We’ve identified dog-friendly activities with a little 🐶 (and 🐶🐶 for very dog friendly places)! This is based on our own experience. We’ll attempt to keep the list up to date, but please let us know if anything has changed!
Forde Abbey 🐶
Forde Abbey is the site of a Grade I former monastery in Chard, Somerset, which was demolished after the dissolution of monasteries in the early 16th century. The gardens are also classed as ‘historically important’ and are Grade II in the National Heritage List for England.
The house and gardens are open to visitors throughout Spring to Autumn and there is plenty to see and do. Closed on Saturdays (for weddings) and Mondays. Forde Abbey is open from start March to end October, plus a few weekends in February during snowdrop season.
Dogs are welcome in the gardens. You can find more on their website here.
Shute Barton
Shute Barton is a Medieval manor house close to Ley Farm Cottages. It’s a National Trust property that is only open to the public for four weekends each year. Visits must be pre-booked. For more information check their website here.
Cadhays (Fridays only) 🐶
Cadhay is a privately owned historic house open to the public on Friday afernoons from May to September. Guided tours are offered inside the house and visitors can also explore the gardens. Cadhay is typically used as a wedding and civil ceremony venue.
Dogs are welcome in the gardens and at the tearoom terrace. You can check opening times and information on their website here.
Hestercombe Gardens 🐶🐶
Hestercombe Gardens is a lovely day out. It has an interesting history – the first house was originally built in 1280 and remodelled a few times since the 1680s. The main attraction is the extensive gardens, parts of which were designed from 1750 and then added to by Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll in the early 20th century. There are various features located around the gardens to explore. Dogs are welcome in the gardens and in the ground floor of the house. Latest information is available on their website here.
Barrington Court 🐶
You can explore the estate at Barrington Court – including the formal gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll, active farmland, and parkland. It’s a lovely day out for familes and the grounds (excluding the formal gardens) are dog friendly too. Major restoration work is being undertaken at Barrington Court but the ground floor of one of the houses is open to visit.
Barrington Court is a National Trust property and is open all week from the start of March to end October, and only at the weekends for the rest of the year. Find more information here.
Lambert’s and Coney’s Castle 🐶
Lambert’s and Coney’s Castle are iron-age hillforts managed by the National Trust. They are within a mile of each other, and have walking routes that give you impressive views across the surrounding countryside of Dorset. The woodland provides plenty of opportunities to see wildlife and birds.
Dogs are welcome on a short lead. You can find more information on the National Trust website here.
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens is a Grade I quintessential English cottage garden over the border in Somerset. It is well known for its snowdrops, hellebores and hardy geraniums, and has paths that wind through the garden.
The gardens are open from February through to October – we advise checking their website for opening hours before you leave. Please note only small well-behaved dogs are allowed in the gardens.
Montacute House 🐶
An Elizabethan mansion situated across the county border in Somerset, Montacute House is owned by the National Trust. It was former owned by Sir Edward Phelps, a lawyer in the 16th century who was involved in the prosecution of Guy Fawkes and his conspirators.
Dogs are allowed in the garden, parkland and the courtyard located outside the café. You can find latest information on their website here.
Killerton 🐶
A National Trust property just outside of Exeter, Killerton consists of a beautiful 18th century house and gardens with Tudor / Georgian / Victorian influences, as well as a large dog-friendly 6,400 acre estate to walk around. They have cattle grazing in the parkland, and a chapel in the grounds. A large amount of the 6,400 acre property is a working farm.
Killerton offers seasonal things to do and see, including a Christmas light display, a fashion collection and various school holiday activities. Check to see if you need to book in advance.
Dogs are welcome in the grounds (not the formal garden) but there is plenty of space for them to run around.
More information about Killerton and what’s on can be found here.
Bicton Park Botanical Gardens 🐶
There’s plenty to see and do at Bicton Gardens – from over 60 acres of formal gardens, countryside and farmland to the Palm House and glasshouses, and the Countryside Museum to the Woodland Railway.
There are dedicated areas designed for children to explore. It’s a great day out for all the family. Dogs are welcome in most parts of the botanical gardens on a short lead. Check out their latest information here.
A La Ronde 🐶
A la Ronde is a 16th century house in Devon owned by the National Trust. It was built in 1796 by the Parminter cousins Jane and Mary. You can look round parts of the house, and the grounds are open for dogs to explore although the famous Shell Gallery is closed to the public. The orchard and meadow are lovely locations for a picnic.
You can take a route from A la Ronde down along the Exe Estuary, heading down to Exmouth or Lympstone and Topsham.
A la Ronde is open from 26 March to 27 October 2024, and reopens in Spring 2025. Check out latest information on their website, and you can also view the Shell Gallery online.
Powderham Castle 🐶🐶
A Grade I listed building, Powderham Castle is the family home of the Earl of Devon and is over 600 years old. It includes the castle, gardens and park – all of which are super dog friendly (you can even take dogs on the house tour). Powderham Castle grounds featured on Gardeners World in 2024 with its walled garden and rose garden. It’s 6 miles south of Exeter and on the other side of the River Exe but well worth the visit.
The latest information about Powderham Castle can be found on their website here.
Knightshayes 🐶
Knightshayes is a Victorian National Trust property – described as a ‘Gothic Revival’ house and a rare example of the architect William Burges. It boasts various outside space including a formal garden, woodlands garden, a walled kitchen garden and parkland to explore. Dogs are allowed in the parkland and in the cafe and bookshop.
If you’re interested in visiting Knightshayes, you can find their website here.
Castle Drogo & Fingle Bridge 🐶🐶
Castle Drogo is a little further away but well worth the visit if you decide to head down towards Dartmoor. It’s located at the top of the Teign Gorge and is surrounded by paths that explore the woodland. It’s a great place to visit on a hot day as the gorge is heavily sheltered with trees. There’s a lovely walk from Castle Drogo down to Fingle Bridge along the river with plenty of places for dogs to go for a paddle/swim.
More information is on their website.
Ley Farm Cottages 