Take your pooch with you on your Cotswold outings.
From animal attractions and pretty parklands, to amazing mazes and steam train adventures, discover 18 dog-friendly Cotswold destinations that are sure to get tails wagging!
While it’s often required that dogs remain on the lead, these attractions are perfect for an enjoyable day trip, family outing or simply soaking up the beautiful Cotswold countryside – which both two and four-legged visitors are sure to enjoy!
Meanwhile, if you’re looking to make a day or holiday of it, don’t miss SoGlos’s round up of dog-friendly Cotswold pubs and the county's pet-friendly hotels.
The only remaining pleasure garden of its kind, Painswick Rococo Garden is full of wonders, from quirky sculptures to woodland walks and quintessential Cotswold views.
With plenty of outdoor space to explore, it’s the perfect place for families to nurture their sense of adventure – with four-legged friends in tow!
For more information, visit rococogarden.org.uk.
Complete with amazing architecture, woodlands and towering trees, the gorgeous Painswick Rococo Garden is perfect for a picturesque dog walk. Pooches are also allowed inside the café, which is stocked with doggy snacks sure to get tails wagging after a day of adventure.
Introduce four-legged friends to a host of other animals at Burford’s Cotswold Wildlife Park, with dogs allowed to accompany their families around the grounds. With many spacious lawns to roam, pets are sure to have a paw-some day out – while there are plenty of attractions to keep kids happy too!
Wander around Batsford Arboretum’s incredible natural collections with your dog, with 56 acres of stunning parklands to explore. What’s more, well-behaved pooches are also allowed in the onsite café.
Everyone’s welcome to hop aboard the train at Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, with dogs allowed to travel free in the standard class carriages – as long as they’re not on the seats or tables or near buffet cars! Train services are restarting on Saturday 15 August 2020 with pre-booking required.
One of the country’s most spectacular tree gardens, Westonbirt Arboretum promises hours of fun and exploration, with dogs free to roam the Silk Wood where there are seasonal trails to keep walkers entertained – and the Gruffalo’s Child to find!
Perfect for a family day out, Cotswold Motoring Museum takes visitors on a journey through motoring history with canine companions welcome to tag along. Meanwhile, the pretty surroundings of Bourton-on-the-Water are ideal for dog walks.
Hungry hounds will love watching their owners fish for supper with Bibury Trout Farm’s ‘catch your own’ fishery open daily from March to October. And, with plenty of green space and a water meadow to explore, Bibury is a great spot for a dog walk in the beautiful Cotswold countryside.
A favourite animal attraction in Bourton-on-the-Water, Birdland Park and Gardens allows dogs to join in the family fun, with water bowls provided to keep the thirstiest of canines happy while kids marvel at penguins, pelicans and more.
A secluded woodland valley just waiting to be discovered, Woodchester Park is a haven for dogs and their human companions with a number of picturesque routes to choose from for a scenic walk.
Test your pooch’s sense of direction on an adventure at Elton Farm in the Forest of Dean, with dogs allowed in each of the three mazes as well as the courtyard. With a new theme every year, visitors can find a maize labyrinth inspired by Paw Patrol for 2020 – perfect for little ones and their furry friends!
Open during the summer months, Cotswold Lavender offers the chance to wander around stunning and scented purple-hued fields, with four-legged pals welcome to tag along.
A National Trust site in Wotton-under-Edge, Newark Park welcomes dogs in the gardens and the estate, with plenty of pretty parklands to explore with canine companions in tow.
Located in the grandeur of Bathurst Estate, Cirencester Park is a great spot for a family day out, with dedicated doggy walking areas where four-legged friends can run, sniff and play to their heart’s content.
Go on an adventure with every member of the household, enjoying a day out at fun-filled family destination Go Ape. And if you’re heading for the high ropes course in the Forest of Dean, dogs are allowed to tag along and witness you scale the dizzying heights.
Home to plenty of trails and bridle paths guaranteed to get tails wagging, dogs are welcome on a scenic walk through Cotswold Water Park, with picnic spots along the way for a well-deserved rest.
Head to Bourton-on-the-Water for an enjoyable visit to The Dragonfly Maze, weaving through the yew hedge pathways with your furry friend, while little ones can have fun solving the riddle to reveal the hidden Golden Dragonfly.
While dogs might not be able climb up the Cotswolds’ highest castle, there’s plenty of fun to be had at Broadway Tower’s dedicated canine playground, featuring paw-some agility obstacles. Meanwhile, the surrounding countryside is made for outdoor exploring, with an expanse of open space, several walking routes and spectacular views.
A romantic haven in the heart of the Cotswolds, Cerney Gardens offers a slice of rural paradise for visitors and their doggy pals, with a gazebo walk, woodlands, a vegetable garden and much more to discover.
For more information, visit rococogarden.org.uk.
By Annabel Lammas
© SoGlos
Wednesday 22 July 2020
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