Dog Friendly Holidays Lake District
The Lake District is one of the most beautiful destinations in the UK. It's just an added bonus that it's one of the top dog-friendly holiday spots too. From sweeping views of Lake Windermere, rural forests and fells to cosy village boltholes, there are so many options for blissful getaways with your canine companion by your side. Explore our idyllic selection of pet-friendly hotels and dog-friendly cottages to find the perfect holiday for you and your four-legged friend.
Bassenthwaite, England
5.00Prominently looking over the village green, and within touching distance of the Skiddaw massif, this link detached property is in the perfect location to explore the north western fells of the Lake District. Located in the heart of the village, with the village farm adjacent, the property offers access onto miles of quiet footpaths and local fells including little-known routes up Skiddaw and the back of the Blencathra massif. The beautiful beck, with its resident ducks, flows through the village and provides a great place for kids and dogs to cool off on warm days. The property is also only a few miles away from the historic market towns of Keswick and Cockermouth, which can both be easily accessed by bus, and offer a variety of shops, pubs and restaurants.
Lealholme provides spacious and comfortable, single-storey accommodation, and has the added benefit of level access and wide doors. Tastefully decorated throughout, and with an enclosed garden, with double wrought iron gates, which provides parking and makes the perfect sun trap to sit and relax, perhaps whilst enjoying a purchase from the Lakes Distillery just down the road! The well-equipped, contemporary kitchen has slate tiled floors, Denby crockery, quality cutlery and utensils and an alcove, complete with a large electric range cooker. This fully central heated home from home, offers a large comfortable living/dining room with original pitch pine panelling, stone mullioned and sash windows offers a cosy and welcoming environment, complete with a wood burner. Lealholme also boasts a large walk-in shower with a Softstone base and a double shower head.
The village is situated in the north of the Lake District National Park, and is also just a short drive to Carlisle and the Scottish borders - it couldn’t be easier to explore the area. Bassenthwaite is a real community village which hosts an annual duck race, frequent pub quizzes and a vibrant, active local church arranging village fates, sports days and even Morris dancing. This beautiful cottage is just over a mile away from Bassenthwaite Lake, where fishing and sailing are available, or for nature lovers a walk up to the osprey viewpoints is well worth the effort. The property is ideally located for cyclists, with rides including the C2C and Cumbria Way routes, along with off-road trails at nearby Whinlatter Forest. However you choose to spend your stay, this is a perfect location to make the most of the Lake District. There is a dog-friendly, village pub serving food, just a short walk away, whilst Armathwaite Hall hotel and spa, Ravenstone lodge and Castle Inn all provide alternatives within 2 miles. Beach 18 miles. Shop ½ mile (seasonal) or 7 miles (open all year), pub 200 yards, restaurant 1¾ miles.£74From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & book
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Bowness-on-Windermere, EnglandCannondale has been fully refurbished in 2019 to provide a comfortable and stylish haven, four bedrooms with a super kingsize bed (two with zip and link option to be made up into twin bedrooms), all with their own en-suite. One of the bedrooms is found on the ground floor, the ideal option for the less mobile. The large living room offers a generous space and comfort, with a cosy wood burner, large TV and French doors leading out onto the enclosed garden and patio. There is also a spacious open plan kitchen/dining room with French doors also leading out into the garden. There is comfortable space for eight to live and dine together, whilst offering privacy and freedom for everybody in each bedroom.
Situated inbetween Windermere and Bowness, you are just a short walk from either, ideal for enjoying the local shops and eateries or to experience a trip out on Lake Windermere. The property is also ideally located within an easy drive or cycle to one of the many hundreds of walking routes or excursions that are enjoyed in the south Lakes and the Lake District on a daily basis. The owner has thoughtfully provided a dog shower to clean off after your adventures with your four legged friends. Shop, pub and restaurant 1 mile.£186From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Cartmel, England 4.00Originally a traditional early 19th century Lakeland farm, Yew Tree Farm has been converted into a cosy, ground floor cottage, perfect for families and friends wanting to escape to the countryside. The cottage has a large gravelled yard area providing ample parking, as well as a place for children and dogs to play. Adjacent to the cottage is Yew Tree Barn, hosting many wonderful antiques and crafts, as well as Harry’s café, voted Cumbria’s café of the year for 2022.
The cottage is all open plan, offering a large living/dining/kitchen area with seating for six. The living area is well-furnished with an open fire and easy seating to relax and enjoy quality time together. The space also comprises a dining area with a table generously seating six, and a well-equipped kitchen complete with a range cooker. Past the kitchen along the hallway are two double bedrooms and a family bathroom. Further along the ‘L’ shaped building is a third bedroom with twin beds, a shower room and a large utility room – perfect for washing those mucky paws and leaving your boots and walking gear.
Bypassed from the A590, the tiny hamlet of Low Newton lies just inside the Lake District National Park. Its peaceful setting beneath the fells of South Lakeland provides the perfect base from which to explore the Lakes and the Cumbrian coast. Low Newton is also well served for good local places to eat and drink. Within walking distance at High Newton is Heft, a gastropub, opened in 2022, that has already earned national recognition, while a mile away is the friendly Royal Oak in Lindale. Three miles away is the village of Cartmel, the foodie capital of the South Lakes, famous for its sticky toffee pudding and the renowned Michelin three-starred restaurant L’Enclume. Also three miles away is Grange-over-Sands, a charming and genteel Victorian seaside town with a range of shops amply meeting the needs of any holidaymaker.
Nearest beach is 12 miles, shops 3 miles, restaurant and pub ½ mile.£89From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
EnglandShore Meadow is a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Set just 150 yards from a beautiful, secluded sandy beach and enjoying an idyllic position in this tranquil, south-western corner of the Lakes where the mountains almost meet the sea. This semi-detached cottage is a short walk from the peaceful village centre of Silecroft. It has stunning westerly views over the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man and easterly views to Black Combe Fell. The beach extends for miles in both directions and is perfect for dog walking, lazy days building sandcastles or taking to the sea for fishing.
Shore Meadow has two double bedrooms and has been furnished and equipped to provide a really comfortable stay. There is a spacious breakfast kitchen which opens to a patio area with outside furniture, a large living room with two sofas and a wood burner, plus a separate dining room with French doors to the garden. There is also a large, enclosed, lawned garden, ideal for young children and dogs, and private parking for two cars.
Black Combe, the closest of the Lake District Fells, is only 2 miles away, and all of the westerly fells, including Scafell and Scafell Pike, are within easy reach, offering great walking for all abilities. Nearby attractions include Cumbria Heavy Horses, a BHS approved riding centre offering fell and beach rides on Clydesdale and Shire horses; water sports centre at Port Haverigg; South Lakeland Wild Animal Park, home to tigers, lions, white rhino, giraffes and lots of monkeys; historic Muncaster Castle, with stunning gardens and many seasonal events, also home of the World Owl Trust, and Ravenglass and Eskdale Narrow Gauge Railway, where you can ride a steam train through some of the most beautiful scenery in the Lake District. A farm shop and gallery at nearby Bootle also offers breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas. Short, beautiful drives take you to Coniston, with the Ruskin Museum which houses geology and copper mining exhibits; the boating centre and Bluebird Café, or Whitehaven, Cumbria’s oldest harbour, where the Rum Story exhibition gives a fresh view on the town, and The Beacon Museum, with five floors of interactive exhibits, powerful telescopes and seafaring displays, providing a fun family day out. Beach 150 yards. Shop 50 yards, pub and restaurant ¾ mile.£66From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
EnglandA beautiful ground-floor apartment in the heart of Cockermouth and right next to the River Cocker with direct river views. This waterside abode comes with stylish interior décor, tiled floors throughout, along with a private parking space and a short walk into the delightful town centre. It features two comfortable double bedrooms making it ideal for families and couples. Handmade, built-in wardrobes make smart use of the space and gives them a contemporary feel and finish. The open-plan living areas combine a spacious living room and dining room with a stylish kitchen, with all the cooking utensils you may need. A very social space; perfect for spending time with loved ones. The bathroom offers a shower over the bath and a heated towel rail.
From the open-plan living area, patio doors lead to lovely balcony and seating area with direct river views. You can enjoy a chilled glass of wine while listening to the sound of the River Cocker rushing past. You can also spot plenty of wildlife. It’s the perfect backdrop for your next Cumbrian adventure.
If you want a town centre holiday base, it’s perfect! Just under a 5-minute walk to Main Street, which is full of independent shops, cafés, restaurants, and pubs. Cockermouth is a hidden gem and a great choice for a short break in The Lakes, as well as an ideal base for a longer stay as you can reach nearby Keswick in about 20 minutes. If you love the outdoors, you have a fishery and a golf course nearby as well as plenty of local walks and cycle trails. A trip to Cumbria wouldn’t be the same without putting on your walking boots and enjoying the picturesque scenery of the Northern Fells and Lakes. From here you can also reach the West Cumbrian Coast in less than 10 miles.
If you want to bring your dog on holiday, there are plenty of places to exercise your four-legged friends.£74From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Lowick, EnglandThe moment you approach this beautifully converted chapel you know you’re in store for a lovely stay in a unique property. The large wooden chapel doors open to reveal a big hallway with a couple of rooms leading off to the sides. You come to a useful study room first which offers a little privacy or peace, and the opposite is a utility room providing the perfect place to dry and feed the dog, dry wet coats after a busy day’s walking in the Lakes. A second set of doors opens into an impressive, Instagram-worthy living space, with high vaulted ceilings, large leaded windows, and oak beams.
Once you catch your breath, you can take in the large kitchen with all the amenities and space required to cater anything from a simple sandwich to a family feast. The breakfast bar is the ideal place to watch the chef show off their skills whilst enjoying a glass of wine before moving the feast to the large dining table, where you could easily imagine you were starring in an epic movie during a medieval banquet.
transition easily into the comfortable living area with its sumptuous sofas, electric fire, and TV. You can’t fail to notice the first of the bedrooms as your eyes are drawn to the glass-fronted stairs leading up to the kingsize bedroom in the rafters of the chapel, where there is also an en-suite bathroom to the left. The remaining three bedrooms consist of two more king-size beds and a twin room, all with en-suite bathrooms and located on the lower floor level.
The chapel is in the quiet Hamlet of Lowick Green near Spark Bridge but offers a great location to explore the scenery and attractions of the South Lakes area. There is a local pub The Farmers Arms. The iconic Coniston Water is just 10 miles away, offering a great location for wild swimming, paddleboarding or kayaking for those water enthusiasts. Alternatively, within a short drive, you can enjoy the world-famous Windermere water offering Lakeside towns to explore with an excellent range of independent shops, restaurants, pubs, or attractions like The World of Beatrix Potter. Take a lake cruise or hire your motorboat to enjoy this vast expanse of water. Other local attractions include the Motor Museum, Lakes Aquarium, escape rooms, high ropes, and outdoor adventures, right through to horse racing or Michelin star restaurants. There is truly something for everyone to enjoy and all set against some of the most stunning scenery in the world. Bardsea Beach 5 miles. (dog friendly).£167From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Bowness-on-Windermere, EnglandThis spacious, immaculately presented property is perfect for family gatherings or up to four couples that wish to enjoy some quality time together in luxury surroundings. Situated in a prestigious area of Bowness on Windermere, accessed via a private road, you will be sure to appreciate why this property has been awarded a five-star status.
The property sits on a large plot with a lawned garden to the front, a huge balcony with garden furniture, and a large driveway (on an incline) providing parking for at least four cars. The large entrance hall/sunroom is welcoming with seating, making it a perfect place to sit and relax on hotter days. The kitchen, lounge and dining area are accessed via a spacious inner hallway. The kitchen is well equipped with appliances, including a fridge freezer, electric oven and hob, dishwasher, microwave, and coffee machine. The dining room is directly off the kitchen with large dining table and chairs, ideal for entertaining and group gatherings. The dining area is open plan to the spacious modern lounge which benefits from floor to ceiling glass windows and doors, taking full advantage of the uninterrupted views. The living room has a large contemporary wood burning stove and an enormous comfy sofa you can enjoy while taking in the view with a glass of your favourite tipple whilst watching the TV with Freesat. The balcony is accessed from the lounge via a set of glass patio doors and the views from here are simply breath-taking! Full of natural beauty. The balcony does have horizontal rails so toddler beware but it does have plenty of space and seating for eight guests making it a special place to enjoy alfresco dining on warmer evenings. Built into the hill to take advantage of the lake view, the house is moderately split level, with the huge master bedroom and luxurious en-suite bathroom being situated on the lower ground floor. There is plenty of storage provided for two guests with a wardrobe and drawers. The en-suite is huge and has been finished to a high specification. There are a further two double rooms both with en-suite shower rooms and a further room with a large zip and link bed and family bathroom directly across the hallway. There’s a large garage which can be utilised for cycle storage, kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, and such like. There’s a washing machine in the garage too, should you need to refresh your towels after a day at the lake.
This property is perfectly placed to enjoy all that Bownesss-on-Windermere has to offer, including some of the Lake District’s finest attractions. Take a cruise on Lake Windermere to Ambleside or across to Lakeside to enjoy a day at the aquarium, or hop on the steam train to Haverthwaite. Alternatively, try your hand at sailing and hire your own boat for a few hours. Paddle boarding is also a popular activity on the lake, so if you have one, then it’s certainly worth bringing it along. Bowness-on-Windermere is also home to Beatrix Potter World and the wonderful Art Deco Royalty Cinema. If you’re feeling energetic, so many walks can be found nearby including ’Orrest Head’ in Windermere, a relatively short walk offering spectacular views over Lake Windermere. Some of the Lake District’s fantastic fells are a mere short drive away, as well as the small ’Alpine’ like village of Grasmere, where William Wordsworth is laid to rest at St. Oswald’s Church, and if you’re a fan of Gingerbread, a visit to Grasmere Gingerbread shop is a must! Beach 17 miles. Pub/hotel 1 miles.£294From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Penrith, EnglandYewtree House is an impressive Holiday home of considerable size and will comfortably accommodate up to 16 guests, with a large dining table. It is ideal for a large family gathering or groups of walkers seeking to enjoy the splendour of the Eastern Lakes. The house is easily accessible, only 5 minutes drive from the M6 in the village of Tirril, and lies only 3 miles from Ullswater and Pooley Bridge and 3 miles from Penrith. The pub in Tirril is within easy walking distance and provides a restaurant and small shop. Bar meals are served throughout the day. A mile away in Yanwath is another pub restaurant renowned for its cuisine.
Tirril Lodge sits in spacious grounds with views over open countryside to both the front and rear. Activities available locally include pony trekking at Sockbridge and a variety of water sports on Ullswater, including sailing instruction, as well as some of the best fell walking in the Lake District. The house is ideally situated for exploring both the northern and southern lakes and fells. Situated just 2½ miles from the beautiful scenery of Ullswater, you can enjoy a trip around the lake on a steamer and visit the impressive waterfall at Aira Force. A spectacular journey along the shores of Ullswater and over the Kirkstone Pass takes you to Lake Windermere. At the head of Derwentwater and 15 miles from Sockbridge, lies the town of Keswick with its lovely parks and selection of coffee, gift and outdoor shops.£380From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
- Penrith, EnglandNew for 2023, The Oaks is a magnificently large lodge, easily able to accommodate guests up to six in total comfort. With an open-plan living room and dining area with wood burner and large Smart TV, this impressive space looks through the bi-fold doors onto the large private patio area with seating and outdoor dining in the beautiful Cumbrian air. There is a large kitchen containing all modern appliances. With the three kingsize bedrooms all on the same floor, master bedroom with oversized private bathroom, plus another with an option to split into twin beds, this exceptional lodge will have you feeling in total comfort in no time.
Situated in the small, rural village of Great Strickland in the Eden Valley, just 2 miles from the Lake District National Park and 6 miles from Ullswater. It benefits from easy access to the M6, and there are peaceful country lanes for cycling and walking on the Lakeland Fells or Pennine Hills. There is a village pub serving food, 100 yards from the house, with excellent amenities in Penrith just 5 miles.
This property can be booked with The Woodland (UK41013) and Strickland Manor (CC132157) to accommodate up to 28 guests.£121From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Ambleside, EnglandSet in quiet and peaceful surroundings close to the centre of Ambleside, Eskdale is a cosy ground floor apartment in a block of 5 holiday homes set in the grounds of the old Kirkstone Foot Hotel. A less than 5-minute steep walk down Peggy Hill brings you to the centre of Ambleside where there are many cafes, restaurants, shops and two cinemas. Wansfell and Red Screes are nearby, and walks can be enjoyed from the door. Many bus routes radiate from Ambleside including frequent services to Windermere, Kendal and Lancaster, the 516 to Elterwater and Dungeon Ghyll, the 555 to Grasmere and Keswick, and the Coniston Rambler to Hawkshead and Coniston.£75From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
