The Best Place to Take your Dog in England

Summary

The Lake District in England is celebrated as an exceptionally dog-friendly holiday destination, offering a multitude of outdoor activities and welcoming environments for dogs in shops, restaurants, and hotels.

Abstract

The Lake District stands out as a top destination for dog owners in England, renowned for its stunning natural beauty and accommodating attitude towards dogs. The author shares their positive experiences traveling with their dog, Ginny, highlighting the ease of finding dog-friendly establishments and the abundance of scenic walks and hikes. Despite the challenge of narrow roads making car travel with dogs uncomfortable, the region's charm is undiminished, with the Keswick area particularly recommended for its wealth of attractions such as Castlerigg Stone Circle, Bowder Stone, and Whinlatter Forest Park. The article emphasizes that the Lake District is an ideal holiday spot for dog owners and even those without pets, due to its picturesque landscapes and inclusive approach to canine companions.

Opinions

The author believes the Lake District is one of the most beautiful and dog-friendly areas they have ever visited.
Dogs are very much welcomed in the Lake District, with most shops, restaurants, and hotels accommodating them.
The region's outdoor activities, including walks alongside lakes, through forests, and atop mountains, make it a paradise for dogs.
The narrow and winding roads are seen as the main disadvantage for dogs, potentially making car travel uncomfortable for them.
The Keswick area is highlighted as particularly beautiful and home to some of the most incredible places in the Lake District, such as Castlerigg Stone Circle and Whinlatter Forest Park.
The author highly recommends the Lake District as a holiday destination, with or without a dog, due to its remarkable beauty and dog-friendly nature.

Is there a dog-friendlier place than the Lake District?

Ginny posing in front of Bowder Stone near Keswick (photo by author)

Having a dog in Great Britain is an amazing experience. Most people here love dogs and they are tolerated in many places where they might not be elsewhere in Europe or the rest of the world, including pubs, some restaurants, hotels, and shops.

When we first travelled with Ginny, our dog, in Scotland, I was worried that it would be difficult to find places to eat and sleep. But I was constantly blown away to realize that very few places turned her away.

Thanks to that, I have been able to take Ginny on many trips with me, and it has been an incredible experience to be able to travel with her.

However, one place stands out in terms of dog-friendliness: the Lake District in the North-West of England.

The Lake District is not only one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever visited, it’s also an incredible place to take your dog.

In fact, it seems like everyone who visits the Lake District brings their dog with them. Dogs are welcome in almost all shops, restaurants and hotels. Sitting down to eat, you will find that most tables have a dog beneath them.

Because of its wealth of outdoor activities and hikes, the Lake District can be a paradise for dogs. On a two-day trip in this region, we took Ginny on walks alongside lakes, in the middle of forests, on top of mountains, in beautiful little towns.

Ginny posing in Whinlatter forest (photo by author)

The main disadvantage for dogs in the Lake District is that roads are narrow and winding, which can make car trips in between destinations long and uncomfortable for them. My dog in particular hates being in the car so we remained mostly in the Keswick area in the North-East of the Lake District to keep car journeys short.

That did not limit our enjoyment as that region is particularly beautiful and home to some of the most incredible places of the Lake District (in my opinion): Castlerigg Stone Circle, Bowder Stone, Honister Pass, Whinlatter Forest Park, and the Lingholme Estate.

If you are looking for a place to go on holiday with your dog, I cannot recommend the Lake District enough. In fact, even if you don’t have a dog, I can’t recommend this region enough.

Happy exploring!