A guide to dog friendly Dorset

There are plenty of paw-friendly coastlines to snuffle out on the Dorset coast. Though it pays to check before you pop your pooch in the car. Dog friendly beaches in Dorset come with some restrictions. Expect to keep your pup on a lead in places such as the coastal trails of RSPB Arne, where wildlife and nesting birds need to be kept safe. And you can only scamper across the sands of Swanage beach from October to April. For year round, lead-free romps through the waves, head to Durdle Door, Dorset’s photogenic icon and selfie magnet. Or Worbarrow Bay – an arc of golden sand with shallow waters for doggy paddling and sumptuous views for you to take in. Dogs can help you look for fossil finds at Ringstead Beach and at Chesil Beach (Abbotsbury to the Tank Teeth) too. 

You can book a stay in any of the three cosy B&B rooms at the Rose & Crown in Trent to access Sherborne and wider Dorset. For just a small £10 fee, your dog can stay with you in the boutique rooms that all have access to the pub’s enclosed garden. Dogs are welcome to run and play when the pub is shut – but if guests are drinking in the garden, then it’s leads on for a slightly more chilled stroll before heading out to exploring. After a long day of scampering across Dorset, it pays to check out the pub’s food and drink menu. Chockfull of Westcountry goodies, it’s an easy answer to the age old ‘where should we eat tonight’ question. 

Dog friendly holidays in Dorset aren’t restricted to the county’s beaches and rolling countryside. Some of the region’s biggest attractions welcome four paws through their doors too. Boggle your dog’s mind with a stroll through Corfe Castle Model Village, take a peek at the whopping Ichthyosaur fossil in Dinosaurland – Lyme Regis’ fossil museum or trot around Portland Castle’s tudor kitchen and tea room. Explore the wetlands and heathlands of RSPB Weymouth and RSPB Arne or pop your pooch on a Poole Harbour cruise to see Swanage from the sea. For some family fun – and a mud trail no four paws will be able to resist, skip along to Dorset Adventure Park where dogs are welcome, as long as they stay on a lead. The only problem here? Deciding who has to hold the lead while the rest of the family takes on the aqua inflatable park. 

This gorgeous 16th century coaching inn is the sort of pub you hope you’ll chance upon when you’re out for an afternoon stroll. Don’t leave things to chance. Book a table at the Acorn Inn and plan a stroll in the nearby Melbury Park Estate. The sprawling seat has public footpaths which weave through open parkland, valleys, glades, broadleaf woodland, splashing streams and a smattering of rare trees. There is a deer park within the estate – so do avoid if your dog likes to chase. When your walk is done, pull up a chair by the fire for a browse of this gastropub’s next level menu. Dorset charcuterie, homemade Dorset beef patties and the Dorset lamb rump are balanced out with lighter options that include pumpkin ravioli, spicy crispy buffalo cauliflower and pan seared salmon fillet.