Dog-friendly Scotland
Explore Scotland's dog-friendly destinations for an ideal holiday with your four-legged friend. Whether it's a quaint hotel, cosy cottage, B&B, or a charming country house, find the perfect spot for a short break with your pooch. Discover stunning Scottish landscapes and create lasting memories on your next adventure.
Banff, ScotlandConstructed in 1864, this picturesque, renovated church building that has been lovingly restored making it a luxurious place for you and your family or friends to stay. Its exterior form has happily been retained, bearing clear witness to its original function, whilst inside a stained glass window is the central feature to the first floor living room. Other features of note include high ceilings, large windows, plenty of spacious accommodation and large mature gardens. The majority of the living space is to the ground floor. The open plan kitchen and dining area with sliding door opening to the rear garden was formerly the church hall. Five bedrooms have been stylishly designed, along with a contemporary bathroom and two additional shower rooms, whilst a cinema and games room will keep you busy on a rainy day. The extensive gardens of an acre comprise of a woodland driveway to the front. The enclosed rear garden has mature trees and shrubs, including a monkey puzzle tree, lawns and three patio seating areas. The summerhouse and patios are the ideal place for enjoying a morning coffee or evening drink while taking in the surrounding views and starlit sky.
The property is nestled in a very beautiful part of Scotland and offers many activities in short striking distance, including walking, cycling, golfing, fishing and the seaside. The property is just 3 miles from Mintlaw, home to Aden Country Park covering 230 acres. Recognised as one of Scotland’s top green spaces, the park is a popular spot for walkers, cyclists and families thanks to its picturesque surroundings and busy events calendar. Mintlaw hosts a wide variety of amenities including pub, takeaways and local supermarket.
8 miles to the east is Cruden Bay, which has a sweeping expanse of pink sands and dunes approximately 1½ miles in length. This sandy beach is popular with day trippers, water sports enthusiasts and for sea fishing. Here you can also visit the remains of Slains Castle, once a place where celebrities were entertained on numerous occasions in the 19th Century. One of the most notable guests was Bram Stoker and it is believed the castle is the inspiration for the setting of ’Count Dracula’. 14 miles south of Torreagles is Newburgh beach, home to a colony of around 400 seals, adjacent to which are Forvie Nature Reserve and Foveran Links, a site of special scientific interest.
Golfers will appreciate numerous challenging courses less than a half hour’s drive from the property, including three of Scotland’s top twenty championship courses, Cruden Bay Golf Club, Trump International Golf Links and Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. Whatever you decide to do during your stay, this is an ideal base to explore this lovely part of Scotland. Beach 8 miles.£182From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & book
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Skelmorlie, ScotlandThis spacious, detached, single-storey cottage has been fully renovated to a very good standard, and is situated on the owners’ a working sheep and dairy farm. With its own private hot tub and barbecue area, the cottage offers views over open countryside and is situated close to the towns of Dalry and Lochwinnoch. For walkers or those bringing their four legged friends, there are dog and boot washing facilities.
Located on Scotland’s west coast, the property is ideally located to explore the beauty of the Ayrshire coastline. Ayrshire offers a varied coastline with villages, beaches and rocky coves to explore, and is an ideal location for cyclists and walkers with Skelmorlie heralding the start of the Ayrshire Coastal Path, a 100-mile long coastal walk. Inland there is walking, cycling, gardens and castles to visit along with opportunities to ride, fish and golf (the world famous Turnberry course is nearby). Culzean Castle Country Park, extending for over 550 acres, has a network of wooded trails passing along the beach. For water sports, Castle Semple is within easy reach, and mountain bike hire can be found at Lochwinnoch, 5 miles away.
Explore the islands of Cumbrae, Arran and the Isle of Bute or catch a ferry to Dunoon and the Cowal Peninsula which gives you great access to the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Glasgow and Edinburgh are easily reached for a day trip. Shop 2 miles, pub and restaurant 1 mile.£106From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Kelso, ScotlandThis beautiful Victorian country house, formerly stables and a groom’s flat, sits between its own large garden and the cobbled courtyard of Lochside House. Ideal for family gatherings and parties, it is also the perfect base for exploring Northumberland and the Scottish Borders with its fine beaches, historic buildings and stunning scenery. The large secluded garden and inner dog proof yard is complete with BBQ, firepit, garden furniture, badminton and a large hot tub for relaxing in, or for family and friends to splash wildly in. To the front there is a beautiful outlook over the SSSI Yetholm Loch wildlife reserve with a backdrop of green rounded hills. The surrounding parkland grazes horses and rare breed Soay sheep. Across the whole valley are extensive new native tree plantings along with other associated environmental works. Farm and woodland walks ideal for exploring, nature lovers and dog walks.
Inside, you can enjoy the comfort of soft sofas surrounded by period furniture and paintings, lots of books, an open fire, grand piano, Wi-Fi, television and a DVD player. There’s a special place for everyone in this spacious house. The well-equipped kitchen has an electric range and a large dining table. An adjacent barn houses a shared snooker table and dart board. The lawns of Lochside House also have a shared trampoline and swing.
The Yetholm Loch wildlife reserve can be reached along beautiful woodland walks and is home to many species of birds and animals. If you are lucky, you may see an osprey swooping down to catch a fish or an otter playing in the sunshine. There is a family boat which guests are welcome to use for fishing, or for the fun of rowing surrounded by wonderful scenery. The village of Yetholm is a couple of miles away with pubs, garage, butcher, grocery store and post office. Kelso is only 7 miles away with supermarkets and a wide range of other shops. Edinburgh and Alnwick with its famous gardens are about an hour’s drive. Extensive hill walking and beautiful beaches within a thirty minute drive.
Lochside Stable House can be booked together with Lochside Garden House (S4484) and Avenel Cottage (UK10920) to accommodate up to 29 guests.£151From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Ballindalloch, ScotlandA warm and friendly welcome awaits you at this gorgeous Highland home, where you will be greeted with beautiful decoration and stylish Scottish touches. Situated in stunning Tomintoul, Hawthorn House is a perfect spot to enjoy this wonderful part of Scotland.
Set in the heart of the village, Hawthorn House can sleep up to eight people in four bedrooms, one of which is downstairs. Benefiting from a lovely wood burner, this home is very spacious, yet still has a welcoming and cosy feeling throughout. A modern and spacious kitchen with large windows overlooking the garden also adds to the attractiveness of the property. A lovely, large garden is the perfect place to enjoy some outdoor family time, and being fully enclosed means the adults can relax while the kids and dogs play.
Hawthorn House is within easy strolling distance of the village square where you can enjoy a coffee or browse through the local gift shops. Stock up on essentials at the village store and newsagent. Treat yourselves to a fabulous meal in the lovely restaurant and there are also a few village pubs in which to sample the locally produced beverages... all wait to welcome you in this picturesque setting.
Tomintoul, sitting in the Cairngorm mountain range, is believed to be the highest village in the Highlands, the perfect location from which to explore the area’s many attractions. You will be well placed for winter sports at the Lecht Ski Centre, or enjoy the activities on offer at the surrounding Glenlivet Estate. Here you can walk or cycle the many paths, all whilst appreciating the stunning Scottish scenery and local wildlife.
From Hawthorn House you can easily access the famous Scottish Whisky Trail, with the Glenlivet distillery only 5 miles away and many other distilleries located in and around Dufftown, approximately 18 miles away. The diverse town of Aviemore, situated in the Cairngorms National Park, is 25 miles away and provides a fun filled family day out. Whether you want to visit the mountains, lochs, the Highland Wildlife Park or the Landmark Forest Adventure Park, you will find something for everyone under an hour’s drive away. The Queens Scottish residence, Braemar in Royal Deeside, is approximately 30 miles away. Explore this historical region and see how the Royal Family live. We cannot forget the dramatic North Coast with the beaches of Nairn and Lossiemouth within driving distance. Shops, pubs and restaurant 175 yards.£156From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Kirkcudbright, ScotlandMaggie’s Den is a spacious terraced cottage with a lovely enclosed garden to the rear, ideal for children or your four legged friends! The cottage is welcoming and the kitchen/dining room to the rear overlooking the garden is the real hub, fantastic for cooking and generally socialising while the kids enjoy the garden. From the kitchen/dining room it opens up to the comfortable living room whilst the bedrooms are all on the first floor and a large games room on the second floor, perfect for that family holiday!
Maggie’s Den is in the heart of Gatehouse of Fleet, a delightful village in this beautiful part of South West Scotland. Gatehouse of Fleet now has a slower pace of life but it once had a thriving industry with cotton mills, shipbuilding, a brewery and its own port. Nowadays the rich past can only be seen in the street names and inside the former textile mill, The Mill on the Fleet.
There are many attractions in and around the town including the Mill on the Fleet Visitor Centre and Cardoness Castle. For a more laid back day there are delightful beaches within a few minutes’ drive, including Mossyard and Carrick. The area has numerous walks available, from scenic coastal walks to forest trails. With sailing, swimming, riding, fishing, golf, boat trips and watersports close by, there is something for everyone. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, there are many beautiful gardens to visit including Threave Gardens (National Trust). Close to the Galloway Forest Park, home to the first Dark Sky Park in Europe and central to 5 of the 7Stanes cycle route at Kirroughtree Forest and Dalbeattie Forest, it is a popular location for cyclists and mountain bikers. Only a short drive away is Kirkcudbright, known as ’the artists’ town’, which attracts visitors throughout the year drawn by the harbour, the historic high street and the diverse range of annual events and visitor attractions. The popular programme of summer festivities culminates with the spectacular Tattoo, an event not to be missed. Beach 2 miles. Shop and restaurant 200 yards, pub 400 yards.£81From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Ullapool, ScotlandSet in its own private grounds on the stunningly beautiful little Loch Broom, Kildonan is a bright, spacious and modern detached house. It enjoys wonderful uninterrupted views across the loch to the Summer Isles beyond, surrounded by hills and mountains. Tucked away down its own quiet track it is ideal for a luxurious get-away from it all holiday for families and friends. The large kitchen/dining room is modern farmhouse style, with flagstone flooring and built-in units. Across the hallway is a spacious living room, with deep soft leather sofa suites and a large wood burner. The games room is on the ground floor and is a wonderful bonus for all ages. Here is a large central pool table, as well as a dart board and other games. The rural country gardens surround the house making this an ideal place to relax in the evening. A wide staircase leads up to the first floor, where there are four generously proportioned bedrooms, one with an en-suite. They are all very attractively presented with colour co-ordinated soft furnishings and high quality beds and furniture. As well as the en-suite there is a family-sized bathroom with a deep roll-top bath and a separate shower cubicle.
Kildonan is ideally located for maximising the views, sitting on a promontory near the head of Little Loch Broom, which in summer is ideal for swimming. Badluarch jetty, at the end of the single track lane, offers easy access to the water. Badluarach is a small crofting hamlet, with scattered cottages, sheep and cattle for company. The adjoining lane leads out onto open moorland. The area is a paradise for hill-walkers and climbers, with numerous walks directly from the property and the renowned munro of An Tellach just 5 minutes away. It is equidistant from Ullapool and Gairloch. The coastline that runs along this west coast is simply stunning. It forms part of the renowned North Coast 500 route which encompasses some of the most dramatic and unspoilt scenery to be found anywhere in the British Isles. Miles of sandy beaches are interspersed with coves, tumbling rivers and high mountains. In the nearby village of Dundonnell there is a restaurant and bar which is open throughout the summer months. Both Ullapool and Gairloch, just 30 minutes’ drive away, have excellent facilities, including a good selection of shops, pubs and restaurants as well as visitor attractions. Beach 4 miles. Shop 13 miles, pub and restaurant 8 miles.£132From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Fircliff - The House on Bute is a superb waterside, B-listed Georgian property sitting within a large and enclosed walled garden. The accommodation is over three floors with unobstructed sea views from all main rooms over Loch Striven, the Firth of Clyde and the surrounding hills. It is a fabulous setting for groups or large families to get together in the exquisitely presented rooms with many unique items of furniture and design features. The kitchen and dining area is the focal point of the house and can easily accommodate all fourteen guests round the large bespoke dining table. There are four en-suite bedrooms with showers, the master bedroom having an additional cast iron roll-top bath, one family bathroom and one cloakroom. The younger party members can be accommodated in a room with twin beds and a bunk bed. In addition a dual purpose room with twin beds can double up as a games room. The boot/utility room offers space for outdoor wear, a drying rack, a washing machine and dog bed and crate. The adjacent shoreline offers easy access to launch kayaks and other water craft. Larger boats can also be launched locally.
There is plenty to do on the Isle of Bute, from adventure experiences to watching wildlife to visiting historical sites. There are many popular walks around the island, including the West Island Way. Recommendations are given and the boot room comes into its own for wet coats, muddy boats and mucky dogs! The quiet roads lends to excellent cycling, and the house in on the route of the 5 Ferry Challenge. Fishing is available on the inland and coastal waters. Loch Fad is 3½ miles away where you can rent a boat to fish for rainbow and brown trout or pike. The loch was also the location used for the first run of the recently restored Bluebird. There are three golf courses (9, 13 and 18 holes) on the island along with a putting green in Rothesay. There are sandy beaches galore where, if lucky, you can spy ospreys, terns, basking sharks, humpback whales, dolphins and seals. The Isle of Bute has been an important island historically, with marks left on the island that can be visited, from standing stones, to the location of a Viking parliament and more recently Rothesay Castle. Mount Stuart House and Gardens offers a fantastic day visit and the St Blane’s Chapel is situated in a tranquil corner of the island. The Discovery Centre houses a 97 seater cinema with weekly showings. In the summer you can book tickets to take a trip on the famous paddle steamer The Waverley.
The nearby Port Bannantyne offers a marina, pubs, restaurant, post office/shop and petanque club. The main ferry crossing from Wemyss Bay to Rothesay takes approximately 35 minutes and for access to the Cowal Peninsula the ferry from Rhubodach to Colintraive (only a 10-minute drive away) takes only 3 minutes, both do not need to be booked in advance. There is an excellent bus service on the island. Beach 3 miles. Shop ½ mile, pub 550 yards and restaurant ¼ mile.£273From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Newton Stewart, ScotlandAn original gardener’s cottage, Orchard Cottage is a traditional, stone-built holiday home overlooking the orchard of the Galloway House Gardens and only yards from the secluded, tree lined, sandy Rigg Bay beach. You can hear the waves from your bedroom and you could even take your breakfast to the beach. Beachcombers will love this location as will writers and painters, nature and garden enthusiasts, activity seekers or honeymooners.
Walks for all ages and abilities start from the doorstep. Head south on the coastal path and through the woods to Cruggleton Castle and the surrounding cliffs. The village of Garlieston is northwards, via the Galloway House Gardens, famous for its spring display of azaleas and rhododendrons.
Golf and fishing are within easy reach, as are the Galloway Hills and the 7stanes mountain bike trails. Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town, Whithorn, home to the first recorded Christian church in Scotland and the harbour villages of Isle of Whithorn and Port William are a short drive or cycle ride away, reachable by quiet, country roads. Beach 50 yards. Shop, pub and restaurant 1 mile.£129From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
- Stranraer, ScotlandAiryhemming Dairy is a detached former Dairyman’s Cottage situated on a working dairy farm yet set away from the buzz of the farm, in peaceful countryside, with views over farmland to the rolling Galloway Hills. Enjoy this restored cottage, whether it be sitting in front of the cosy wood burner, enjoying a game of pool in the games room or star gazing from your very own hot tub. The cottage also boasts its own stretch of water for brown trout fishing. The charming village of Glenluce has local shops and pubs. This area of Dumfries and Galloway boasts rugged coastlines and secluded sandy beaches which benefit from the warmth of the passing Gulf Stream and is surrounded by breathtaking scenery, offering an ideal base from which to explore the Machars Peninsula and the Galloway Hills. There are many beautiful gardens to explore, including the world renowned Logan Botanical Gardens. The area boasts many pretty little ports like Sandhead, Portpatrick and the RSPB Scotland Mull of Galloway Nature Reserve where thousands of seabirds nest on the cliff face during the spring and summer. Walking is a delight, whether cliff top, beaches, hills or forests and the Southern Upland Way passes close by. It is a cyclist’s paradise with the world famous 7Stanes within easy reach. If you prefer shooting or golf, there are many facilities nearby including the County Course, just 2 miles away. The town of Stranraer, which is only 8 miles away, offers a wider range of shops, pubs and restaurants. Nearby Cairnryan is home to the Stena Line ferry making a day trip to Ireland a great day out. Beach 2 miles. Shop and pub 2 miles, restaurant 3 miles.
Airyhemming Dairy can be booked together with Airyhemming Farm (CC537213) and Kelbrook (UK5737) to accommodate up to 22 guests.£155From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
Gatehouse of Fleet, ScotlandSituated within 600 acres of the Fleet Oak Woods, this spacious, semi-detached holiday cottage, with woodland walks direct from the door, offers a peaceful retreat from which to explore the Solway Coast, with its many sandy beaches and rocky coves. Situated within the grounds of the Cally Palace Hotel, guests have free access to the hotel’s facilities, including the swimming pool and gym, putting green and croquet lawn. Golf is available at a discounted rate. It is within walking distance of the Burgh of Gatehouse of Fleet, with shops, cafés and restaurants. The town also boasts the Mill on the Fleet, an exhibition of historical arts and skills. There is great walking throughout the area, with the Galloway Forest Park having marked cycle paths and walks, bird and wildlife to enjoy. Also available throughout the area are fishing, golfing and water sports. Kirkcudbright, the artist’s town, offers boat trips and many art and craft shops, as well as Castle Douglas, Scotland’s food town, with many specialist shops close by. Cardoness Castle and the Cally Gardens, with an unusual variety of plants, are well worth a visit. Cream of Galloway for adventure playgrounds, family entertainment and of course, ice cream. Just 6 miles away is The Cocoabean Company, a great, interactive day out for young and old alike. Beach 3 miles. Shop 1 mile, pub and restaurant 500 yards.£122From price per night based on 7 night stayExplore & bookPrice Match GuaranteeDogs Stay Free
