The vast Scottish landscape encompasses a variety of habitats, from wildlife-rich moorlands to magical forests, waiting to be traversed by you and your four-pawed pup. Venture out on long walks, uncover ancient sites and unwind in your perfect paw-friendly cottage in Scotland.
We’ve sniffed out all of the best spots to visit and things to do when travelling to Scotland on a dog-friendly holiday so you can spend exciting days out and about with your dog by your side every step of the way. Take a look through our collection of dog-friendly holiday cottages in Scotland to book your escape or read on to begin planning an unforgettable break.
Dog-friendly cottages in Scotland
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Dog-friendly days out in Southern Scotland
Culzean Castle, Maybole
We bet you’ve never seen a castle as magnificent as Culzean! It’s perched on a clifftop and has extensive grounds for you to stretch your legs. Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to explore the inside with the dogs, but with so much to see in the grounds you’ll have no trouble keeping the whole pack occupied. There are stunning borders, lush woodland and beautiful coastal routes to wander around, and lots of new smells for playful pups to sniff out.
Things to do:
Explore beaches, woodland and wonderful green spaces – perfect for a game of fetch! Enjoy a dog walk around Swan Pond to see the swans, ducks and other birdlife, take in delightful views and pop into the visitor centre and craft shop.
Facilities: Café, accessible parking, accessible toilets, picnic benches, play area, shop, and a bike trail.
Highlight: Culzean beach which offers amazing views in a secluded setting.
All Maybole cottages
Robert Smail’s Printing Works, Melrose
A fully functioning Victorian printing press, with technology soaked in ink and history, Robert Smail’s Printing Works in Melrose is an intriguing place to visit on your Scottish travels. Even though the premises have been there for over a century, the machinery is still going strong and is used today for various commercial print jobs.
Things to do:
While, admittedly, there is not a lot here to interest dogs, humans will love getting their hands inky by having a go at letterpress printing. You can act as apprentice compositor in the Caseroom, see how newspapers, tickets, posters and letterheads were once printed, and step inside Robert Smail’s office frozen in time since 1866.
Facilities: There’s a shop and wheelchair and buggy access into this attraction.
Highlight: See the old waterwheel that used to power the printing works.
All Melrose cottages
Galloway Forest Park, Dumfries and Galloway
Visit the largest forest in Great Britain and discover Scotland's picturesque trails and a whole host of exciting wildlife including red squirrels, red deer and wild goats. Dogs are welcome in the Dumfries and Galloway park as well as the three visitor centres at Kirroughtree, Glentrool or Clatteringshaws, with the latter of these boasting peaceful views over hills and lochs. Visit with your four-legged friend after dark and enjoy the stars at Scotland’s first Dark Sky Park.
Things to do:
If you’ve got someone to hold the lead for you, Kirroughtree and Glentrool boast two world-famous mountain bike trail centres. Or head to the Red Deer Range and see these beautiful creatures up close and personal from either the viewing area or the hide. You might see buzzards and other birds of prey from here too.
Facilities: The visitor centres have food, drink and WCs.
Highlight: If your two feet or your pup’s four paws get tired, head back to the car and try the two scenic forest drives – either Raiders’ Road or Carrick, both of which are sublime and make for a great dog-friendly day out in Scotland.
Ellisland Farm, Dumfries
If you’re a lover of history, of poetry or you just like to wander riverbanks and orchards, head over to this farm which was the rural home of Robert Burns. The famous poet built the farmhouse himself and you can wander the stables and orchards with your pup and even take a peek in his outside WC or the study where he wrote some of his most famous poems.
Things to do:
Watch a film about Robert’s life with his family on the farm, and visit the collections in the Granary.
Facilities: Car parking, toilets, picnic area, riverside walks and children’s trails.
Highlight: For the dog, the highlight might be the water bowl but for the humans, take a stroll along the banks of the River Nith and relish the area that was the inspiration for Tam o’ Shanter and The Wounded Hare.
All Dumfries and Galloway cottages
Dog-friendly days out in Central Scotland
The Hermitage, Dunkeld
Listen to the crashing Black Linn Falls, breathe in the scent of pine, and take in the magical forested scenery at The Hermitage in Dunkeld. This is a great woodland that boasts some of the tallest trees in Britain and the winding River Braan which accompanies you as you make your way along the footpath. The towering trees are Douglas Firs and they’ll make you feel tiny as you trot amongst them. It’s a great place for nature spotting with red squirrels darting in and out of the trees, various birdlife, and even salmon leaping in autumn.
Things to do:
Pretty Ossian’s Hall overlooks the Black Linn waterfall – try to visit after heavy rain to see the full force of the falls. Carry on along the river and see if you can spot the totem pole carved from a Douglas Fir. There’s no shortage of interesting places to stick your nose on this walk! Click here for more dazzling Scottish waterfalls.
Facilities: There are limited facilities at The Hermitage, including parking and buggy access.
Highlight: See the almost life-sized painting of Ossian at Ossian’s Hall, a summerhouse hermitage built in 1757 that gives the place its name.
All Dunkeld cottages
A town tour of Edinburgh
Edinburgh has an incredible amount of history, so one way to neatly condense all these stories of the past is to go on a guided tour. Wee Walking Tours provides a great day out in Scotland with dogs because you’re not only guided by Sami the human but also by Sawyer the golden retriever. Dogs are also welcome on any of the excursions by Edinburgh Bus Tours where you can hop on and hop off at your leisure.
Things to do:
For a slightly different tour, try the 3 Bridges Tour, where you can travel to Queensferry, then across the Forth Bridge and finish with a boat trip on the Firth of Forth.
Facilities: You’ll find everything you might need in this wonderful, effervescent city.
Highlight: See some of the buildings that inspired J K Rowling for some Harry Potter locations, as well as one of the sites used in Avengers: Infinity War. Click here for more filming locations in Scotland.
All Edinburgh cottages
The Kelpies, Falkirk
For a place to visit in Scotland with a dog that involves giant horse heads (!), there’s really only one option. The Kelpies, part of The Helix in Falkirk, are the largest equine sculptures in the world and the scale of the achievement needs to be seen to be appreciated. You can even go inside a Kelpie to see the engineering feat from a different angle – unfortunately, dogs cannot go inside the structures.
Things to do:
Wander around The Helix, where there are cycle paths, a play park and seasonal events on offer.
Facilities: Free parking, café, baby changing.
Highlight: Two children with every paying adult go free on a Kelpie tour!
All Falkirk cottages
Parks and gardens in Glasgow
There are over 90 parks and gardens in Glasgow so if you want dog-friendly family days out in Scotland, you really are spoiled for choice in this city. In the city centre is Glasgow Green, the oldest park in the city. Here, you’ll find the biggest terracotta fountain in the world, the Doulton Fountain, and also Templeton on the Green, a building based on Venice’s Gothic masterpiece, Doge’s Palace.
Things to do:
Visit the Botanic Gardens with its woodland walks, Kelvingrove Park on the banks of the River Kelvin and Victoria Park which includes the ancient forest, Fossil Grove.
Facilities: These vary, but the city has all the facilities you could ask for.
Highlight: Pollok Country Park is the city’s largest green space and boasts the world-class Burrell Collection and Pollok House, as well as woodland walks and cycle routes.
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Dog-friendly days out in the Highlands
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
Dogs can race about, sniff out wildlife trails and splash through streams as you discover the seemingly never-ending paths of the remarkable Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. We wanted to narrow it down a bit, but this corner of Scotland is such a wonderful place for dogs and their owners, we had to include the entire thing!
Things to do:
Within the area, the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park offers some interesting trails to follow around sparkling lochs, and at Argyll Forest Park you can spot deer and red squirrels among the craggy peaks and valleys. Don’t forget to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code when you’re out and about.
Facilities: There are five visitor centres throughout this vast and exquisite national park with toilets, cafes and maps to wonderful walking trails.
Highlight: Enjoy a dog-friendly cruise across the magical loch, a great way to take in the impressive scenery of this pet-friendly holiday destination.
All Loch Lomond cottages
The Castle and Gardens of Mey, Thurso
Ok, it’s another castle, but this time in Thurso and this one has royal connections! Walk in the paw-steps of the royal corgis on the grounds of the Queen Mother’s home in Caithness. Pups must stay on a lead, but it’s very enjoyable to stroll around and admire the gardens.
Things to do:
There are beautiful grounds to discover including a woodland area which offers welcome dappled shade in the summertime. Get some fresh sea air and take in amazing views across to Orkney on a coastal walk. After wandering the grounds, you’ll be pleased to hear that John O’Groats is just 7 miles away if you fancy tagging it onto your day out.
Facilities: Café, gift shop, toilets, and a couple of car parks.
Highlight: The castle itself is a spectacular sight with wonderful z-plan, striking turrets and gun slits throughout the ground floor.
All Thurso cottages
Glenlivet Estate, Cairngorms
Grab your walking boots and get ready for woodland walks, moorland rambles and riverside strolls on a trip to this vast and exquisite country estate in the north of the Cairngorms National Park. The Glenlivet Estate has so much to see and do that you won’t be able to decide where to go first – we suggest you head straight to the visitor centre to come up with a Cairngorms plan of action for the day!
Things to do:
There are the ruins of Drumin and Blairfindy Castles, the stunning Victor Gaffney Viewpoint and even a distillery for you and your pup to discover. If you’re more into mountain biking, take to the trails or try your skills on the Pump Track or in the Skills Area where your canine companion can watch from the sidelines.
Facilities: Car park, toilets and a free bike wash/hose for cleaning muddy bikes after your adventures.
Highlight: Visit the historically significant Scalan Seminary, reached via a near-3-mile circular walk perfect for adventurous hounds and their owners, although possibly not one for little legs.
All Cairngorms cottages
Anagach Woods and the River Spey, Grantown-on-Spey
Pull on your walking boots and head to these wonderful pinewoods, a delightful place for forest adventures with your canine companion, planted back in 1766. Follow the network of paths and trails that crisscross this region, soaking up the serene atmosphere as you go. Take nibbles and a few treats for your dog and enjoy a picnic beneath the tangled trees.
Things to do:
Look out for the wide variety of wildlife hiding out in these woods, from woodpeckers to red squirrels, there’s a lot for you to see. Canine companions will have a great time sniffing out wildlife trails as you explore. There are several walking routes but this Anagach walk is the longest trail covering 7.25 miles.
Facilities: A car park but otherwise limited facilities.
Highlight: Look out for the roe deer who roam this region.
All Grantown cottages
Balnakeil Beach, Durness
You can’t talk about activities in Scotland without suggesting a trip to one of the country's remarkable dog-friendly beaches and Balnakeil Beach is among the best. The curving white-sand shores are stunning and the beach juts out into the sea towards the headland of Faraid Head making for wonderful coastal views.
Things to do:
Build a sandcastle, paddle in the sea and collect shells off the pristine white sand of this beautiful Scottish beach. Dogs will have a great time digging in the sand and running in and out of the waves, and there’s lots of open space for a game of fetch too!
Facilities: There are limited facilities at this remote and peaceful beach, but the intriguing Balnakeil Craft Village is less than a mile away where you’ll find a restaurant/café to grab a bite to eat.
Highlight: A ruined church overlooks the beach and is an interesting place to drop by while you’re there.
All Durness cottages
Seek out a wonderful dog-friendly cottage in Scotland and make memories as you explore this remarkable landscape with your best friend in tow. From castles to cabins and lodges next to lochs, you'll find properties all the way from the Scottish Borders to the Highlands in our curated collection below.
Dog-friendly cottages in Scotland