10 Dog friendly destinations for sandy adventures

10 dog friendly destinations for sandy adventures

There’s nothing like a holiday or day out that involves the sand beneath your paws, fresh salty air in your fur or a doggy paddle in the ocean. We’ve uncovered ten dog friendly destinations and days out close to some of the UK’s best dog friendly beaches.

1. Stay at The Pink House in Bude. This modern Cornish beach house comes with the best sea views for a dog friendly holiday close to the coast. Summerleaze beach, with its huge stretch of golden sand and rock pools to explore, is a five-minute walk away. Book one of the colourful beach huts if you want to spend the day but have access to a shady spot for your pooch to cool off.

2. Dine at The Potted Lobster in Abersoch. This dog friendly restaurant serves sublime seafood in the heart of Abersoch, and four-legged friends always receive a warm welcome. For a post-lunch dog walk, we recommend ignoring the local beach, which can get very busy, and heading to the lesser known, Porth Neigwl, just a couple of miles away. The winds are often strong here, but the setting is stunning.

3. Visit Wells-next-the-Sea & Holkham. There’s a lovely a circular walk from Wells-next-the-Sea taking in neighbouring Holkham beach and Holkham Estate (cleverly mapped out for you by Ordnance Survey). It takes you over sand dunes, along the beach and through the sweeping parkland that surrounds Holkham Hall.

4. Stay at Stable Cottage in North Wales.
An incredibly charming grade II listed cottage close to the Welsh coast, the nearest beach, Tonfanau, is an unspoilt stretch that’s perfect for a quiet dog walk. While you’re in the area, check out Harlech beach too. A four-mile stretch of golden sand, it also has stunning views of Snowdonia mountain range.

5. Dine at Hive Beach Café in Dorset. It almost feels like a hidden gem on the south coast, but you often struggle to get a table on a sunny day. The menu is a seafood lover’s dream. More importantly, they really welcome dogs making it the perfect place to combine an incredible lunch with a walk on Hive and Cogden beaches.

6. There’s few places quite like the Northumberland Coast for sweeping stretches of pristine sand and awe-inspiring castles. Park in Bamburgh and admire the impressive castle which towers over the beach, before making your way north along the coast path for a mile or so to discover the quiet cove that is Budle Bay.

7. Stay at No.9 Putsborough in Woolacombe. Beach-loving style-seekers will adore this contemporary North Devon apartment. Award-winning Woolacombe beach is a mere bone’s throw away, but if you fancy exploring slightly further afield, Putsborough, Barricane and Combesgate beaches are within easy walking distance too.

8. Visit Llanddwyn Island, a small tidal island off the coast of Anglesey in North Wales. It’s rated as one of the best days out in Wales as well as one of the best walks in the whole of Britain. While Llanddwyn is probably best known for its iconic lighthouse, we love the walk back along Newborough beach, a three-and-a-half-mile clean beach with golden sand dunes and magnificent views of Snowdonia.

9. Dine at The Westleton Crown. Four-legged friends will love visiting this quintessential British pub near Southwold in Suffolk, where dogs are as welcome as their human companions. You’re positively spoilt for beautiful beaches in this area but our favourites are nearby Dunwich and Walberswick – think miles of white sand and huge dunes for dogs to play in.

10. Stay at Hotel Meudon near Falmouth. Not only are dogs welcomed with their very own comfy bed, bowls, towels and some tasty treats when staying at this heavenly Cornish hotel, they have access to the glorious sub-tropical gardens and private beach, Bream Cove.

Ruff and Tumble Holiday Packing List for wet and muddy dogs!
1. Our Drying Coat for wet dogs is essential for UK holidays - because you never know when it's going to rain. As well as keeping your car clean as you explore, it will keep mess from muddy dogs in your hotel/cottage to a minimum.
2. When you're popping into cafes or pubs you'll find Drying Mitts for dogs' legs and paws useful too. Hang a pair of Mitts by the door of the cottage and in the car, and tuck a pair in your bag to stop muddy dogs' paws in their tracks.
3. Pack a spare dog Lead in your glove box, because when we're on holiday we tend to forget or lose them! The Ruff and Tumble dog Leads fold up small, which is always useful when space is limited, and are soft to hold but ooze style and quality.
4. Throws - great at protecting sofas and on beds, you can relax when you're away from home with these. Big, soft and easy to handle and wash, the natural cotton towelling Throws will protect furniture that's not yours, giving you peace of mind.