Four dog-friendly UK holidays
Not everyone loves your dog as much as you do, but he’ll be welcome at these UK retreats, says Chris Carter.
“I’ve lit the hot tub, and your bones are in the fridge” is an unusual welcome, says Felicity Cloake in The Sunday Times. But then Nicola Mills “isn’t running your average campsite”. Each of the four yurts at Mrs Mills’ Yurts dog-friendly glamping site in Gloucestershire is “bigger than my living room”. Between that and sleeping in a normal tent, “I know which one I’d prefer to share with my bed-hogging cairn terrier, Wilf”.
The yurts have wood-burning stoves and a little table set for dinner, complete with embroidered napkins and a decanter of sherry. The “striking” timbered roof has a stargazing hole above the double bed, “plump with blankets and cushions”; Outside, in the grounds of the Grade II-listed farmhouse, there’s not a caravan in sight – “just big blossomy fruit trees” and ducks. The yurts are well spaced out, and come with their own private terraces and designated bathrooms, which makes them “perfectly suited to social distancing”. From £270 for two nights, two sharing, mayhillglamping.co.uk
Furry friends welcome
Barnsdale Hall, a waterside hotel with stunning views over Rutland Water, is getting ready to welcome overnight guests from next month, including those of the canine variety. The hotel has now declared itself “officially dog-friendly”, with furry friends welcome in the grounds and sun terrace. Barnsdale Hall is set within 65 acres of conservation parkland, so it is ideal for long walks and bike rides. There are also tennis courts, a swimming pool, a gym, an 18-hole crazy golf course, and a spa replete with ESPA skincare treatments. From £360, barnsdalehotel.co.uk
A Pooh bear adventure
Dogs are also welcome at Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club in East Sussex. The hotel was built in 1815 in the heart of Ashdown Forest, the inspiration for the Winnie-The-Pooh stories. While wild deer roam free through the 186 acres of woodland and lakes, guests have the added option of wandering through the hotel’s peaceful walled garden with herbaceous borders and a grand old greenhouse. The Country Club has been recently refurbished to include a fitness studio, indoor pool and six treatment rooms. There are also two tennis courts, a putting green, along with the jogging trails, cycling routes, and a variety of woodland paths taking you through the grounds and beyond. From £358 for two nights, ashdownpark.com
Walks in the Wye Valley
“Herefordshire is a county which welcomes pooches with open arms”, the local tourist board boasts. Great walking trails abound, such as the Mortimer Trail and Wye Valley Walk, and there’s also a range of dog-friendly accommodation available, including farm stays and self-catering cottages. Flanesford’s eight characterful cottages in the Wye Valley sleep between two and ten. From £327 for three nights in a three-person cottage, flanesford.com