Dog friendly holidays

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We had our first dog holiday this year, a week in a cottage in Suffolk. This was perfect as the area is so dog friendly and we could take our dog in most of the shops and pubs, cafes.

We want to do this again but a different area. We live in Essex so don't want to travel too far but would like to hear of other dog friendly areas. We'd like nice walks and dog can go everywhere with us.

We did think about Dorset but haven't a clue what sort of area we should look at so any suggestions please.

Thanks.

Don't know if Cornwall too far for you, but we are just back from a week in this cottage:

www.cornishhorizons.co.uk/mid-cornwall-cottages/st-breward-st-tudy/p00416-hettys

Fabulous cottage, secure garden plus a field to walk in early and late - Cornwall very dog friendly, so many lovely walks including lots of fabulous beaches with no dog restrictions.

Don't know who you booked your Suffolk cottage through, but if you fancied something else in a slightly different area, Grove Cottages are again beautiful and mostly dog friendly.

www.grove-cottages.co.uk/

The Good Dog Guide website (google it) has lots of info about dog friendly accommodation etc.

There's also things like lists of beaches that allow dogs.l

Thanks for your replies, I'll have a look. Whitney - that cottage looks gorgeous but Cornwall may be a bit too far.

Alpaca - I'll have a look at that website, thanks.

I was hoping somebody might know about Dorset.

We went to the new forest with our dog earlier this year, staying in a dog friendly cottage. We found most places were pretty dog friendly and you can search for dog friendly places to go on the tourist info website. We just had to keep him on the lead around horses, but that wasn't a huge problem. Loads of great walks too.

North Norfolk is amazing for dog-friendly holidays. Despite being the next-door county, it does have a different feel from Suffolk, and the beaches tend to be much much bigger, and sandy rather than pebbly (a big consideration if you have a dog with sensitive paws like my delicate flower of a greyhound).

If you want an inland holiday, you could do worse than Ludlow. It's exceptionally dog friendly and in fact, you may get told off for not taking your dog into the shop if one of you waits outside (White Stuff, Orvis, Fat Face etc... all want your dogs inside!).

And of course there is miles and miles and miles of forest to explore as well as other more open areas on the outskirts (e.g. Clee Hill etc).

Do you want to stay in the UK?
France is wonderfully dog friendly
We get Le Shuttle over and have been to some wonderful places
The beaches in the north are great, Beaune is stunning and has awesome food and wine, the national parks south of Paris are beautiful

Pretty much everywhere is dog friendly, even the high end restaurants

We went to the Forest of Bowland with the dogs and stayed in Lower Bentham. Great walking and load of dog friendly pubs and cafes.

My vote would be North Norfolk, the walking on the salt marshes around Blakeney, Cley & Brancaster are stunning. 99% of the pubs are fig friendly. You also have lots of NT walks, Felbrigg Hall, Blickling Hall, Holkham. Try White Horse Farm Barns in Gunthorpe for s/c or the White Horse, Brancaster for pub with lovely rooms.

Thanks for all your replies, lots for me to look at. And yes, Sparechange, we want to stay in UK and not go too far but France does sound wonderful.

I'm going to research all theses places that you've mentioned so thank you everyone.

My home county is Dorset and it is beautiful. Most beaches have a dog friendly area and larger towns like Lyme Regis and Weymouth are always busy with dogs around, plenty of outdoor cafes in the summer. Don't think shops welcome dogs though. Inland there are lots of well marked footpaths and dog friendly pubs plus Iron Age hill forts to wander around, plus Maiden Castle, Corfe Castle, Hardys monument. Easy day trips into Devon, lovely little tram ride from Seaton to a small village for lunch then walk back with dog. Our dog loved the ride on the tram but then she is a car journey addict.😁

Coco - thanks for that as I'm quite interested in Dorset.

I've looked at cottages but it says central, west, east etc Dorset - what part would we want please?

Disappointed dogs can't go in shops though.

Dorset isn't a very big county and I don't know how the tourist board divides it up but East would be Bournemouth way with Studland and Kimmeridge Bay, Swanage, easy reach of the New Forest there. West I guess is Lyme Regis, West Bay and Bridport, lovely walks around Golden Cap. Central probably means Weymouth on the coast up towards Dorchester which is the county town. If you like it quieter I would go west of the county, east if you like it busier. Beaches are more sandy east and busier and more mixed with a lot of cliff top walking further west. Google a few places I have mentioned and have a great holiday.

Yes North Norfolk 100%. We go every year and we love it. There are many dog friendly beaches and loads of places to eat and drink that welcome dogs.

Norfolk Beaches Handbook: The all year round handbook for the best 28 beaches in Norfolk Paperback – Suzy Watson

This is a really great book, if you want to go to Norfolk and have a dog.

Have you thought about a narrow boat holiday? We've just com back from one and our dog loved it.

If only I could get him to do the locks/drive the boat it would be perfect!!!

We recently stayed in Devon with our dog, at Saunton Sands (near ). The beach is dog friendly all year round and lots of dog friendly places to eat / pubs nearby. The accommodation is set up well for dogs with an outdoor shower to wash off the sand!
Google sauntonsandsvillas

Was supposed to say near Croyde!

We're in East Dorset and it's very dog friendly here. Lots of pubs accept dogs, as do garden centres and cafes with outdoor seating. Plenty of footpaths for walking and beaches too.

dog friendly cornwall is a website set up by a friend of mine and has some great ideas.