Camping holidays could have been invented for dogs and their owners. The
fresh air and long walks make for waggy tails and big smiles all round. Amy Woodland from coolcamping.com picks out five of the best dog-friendly campsites…
Looking for a pet-friendly place to go on holiday can be a tiresome task for dog owners. You think you’ve found the ideal accommodation only to come across the dreaded words: “Sorry – no dogs allowed” in the small print. We know how frustrating it can be, so we’ve asked the experts at coolcamping.com to put together a ‘ruff’ guide to some of the best places to go camping with a dog in the UK. Here’s what they’ve come up with…
Welsummer, Kent
Dogs are welcomed at laid-back Welsummer, a lovely little site in Kent. You can choose to pitch your tent in the full sun of the campsite’s meadows or the dappled shade of its own woodland and there are glamping options available too. If you don’t fancy pitching your own tent, book a bell tent which comes pre-pitched and comfortably furnished for your stay. This campfire-friendly site offers a little taste of the good life in the Garden of England; it’s based on a small-holding with a little shop/café, a small apple orchard, bee hives and chickens.
Glendaruel, Argyll
The scenic Cowal Way long-distance footpath passes right by Glendaruel campsite making it the perfect place to head out from for walks with the dog. It’s lucky then, that you can pitch up with your pooch on this site on the Argyll peninsula. The campsite is part of a holiday park with static caravans but the 10 tent pitches are in a meadow that’s just for tent campers with toilets, showers and a covered campers’ shelter. Set in 22 acres of mature woodlands, there are plenty of pathways through the trees that will keep you and your dog busy exploring.
Cowpots Camping, Carmarthenshire
On the border of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, this brand new campsite is in a good spot for exploring both. There are 10 grassy pitches in Penback Farm’s vast 11-acre camping field so there’s plenty of space for everyone – and the dog! Each pitch has its own fire pit, picnic bench and covered area and just beyond the camping field is a 40-acre wood for you to explore. If that’s not enough to tempt you, the homemade ice cream and pizza at the farm’s Cowshed Pizzeria might just do the trick!
Ashbourne Woods, Devon
Campers, glampers, caravanners and campervan owners – all are welcome at Ashbourne Woods. No matter how you like to camp with your dog, you should find a pitch to suit your pooch here. The campsite is best known for its 25 wild woodland pitches which are tucked among the trees of a 68-acre wood. You can pitch on the floor around a campfire or sling your hammock among the trees. And while you might enjoy the back-to-basics feel of the place, you can rest assured that a well-equipped facilities block is never too far away. This Devon site is just two miles from the edge of Dartmoor National Park and its endless walking routes.
Dewslake Farm, Pembrokeshire
Your dog will have at least one other pal in paw patrol at dog-friendly Dewslake as the owners themselves have a friendly springer spaniel. This campsite within the Pembrokeshire National Park is set in idyllic Welsh countryside and just a few miles from the beach and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Family-friendly Dewslake keeps the camping field car-free so kids can have the run of the place. Half of the 20 grassy pitches have electric hook-up and are suitable for campervans and caravans too. There are also three shepherd’s hut-style glamping pods for those who are too posh (or pooped) to pitch!
Based on their leading guidebooks, the Cool Camping website now offers an online collection of the very best camping and glamping sites in the UK and Europe. Discover their full collection of dog-friendly campsites here.
