Travelling with your dog: the ultimate guide to a break with your four-legged friend

We caught up with Lottie Gross, author of Dog-Friendly Weekends: 50 breaks in Britain for you and your dog, as she was out scouting locations for her follow-up guidebook accompanied by her Manchester Terrier, Arty. She was full of excellent advice, with her top tip on finding dog-friendly places to simply ask in person, “It only takes a few minutes to make a phone call or, if passing a pub or shop you want to go into, it's even faster to stick your head around the door and find out if the dog is welcome too.”

Failing that, an internet search including the name of the place you’re visiting with the words “dog friendly” alongside will usually tell you whether or not your dog can come along, too.

Helpfully, the National Trust and English Heritage both have detailed information on their websites about dogs visiting their sites. The former even has a “pawprint rating" based on how dog-friendly the location is, as some allow dogs inside cafes and shops. The vast moorland of Dartmoor National Park has plenty of paths and walking routes that are perfect for pups, and being on the doorstep of Bovey Castle, makes for a perfect weekend of exploring with dogs in tow! Plus, plenty of museums and excursions like boat trips have FAQs on their websites that usually cover whether dogs are allowed. If water wading is more your dog’s cup of tea, the Lake District is a great option, with Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa having recently launched the ‘Paws for a Break’ spa break for dogs needing some R&R after a day of adventuring.

One thing Lottie points out is that, from March to July, we’re often stuck with keeping dogs on leads, what with young livestock and ground-nesting birds. For dogs that love to run, “looking for local recreation grounds is a handy way to find off-lead areas,” Lottie suggested, “or simply hiring a field - this is much more common now and I just hired one at the weekend so Arty could have a roam around off the lead in a totally safe space.  It went above and beyond with its own swimming pond for the dogs, plus a small walking trail and great agility equipment so he could have a go at some more exciting stuff after a good session chasing the ball!”