The UK's most dog-friendly places to stay

In the UK we love our four-pawed friends, and anyone with a dog in the family knows how hard it is to travel without them.

Luckily for us, the UK boasts a wealth of impressive dog-friendly holiday destinations – from the glimmering lakes of the Lake District to the immense shorelines of Devon and Cornwall, there’s no escaping the beauty that our island has to offer.

To help you plan your next break, we’ve gathered together our favourite dog-friendly places to stay and hope this will provide some useful guidance.

Click the button below for our cottage collection or read on for ideas and inspiration on where to travel in the UK with your dog.

Pet-friendly cottages

Wales – best place to stay for an endless variety of dog walks

Wales has long been one of the absolute best dog-friendly places to stay in the UK, with so much to offer. From Eryri's/Snowdonia’s mountain scrambles to the waterfall trails of the Brecon Beacons, Wales provides a wide and wonderful range of places to take your dog for a long, leisurely ramble – and plenty of pet-friendly country pubs to snuggle up in afterwards! While there are many mountains to summit throughout the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales, and beaches lining the South Coast, we think Wales has them all beat when it comes to pure variety.

Golden coves dot the coastline while, inland, magnificent mountains give way to idyllic valleys and glassy lakes. Let your hound loose in this magnificent landscape and four paws can pad grassy verges between Bronze Age relics, explore behind misty waterfalls, or race after sticks on ancient forest trails on a Wales dog walk.

Dog-friendly Wales cottages

Devon – best place to stay for golden dog-friendly beaches

Escape to the rugged and unspoiled coastline of Devon on a pet-friendly break with your four-pawed chum. The North Devon Biosphere Reserve centres around the Braunton Burrows, England’s largest dune system and prime dog-walking landscape, while South Devon hides secret coves and inlets perfect for peaceful days paddling in the cerulean sea. Seek out a quiet place to stay in this dog-friendly destination – preferably a cottage with sea views or a nearby beach – so you can make the most of this county’s two remarkable coastlines.

Let your four-pawed companion fetch tennis balls across miles of soft sand, chase and get chased by waves lapping the shores, and make some canine mates on Devon’s dog-friendly beaches. The coastline is dotted with pet-friendly pubs and beach huts serving up good food too.

Dog-friendly Devon cottages

Scotland – best place to stay for a winter getaway

When autumn draws to a close and a chill descends, escape to Scotland with your pup to explore a magical winter landscape. You and your dog can look out over snow-capped Munros from the comfort of your winter holiday cottage or venture out to meet the reindeer herd that roams the Cairngorms National Park. This is the best time of year to look for the Aurora Borealis and we’d recommend heading to the enchanting Isle of Skye or into the Scottish Highlands to try and spot this natural wonder.

The beaches of Scotland are unmatched across the UK, with white sands and crystal-clear waters – even Cornwall struggles to compete when it comes to natural beauty. The silent, peaceful Yuletide season offers the chance for you and your canine to have large swathes of these extraordinary beaches all to yourselves for inspiring coastal excursions during a winter getaway.

Dog-friendly Scotland cottages

Lake District – best place to stay for boat trips and waterside trails

This unique dog-friendly destination is full of bewitching scenery, boasting large expanses of watery landscape that can’t be compared to anywhere else in the UK. Make the most of this unforgettable region by planning a lake tour with your dog on one of the many cruises found throughout the county. There are plenty of pet-friendly places to stay near Windermere Lake Cruises, Ullswater Steamers and Keswick Launch Co. which all offer the opportunity for your dog to join you on a turn about one of the lakes.

If you would rather keep your feet (or paws!) on solid ground, the Lake District is brimming with walking trails that will lead you past far-reaching views or down to the water’s edge. Orrest Head, Friars Crag, and Loweswater Corpse Road all offer delightful dog walks with lake views.

Dog-friendly Lake District cottages

Cornwall – best place to stay for a foodie holiday

Tuck into cream teas, savoury homemade Cornish pasties, or fresh crab caught just off the coast. Cornwall may be best known for its wonderful sandy shores and there are plenty of dog-friendly beaches for you to stop by during a holiday, however, the foodie scene is second to none! Best of all, there is a multitude of pubs and restaurants that understand our four-pawed friends deserve to stay by our side.

One day you could be soaking in sea views in a beachside bar, while the next, you could hide out in a quaint tearoom with sugary cake and coffee. Fish and chips is a staple of this southern destination, best washed down with a chocolate-topped ice cream. For the finer things in life, quality seafood and locally reared beef can be found in dog-friendly establishments across the region.

Dog-friendly Cornwall cottages

Yorkshire – best place to stay for idyllic, dramatic views

The summits and dales of this dog-friendly holiday destination ensure there are views aplenty in whatever direction you head. In the North York Moors, hills such as Roseberry Topping and Hasty Bank offer you panoramas across heather-clad moorland, while the Yorkshire Dales is renowned for being home to its own three peaks challenge encompassing Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent.

You will need to bring along your walking shoes for many of the more spectacular places but the scenery, once you’ve walked to these viewpoints, is unbeatable. Follow the Cleveland Way, which takes you along the coast, or head straight to Brimham Rocks, a collection of natural rock formations set high on the side of Nidderdale.

Dog-friendly Yorkshire cottages

Somerset – best place to stay for a railway adventure

Chug your way through the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and along the rugged Somerset coast, stopping off at old stations to take in local village life with your dog and grab a bite to eat. While the many railway lines in the Lake District could give this county a run for its money, we think Somerset deserves the top spot for railway adventures as it is home to the longest heritage line in England – the West Somerset Railway which stretches for 20 miles past wetland and hilly Somerset landscape.

Both the East Somerset Railway and the Somerset & Dorset Steam Railway welcome our canine friends aboard too, while the Yeovil Railway Centre, and Sandford Station Railway Heritage Centre are charming hubs of train memorabilia where you can hear about the locomotive history of Somerset with your dog by your side.

Dog-friendly Somerset cottages

Norfolk – best place to stay for remote retreats

A flat landscape with unbroken views, known for its clean air, winding canals and dark star-spangled night skies, Norfolk is an unspoilt corner of England perfect for adventures or just being alone with your thoughts. The unspoilt north coast is sure to inspire you to paint or journal your adventures – head to coastal wildlife reserves and spot migratory birds who visit these distant shores – while in the south of this dog-friendly destination, the vibrant city of Norwich and exciting seaside resorts ensure there’s the opportunity for jam-packed days if you choose.

Drift along the Norfolk Broads in a canal boat, your dog sitting by your side and soak in the local scenery. Escape to the remote, rural countryside where big skies and quaint windmills dominate the horizons. Or make the most of the expansive, dune-backed, pet-friendly beaches of the north and let the sea breeze blow away your worries.

Dog-friendly Norfolk cottages

Dorset – best place to stay for fossil hunting

Nowhere else in the UK beats Dorset when it comes to fossil hunting and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site is an amazing place to spend your holiday, especially if you love finding out about the creatures that ruled the earth before us. Uncover relics of a time long past on dog-friendly beach days – there are ammonites and belemnites waiting in the cliffs, and museums in coastal towns to tell you more about this heritage coast.

Alongside the ancient history of the Jurassic Coast, there’s a host of other curious historic sites worth your time. Visit the Cerne Abbas Giant believed to have been made by the Saxons, or the historic hilltop village of Abbotsbury, home to the ruins of an abbey founded in 1044.

Dog-friendly Dorset cottages

New Forest – best place to stay for wildlife encounters

Once a royal hunting ground, this ancient borough has long been known for the variety of animals and wildlife that makes its home here. While the trees have gradually disappeared to make way for farmland, there’s still a host of large and small animals to see. Meet wild ponies, deer, donkeys, cattle – and during the New Forest’s unique ‘pannage’ season, pigs are let loose to roam in parts of the county. Smaller creatures throughout the tall grasses and forest floors include a variety of rare lizards and snakes, while honey buzzards and goshawks can be spotted soaring overhead.

There are plenty of excellent places to stay with your dog in the lush countryside and down by the New Forest coast too, so you can meet ponies peacefully grazing in the fields, or spot wading birds near the sea. Just to note, dogs are known to cause havoc to ground-nesting birds so if you go bird spotting during your trip, please keep your beloved pup on a lead until it's safe for the wildlife to let them off.

Dog-friendly New Forest cottages

Escape on a dog-friendly holiday

If you’re still wondering where to stay with your dog in the UK, we’ve got a selection of enchanting cottages, luxury lodges and rustic log cabins to delight both human and hound.

Discover a few of our top pet-friendly cottages or click the button below to browse our full collection.  

Pet-friendly cottages