Dog-friendly days out in North Cornwall
5 minute read
Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm
Few English counties can craft cider as well as Cornwall does. With apple and pear orchards dotted throughout the region, there’s plenty of opportunity for pressing apples after harvest time, and the Cornish have been doing it for centuries. The best way to sample their liquid gold is at Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm, the makers of famous Cornish Rattler and its flavoured cousins.
Dogs are welcome everywhere, even on the orchard tractor tours and in the shop for tastings, but not in any of the production areas. There’s a small farmyard with goats and free-roaming chickens, so keep dogs on leads at all times, and don’t miss lunch from their lovely cafe, too.
Tintagel Castle
The myth and legend surrounding Tintagel Castle will undoubtedly set imaginations alight, as it’s this seaside fortress that is linked with the great King Arthur. Take the dog on a stroll of discovery to learn about the castle’s history – which goes as far back as the 13th century – and meet the bronze sculpted King Arthur himself, standing tall above the ocean on top of the dramatic cliffs. Dogs are welcome on leads across the site, and owners should be wary of steep cliff edges. There’s a cafe on site, too, and they’ll happily provide water for thirsty pets.
Bodmin Keep
If military history is your thing, head to Bodmin Keep where you can explore the regiments of yesteryear that were stationed in and around Cornwall. The dog can accompany you throughout this excellent little museum set inside the former headquarters of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, a 160-year-old building that also served as a barracks during both the first and second world wars.
Kids will love making use of the dressing up box, and there are detailed exhibitions with over 80 different uniforms, hundreds of medals and photographs of Cornish soldiers. There's a self-serve coffee stop on site in the Guard's Room, but proper meals can be enjoyed in nearby Flory Restaurant, which loves four-legged visitors.
Stay at: Poachers Pocket, a stylish cottage for two.
Lappa Valley
If you’ve got young children and dogs in your holiday party, Lappa Valley will be a crowd pleaser. The fun begins as soon as you’ve parked the car, as you’ll board a tiny railway to take you into the main attraction where a world of folly awaits. There are trampolines, slides, a pirate play ship and pedal cars for the kids to play on, plus there’s an exercise field for the dog. Dogs can also join you on both the main railway and the Newlyn Downs Branch Line, and on the many nature walks throughout. There’s outdoor seating at The Engine Shed cafe, too.
Stay at: Appletree Cabin, a coastal-feel cabin for two plus room for a little one.
Cornwall Gold & Tolgus Mill
Cornwall is famous for its mining history: tin was extracted from the rocks here for decades until the operations were shut down after various economic crises for the industry. Today, relics of the mining sites are found all over, and at Cornwall Gold & Tolgus Mill you can learn all about what it was like to be a miner through the centuries. There are interactive exhibitions on chemistry, mining infrastructure and the rocks that harboured this sought-after material, plus there’s an excellent dog-friendly cafe. At the onsite jewellery shop you can buy jewellery made with Cornish tin, and afterwards take the dog for a there-and-back stroll on the 3.5 kilometre Tolgus Trail to Portreath.
Stay at: The Stables at The Cornish Place, a super stylish cottage for four with a hot tub.
