As we are all starting to look ahead into 2024, it seems everyone has their ever-growing lists of “jobs” to sort – paining the house, tidying the garden…oh, and booking those holidays!
Now, depending on how long you’ve been following us, you may remember last summer we ran weekly posts on our Socials highlighting all of the places where our lovely clients had taken their fur-babies away, along with our Team’s Top Spots they like to take their pooches!
So, if your stuck on where to book this summer/year for yourself and Fido, check out some of our top picks:
Pembrokeshire – South Wales
Starting with one of my personal favourites, if you haven’t been before you must head down to this stunning area of South Wales. My top spot here has to be Tenby – Dinbych-y-pysgod. This medieval walled-town has become increasingly popular over the years with its picturesque, brightly coloured houses lining the cobbled streets, meandering down to the award winning beaches and working harbour. Tenby’s North Beach is a no-go zone for the furbabies – but the main South Beach (linking to Castle Beach at low tide) is dog friendly and goes on and on. You can enjoy fantastic days on the beach with your doggy here, partake in many different walks following the Coastal Path, or even catch a pet-friendly boat over to the tranquil Holy Isle of Caldey for the day and unwind in a totally off-the-track paradise. The town is filled with dog-friendly cafe, pubs and restaurants, many of which serving up delicious home cooked traditional food.
Just round the corner from Tenby you also have the lovely Saundersfoot and Manobier that are definitely worth checking out whilst your down there. Tip: Manobier’s hidden coves are great for a spot of surfing!
North Wales
We may as well stay in Wales and jump over The Valleys to the North!
I have spent many weeks up in Snowdonia National Park with the doggies. Our go to spot was always Barmouth (essentially Birmingham-on-Sea!). Lovely seaside town, fabulously friendly locals and an abundance of dog friendly venues for you to pit-stop with your four legged friends. The beach has designated dog friendly areas, particularly to the right heading down out of town you can enjoy a lovely walk across the beach. Nestled on the edge of Snowdonia National Park you are within easy reach of Betsw-y-Coed, Bala Lake or even Mt Snowdon if your feeling really energetic! There are an abundance of picturesque walks to choose from, heading around the bay from Barmouth to Fairebourne (if your feeling tired you can catch the miniature railway back!)
Scotland’s NC500
Now, this is a pretty “vague” destination, but it is the perfect road trip for you and your doggo! There are countless groups on social media with maps/route suggestions but with a little bit of planning you can set your perfect route. I completed this little tour a few years back in my campervan with just myself and the dog. We spent 10 nights travelling around the coast of Scotland “wild camping” (the laws of the land are a bit different “up north” so you can kind of park up where you like as long as “leave as you found” – check it out!) and every were we stopped off was dog friendly. From the beaches at Chanonry Point – where you can see the wild dolphins swimming – to the stunning Sango Bay with the magnificent dunes, checking out the Bealach ne Ba or bathing in the Fairy Glen Pools on the Isle of Skye, you can take your doggy along to it all. This is definitely a trip for the whole family.
Cornwall
Arguably one of the UK’s favourite tourist destinations for a staycation! But where can you head that is dog friendly? Newquay is one of the more well known spots of Cornwall to say the least, but did you know it is also largely dog friendly? From the local taverns in the town where you can enjoy a beverage or two overlooking the bay, to actually heading down for some sandy zoomies. You can enjoy the beaches here even in peak season (check which bays are dog friendly!) meaning you don’t have to worry about heading back to accommodation to let your baby out or check their ok – no feeling guilty for leaving your fur-babies out. St. Ives is another particularly dog friendly area with the locals more than happy to cater for your 4 legged friends. If you prefer something a little more “off the track”, head down the Helston (towards lands end) where you are equally as close to the sea-side but without the typical hustle and bustle of the more popular spots. If you want to be close to the sea-side but with some more challenging walks/outdoor adventures, don’t forget the breathtaking Bodmin Moors – watch out for the infamous “Beast!”
Norfolk
If you particularly fancy the East of England, but can’t quite pin-point where to head, why not check out the county of Norfolk? Being nowhere near as popular as Britain’s south coast, you are able to enjoy unspoilt beaches largely to yourself. I mean in “peak season” it attracts it’s share of tourists for sure, particularly in the well known Great Yarmouth, but I can introduce you to a hidden gem, in the village of Hemsby. This smaller, little known sea-side village has a vast sandy bay, totally dog friendly, where you can walk (or sunbathe) to your hearts content. Follow the winding sandy dunes and you will discover little hidden local watering holes (Pubs!) where you can wet your whistle before continuing your journey. If you head over at the right time of year you will be able to catch sight of the Seals (even the most well-behaved doggies should be put on a lead around their breeding grounds- check for signage) as the rangers work hard to provide a safe environment for these wonderful animals. The town of Hemsby itself has plenty of holiday parks, cafes, pubs, amusements etc that are all dog friendly. Just a short car ride away (keep your eyes peeled for the traditional windmills) you will find yourself in the Norfolk Broads where you can enjoy a day cruise taking in the breathtaking scenery of this wonderful natural area of beauty – lots of the boat trips here are also dog friendly!)
Lake District
Sticking slightly more “northern” (than where we are, anyway!) you have the absolutely stunning Lake District – home to the infamous Lake Windemere. It goes without saying that this breathtaking part of the country is largely dog-friendly as it is pretty much a dog walking paradise. There are soooo many places you can stay, walk, visit etc. in this area – my top tip would be to find a quieter, lesser known village to stop in and use it as a base to head out and explore.
Dorset
The Jurassic Coast is a little step-back in time compared to some of the bigger sea-side areas of the UK. Our go to spot for Skye’s hollibobs is the picturesque town of Swanage. We are creatures of habit and always stay in the same place, just a short walk up into the town so we aren’t in the hustle and bustle. This allows our doggy to relax and not constantly be alert to all the goings on of the town itself. The local beach is dog friendly, their are an abundance of dog friendly pubs, cafes and shops and the stunning Durlston Country Park & National Nature Resrve at the top of the cliffs will lead you up and around Durlston Castle (be sure to stop for a doggy ice cream!), down to the “Great Globe” and onwards to Anvil Point Lighthouse, this is one walk that will definitely dust of the cobwebs! 10 minutes in the car will find you down at Knoll Beach where you can spend the day relaxing and enjoying water sports, before warming yourself up in the Sea-Side Sauna situated at the edge of the beach. From here you are a short walk across to Old Harry Rocks. If you want to venture out a bit further, the bustling town of Weymouth is approx 40 mins drive where you have more attractions/shops etc, be sure to work Durdle Door at Lulworth Cove into your itinerary for this day out and you can finally tick it off your school geography trip list. Swanage is a perfect base, not to busy but enough to do, to keep you and the family busy. Your situated within easy reach of the larger towns (Weymouth, Poole) but its quiet enough that even the more nervous doggies will be able to enjoy themselves. If you are heading down to Dorset you absolutely must be sure to stop off in the New Forrest and check out the wild ponies – it would be a crime not to work a stop off into this trip, or even a totally separate holiday altogether!
Top Tips
We often get people asking how to find dog friendly beaches/accommodation etc. Once you have decided on an area you want to visit (or think you do):
– Check out the local council website for the area, there will be links to the local beach information, not only for tide times/life guard info but to also tell you which areas are dog friendly and which parts of the year you can access them
-Sites like Haven, Ho-Seasons, AirBnB, Booking.com etc all have filters where you can select “Pet Friendly” to ensure your search results will show you relevant available accommodation. There is nothing worse than thinking you have found the perfect place, only to get to the payment screen and realise it isn’t suitable for your doggy!
-AirBnB etc usually have a “security deposit” to pay – read the small print as you can often pay a much smaller, one off payment of say £20-£50 which will cover any damage or breakages, meaning you don’t need a spare £500 knocking around your bank incase Fido has an “excited wee” or creates pillow confetti!
-If you are thinking of going further afield – into Europe or across to Ireland – book a consultation with your Vet who will be able to inform you of any vaccinations your dog may need to travel and will be able to advise on any documentation etc you may need – such as a Pet Passport.
Last of all, if you are heading off on your holiday adventures with your fur-babies any time soon, be sure to send your walker your holiday snaps and let us know where you are heading/where you are. We miss all of our babies when they aren’t out walking with us and we love to see them having fun with their pawrents and families!