockey, Chorlton Meadows
With Charlton Meadows nearby, the Horse And Jockey has gone to the trouble of stocking imported 'beef flavoured doggie beer', so that people and their hounds can stop in after an afternoon walk - a pet-friendly innovation that won them a Kenel Club Open Award for the best dog-friendly pub. This cosy, traditional country pub has a razor sharp modern edge: it runs its own micro-brewery, hosts beer festivals, live music nights and still finds time to serve excellent food. www.horseandjockeychorlton.com
Best Dog-Friendly Parks
National Park's are perfect for dog owners. Please be considerate of others though, and remember the three magic rules of dog walking: pick up their mess, keep a lead handy and don't let them chase after other animals.
Hampshire New Forest
The Hampshire New Forest is an enchanted world, where oak trees and conifers line the ancient trails and bright flowers decorate the fields in summer. It's the perfect place to bring the family on holiday with the dogs. There are sections of the forest where your hounds will have to be kept on a leash (in case they go charging after a fox, squirrel, bird or an unsuspecting pony), but meter for meter, the New Forest is one of the most gorgeous areas to explore in the UK. www.thenewforest.co.uk
Lake District, Cumbria
The Lake District's wide open spaces, stunning views and wildlife are the main attractions on many holidays. As a hiking destination there is plenty of scope, offering trails for all levels - from casual holiday walkers, to hardcore trail blazers and their equally fit pooches.
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