A problem all too often faced by those planning a holiday is knowing what to do with their pet dog. In many cases, a dog cannot be left with friends or family. Checking the beloved canine into a kennel for a week or two seems heartless to many and expensive to everyone.
Fortunately, there are plenty of dog friendly holiday cottages located throughout the UK and Ireland, so Bertie your lovable cocker spaniel need not be excluded.
Knowing that some holiday cottages in the UK allow dogs is one thing, knowing where to go on holiday is quite another.
While it may be enough for some holidaymakers to know that their dogs are safely locked up back at the cottage, it is advisable to participate in activities that do not exclude pets.
Heading off to the local cinema, amusement arcade or night club can wait until the return home. Whilst away, a little research should soon unearth a range of activities from which Bertie need not be excluded.
With this in mind, you may wish to consider exploring the British countryside. Armed with a pooper-scooper (responsible dog ownership rules still apply on holiday) and sufficiently long lead, dog owners can enjoy some of the Britain’s finest beauty spots with their pets.
Scotland in particular offers plenty of opportunities to walk through achingly beautiful landscapes, dogs in tow (or vice versa). Pet friendly accommodation can be found, for example, at Sykes Cottages in locations throughout Scotland, including Dumfries and Galloway, Argyll and Bute, The Highlands, Inverness and Edinburgh.
Visitors to Scotland will have few problems finding somewhere to walk their dogs. Routes can be found in all areas, but the most popular include Glentress Forest, Yair Forest and other territories in the Scottish Borders. Galloway also offers a rich supply of forests, with Dalbeattie Woods situated in proximity to a number of holiday cottages.
Beaches in Scotland are equally suited to dog walking, with Luce Bay, Black Horse Bay and the Colvend Coast providing mile after mile of seemingly deserted coastline. Best to pack a towel for those salty wipe-downs back at base.
Truly dedicated owners may choose to focus the entire holiday around walking the dogs. Measuring some 125 miles and passing no less than 20 towns or villages, the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path is a must-walk stretch of land for dog lovers visiting North Wales.
Popular among ramblers, cyclists and horse riders, the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path can be covered in one or two weeks, allowing visitors to pass Holyhead Mountain, Bwa Gwyn sea arches, South Stack lighthouse, Menai Suspension Bridge, Cemlyn Nature Reserve and Penmon Point. Visitors to Anglesey often stay in holiday cottages, which provide a convenient base from which to explore the surrounding area. Dog walkers here are likely to spot seals, peregrine falcons and porpoises among other magnificent creatures so a strong lead is advised!
Popular retreats for dog lovers in England include Cornwall, Devon, Lake Windermere, Northumberland, Shropshire and the Peak District, all of which boast superb scenery and mile after mile of magnificent walks.
