Yorkshire’s Most Dog-Friendly Destinations

With its patchwork rolling hills, wild open moors and dramatic coastline, Yorkshire is an outdoor paradise, and it would be a shame not to share this incredible landscape with your canine companion. There is an abundance of dog-friendly cottages in Yorkshire where you and your faithful hound can set off from the front door into a region bursting with adventure.

And that’s not all, there’s a wide range of eateries and attractions that welcome four paws too, such as castles, stately homes, and even steam train rides. So instead of avoiding those puppy dog eyes as you pack your bags, make your dog’s day and bring them along for a pet-friendly holiday in Yorkshire.

Read on to discover some of Yorkshire’s most dog-friendly destinations…

Sniff out some beautiful gardens

Happy hounds love nothing more than sniffing out the curious scents of a flower-filled garden and luckily for them, Yorkshire boasts many which thoroughly welcome dogs on and off the lead. Helmsley Walled Garden is a Fido-favourite, located in the shadow of the magnificent Helmsley Castle. After exploring its 5 acres of floral displays on the lead, your four-legged friend can join you in the on-site dog-friendly café and quench their thirst with a bowl of water.

If you’re visiting Yorkshire in the autumn, the Yorkshire Arboretum is a particularly enchanting spot for a dog walk as the changing leaves offer a firework display of colour. Located in the beautiful Howardian Hills in the grounds of Castle Howard, this 120-acre garden of trees has certain areas where canines are allowed off the lead and a dog-friendly café when it’s time for a little rest.

Scamper along the Dales

Covering 680 square miles, the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a tail-wagging treat for pups and their owners who enjoy the great outdoors. From gentle pathways through picture-postcard villages to challenging trails and peaks to climb, there is a myriad of walkies to please every type of canine adventurer. Grab the lead and try part of the James Herriot Way, which runs for 52 miles passing through scenic Swaledale and Wensleydale. Or enjoy one of the Miles without Stiles trails – there are a whopping 17 in the Dales to choose from.

You and your faithful hound will see iconic natural landmarks such as Aysgarth Falls, Malham Cove, and Gordale Scar, as well as the dog-friendly Yorkshire attractions of Ribblehead Viaduct, Bolton Abbey and Pendragon Castle. Plus, there is a wealth of traditional country pubs dotted throughout the landscape where you can sample a pint of local ale while your pet rests their paws.

Explore a Yorkshire castle

Peppered throughout Yorkshire, there are some mighty fortifications to explore with your dog in tow. Skipton Castle is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in England and is perfect for inquisitive canines who don’t mind being on the lead; they can sniff out every nook and cranny in the banqueting hall, peek through the arrow slits in the castle walls and scamper along the gorgeous grounds – the only place they can’t go is the gift shop and restaurant.

Scarborough Castle is another great option that boasts panoramic views over the dramatic Yorkshire coastline, along with Richmond Castle with its pretty Cockpit Garden, Middleham Castle which was once the childhood home of Richard III, and the atmospheric ruins of Pickering Castle. All will keep history buffs and their four-legged friends enthralled for hours.

See the sights on a steam train

Perfect for older dogs and pups with little legs who would prefer a gentler way to see the sights, there is a fine selection of heritage railways in Yorkshire which warmly welcome canines and their owners. Puff through the countryside on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway which winds its way through Brontë Country and was featured in The Railway Children, or settle back in a beautifully restored Victorian or Edwardian carriage on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway for some captivating views of the Yorkshire Dales.

You and your hound can also enjoy a magical journey by steam on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering to the popular seaside town of Whitby – hop on and off the vintage locomotive at the intervening stations if Bella fancies stretching her paws. And if you fancy a slice of homemade cake and a warm cup of Yorkshire tea, the 1930s-themed Pickering Station is home to a dog-friendly tearoom.

Bound along a dog-friendly beach

For pups who like to get their paws wet, there are lots of great dog-friendly beaches in Yorkshire to bound across. Many allow four-pawed pals the freedom to frolic in the sand all year round and others have seasonal restrictions. Runswick Bay, Robin Hoods Bay, and Cayton Bay are all fur-friendly options, while the beaches at Sandsend, Bridlington and Hornsea allow salty sea dogs to run free seasonally.

Another way to explore the Yorkshire coastline with your canines is by following the famous Coast-to-Coast walk or the Cleveland Way with its clifftop paths and pretty fishing villages. These trails offer mesmerising views over the sea and are sure to leave your whole pack longing to share a bag of paper-wrapped fish and chips with you afterwards.

Discover some local history

Cultured canines and their humans are sure to appreciate the many dog-friendly historical houses and museums in Yorkshire. The stately Burton Agnes Hall in the Yorkshire Wolds is an absolute treasure trove – while one of you takes Rover on an on-the-lead stroll around the award-winning gardens, the other can nip inside the hall and explore. And afterwards, you can all relax on the terrace of the Courtyard Café with a sticky slice of cake.

The Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole offers a unique glimpse into the past and is super dog-friendly as pups are allowed everywhere in its 6 acres of buildings – including the Daylight Photographic Studio where you can all dress up and take a selfie! Whitby Abbey is another top dog-friendly attraction in Yorkshire, known as the inspiration behind the story of Bran Stoker’s Dracula. And you can’t miss a day sniffing out the mysterious ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, once one of the most powerful Cistercian monasteries in England.

Warm those paws in a dog-friendly eatery

After a fun-filled day of running, jumping, chasing and barking, your weary hound will need somewhere to rest their paws for a while as you tuck into some hearty local food. There are a plethora of dog-friendly places to eat in Yorkshire where you’ll often find a bowl of water and some tasty treats for Fido. Lanterns Bistro in Hebden Bridge caters to both humans and dogs, who have their own menu of dog muffins, and Blondes in Cottingham hosts doggy tea parties and serves dog-friendly cupcakes and ice cream.

Salami & Co. in Otley is another favourite with a canine menu featuring puppaccinos, pupcakes, and venison sausages, as well as water bowls, mats to laze on and towels to dry off on. Or if you’d prefer a cosy pub, the Kings Arms in Askrigg, The Farmers Arms in Muker and The Red Lion in Burnsall are all great paw-friendly options.

With so many dog-friendly attractions in Yorkshire for you and your hound to sniff out, why not treat your pack to one of Canine Cottages’ dog-friendly cottages in Yorkshire?