Are you looking for dog friendly holidays in North Cornwall? Perhaps you are thinking of bringing your dog on holiday with you. Lots of visitors to Cornwall bring their dogs on holiday. There are dog friendly beaches and attractions open all year round so with a bit of planning hopefully you will all enjoy your holiday. If you are looking for dog friendly holidays in North Cornwall the Bude area is a good place to start
Last summer we got a Labrador puppy, Toby.Toby is past the cute puppy stage now and has far more energy than we do! Over the last few months we have done a lot of walking around Bude and sometimes farther afield. We are very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the UK and unless the weather is really bad, walks with Toby are nearly always a good part of the day.
Local walks
Toby waiting for me to climb up the hill on the coastal path.
The area around Bude and Marhamchurch has lots of good dog walks, essential for a dog friendly holiday. The scenery is very varied, from the canal tow path to fields, woods, country lanes, the coastal path and the beach. Our favourite walks are along the coastal path from Bude, usually finishing with Toby having a mad ten minutes on the beach.
Toby on the beach at Northcott Mouth
When the tide is out you can walk the long stretch of sand from Crooklets to Northcott or Sandymouth. Walk back along the coastal path and take in the stunning views. In the other direction, explore the breakwater in Bude if the tide is out and then take the coastal path over Efford Downs towards Widemouth Bay. The scenery in this direction is more rugged and dramatic. Carry on through Upton and pick up the tow path back to Bude or walk to Widemouth and back. There are plenty of cafes to re-fuel in Bude!
Further afield
If you would like to explore a bit further afield, the coastal scenery around Tintagel and Bossiney Bay is particularly beautiful. There is a car park at Bossiney Haven from where you can walk down to the beach which is well worth a visit at low tide. Or you can follow a circular walk from here to the spectacular Rocky Valley. Try the National Trust’s walk https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tintagel-old-post-office/trails/rocky-valley-walk. There are walks in the woodland around St Nectan’s Glen with its waterfall http://www.st-nectansglen.co.uk/. These walks all have enough to keep children interested. For a longer walk you can follow the coastal path from Tintagel to Rocky Valley and back along the road.
Rocky Valley
The waterfall at St Nectan’s Glen
Walks from Marhamchurch
We are at the top of the hill so it is downhill at the start for most of the walks from Marhamchurch, but unfortunately upwards on the way back. If we are walking with our youngest child (aged 5) we usually cheat and park the car in the village. From the car park it takes around 45 minutes to get to Widemouth Bay and about the same into Bude. Widemouth is over the fields and a bit hilly. Bude is along the tow path which is nice and flat with plenty of distractions for tired children. In Marhamchurch itself there is a pretty walk along the river, the Hele Valley trail. Toby is particularly keen on a quick dip in the river.
Playing by the river in Marhamchurch
Dog friendly facilities
If you are looking for dog friendly holidays in North Cornwall the Bude area is a good place to start. There are dog-friendly pubs and cafes in the Bude area, including the village pub, the Bullers Arms http://www.thebullersarmshotel.com/. Some beaches have restrictions on dogs from Easter to the end of September but there are local beaches where dogs are allowed all year round, including Black Rock, Northcott Mouth and Summerleaze (on leads at Summerleaze). You can find out more about facilities and restrictions on beaches in North Cornwall at http://www.thisisnorthcornwall.com/beaches.html or further afield at www.visitcornwall.com/beaches
At Blackrock beach, open to dogs all year round.
Our cottages
We accept dogs in all of our cottages. Parsons and the Farmhouse both have an enclosed garden. We do ask guests to keep their dogs under control on site as there are other dogs, children and animals around. If you want to go further afield without your dog one day, there are boarding kennels nearby which will provide doggy day care or a short stay. See more about our cottages at http://www.hiltonfarmholidays.co.uk/our-cottages/
