Dog Friendly
Bring your dog on your long-distance walking holiday. Holidays include daily transportation of your dog's supplies between dog-friendly accommodation.
Dog Friendly
https://www.contours.co.uk/dog-friendly
Treat your dog to the walkies of a lifetime with a self-guided walking holiday in the UK.
Back in 1997, Contours was amongst the first companies to offer dog friendly walking holidays, and we have the creation of these adventures down to a fine art. We'll ferry your dog's food and accessories from point to point each day, and you can be sure every dog-friendly trail we offer is perfect for your pooch.
Check out our full list of dog-friendly trails and the service we provide.
These holiday trails have been specially selected because they are suitable for both you and your dog. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact our office and we can help you choose the perfect dog-friendly tour.
Please note that the + symbol denotes that multiple dog friendly route options (e.g. north/south sections, highlights tours and/or short breaks) are available for these trails, offering you more freedom to personalise your holiday to suit you.
Dog friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge which is charged per dog per walking day. This is to cover additional charges made by the accommodations to cover the cost of cleaning after a dog's stay, which means that you will not be charged any extra fees by your accommodation during your stay. The Daily Dog Charge also includes the cost of an extra item of luggage for your dog, plus any additional transfer costs that may be incurred getting you to and from your dog-friendly accommodation.
If you plan to walk with two dogs, we are more than happy to waive most of the Daily Dog Charge for the second dog if you can combine their luggage into one bag, reducing it to £5 per day. If this is the case, please contact us for a quote. There may also be an additional supplement charge if your accommodations charge per dog staying, rather than per room. Please keep in mind that your dogs' joint luggage must abide by your chosen tour's luggage weight limit per bag for this to be an option.
Kindly note that 2 dogs is the maximum we can accommodate on our trails.
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All dog friendly walking holidays with Contours Walking Holidays have been carefully selected because there is dog friendly accommodation available along the route. However, despite our best efforts, the number of accommodations that welcomes dogs is still very limited and availability can be restricted. As a result, the accommodation that we use may not be our usual choice, but will always be comfortable, clean and provide the best service for you and your dog.
To avoid disappointment, we encourage early booking on all dog friendly holidays.
In order to secure dog friendly accommodation, it may occasionally be necessary to transfer you and your dog from the trail to your accommodation and back again the following morning to resume your walk. Any such transfers required are included in the holiday cost.
Many establishments have different dog friendly policies and you are likely to encounter different arrangements for your dog. Wherever possible, we will arrange for your dog to sleep on the floor of your room, but it may be necessary for your dog to sleep in an en suite bathroom, in a lounge, porch or other allocated room. We do not expect your dog to sleep outside in a kennel.
Dogs are rarely allowed in dining rooms and areas where there is food. For this reason, it may become necessary to leave your dog alone in an allocated room or in your bedroom. To avoid unnecessary stress on your dog and out of respect for the accommodation, your dog should be suitably behaved at all times. For more information, read our leaflet, Responsible Walking With Your Dog, which is included in your holiday pack.
We will do everything that we can to arrange the perfect holiday for you and your dog. On the rare occasion that we cannot find availability, or we encounter other related difficulties, we will contact you immediately to advise you of this and to discuss your options.
“The walk itself is not too taxing passing through a variety of landscapes and with minimal roads so very suitable for walking with a dog. Whilst we enjoyed all aspects of this walk, we would like to highlight the dog friendly nature of both the walk and accommodation. Hotels/pubs were not just dog friendly but incredibly welcoming in that we were able to dine with Weezle and who was given dog sausages and treats wherever we went. Contours is to be congratulated on making available a wide range of dog friendly walks, but the Herriot Way is without doubt the very best if you want to walk with your dog. Weezle, a thirteen year old Patterdale, manged the walk comfortably despite the record breaking temperatures. A brilliant experience all round!”Mr Thomas, Herriot Way
“Helpful staff both in booking and where we stayed, seamless luggage transfers and beautiful walking at the right level for the classification. It was all good, and so varied we didn’t have a favourite part - but we all (including the dog) really enjoyed being able to get down to a beach each day and cool off in the sea!”Ms Stewart, East Devon
“Fantastic holiday and just what I wanted to do with my dog. Accommodations were fabulous and easy to find, and the hosts were all brilliant with my dog. I'm already saving up for our next adventure.”Miss Graham, Cotswold Round
“Amazing scenery, lovely people on the way, very few restrictions on dogs.”Ms Matthews, St Oswald's Way
“A wonderful week of walking with our labrador. Dog friendly, good weather, beautiful places & countryside and the joy of being in England (coming from the Netherlands). Great that this could be arranged on such short notice. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience! Booking another holiday with Contours is certainly an option if we take the dog with us for some hiking in the UK.”Mr Wisse, Cotswold Round
“Yorkshire Dales looking at their best, full of wild flowers and birdsong. The good weather helped as well. A really good route, one which is ideal for anyone considering walking longer distance trails, a bit everything without being too strenuous. Ideal for all category of walkers. Completely dog friendly which most breed of dog should manage.”Mr Twigg, Three Dales Way
“Terrific organisation by Contours. All went like clockwork. We all had a very enjoyable week thank-you. I certainly will be booking with you again, Richard - my dog had the time of her life!”Mr Parry, Hadrian's Wall Path
“Absolutely fantastic short break. Route was well marked but did appreciate Contours also sharing electronically. Accommodation was good for our needs with two dogs in tow.”Mr Harrison, Offa's Dyke Short Break - South Section
“Beautiful part of the country - super deserted beaches excellent for a dog. Interesting historical sites along the way. Accommodation very good with friendly welcomes. Weather excellent! Lovely walking experience to discover one of Britain's best kept secrets.”Mr Robinson, Northumberland Coast Path
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Yes. Neither Contours Walking Holidays nor your accommodations are responsible for feeding your dog or providing bedding. We strongly advise taking enough of your dog's regular food to last for the duration of your walk, as it may not be available along the trail. Our Daily Dog Charge takes into account the additional cost of transferring these items for your dog.
Unfortunately, we are only able to cater for two dogs in any walking group.
Assistance dogs have access to areas where other dogs are not allowed, including hotels and land where dogs are otherwise forbidden. For this reason, assistance dogs may not be restricted to dog-friendly walking holidays.
If you have an assistance dog and are interested in walking one of our trails, please telephone us and we will be more than happy to discuss your requirements and the options available to you.
If you decide to walk one of our dog friendly trails with your dog, you should take every precaution to ensure that your dog stays safe. For more information, read our Responsible Dog Walking booklet included in your holiday pack
It can be an upsetting experience to see your dog get injured, but there are steps that you can take to prepare for an emergency should one arise. For more information, read our Responsible Dog Walking booklet included in your holiday pack
It is inevitable that with mile after mile of countryside to enjoy, your dog will end the day a little muddy. The accommodations that we use work hard to give you the most pleasant environment, so we ask that you pack a towel to wipe your dog clean before arriving at your accommodation.
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Yes, all of our walks are likely to feature stiles, gateways and uneven surfaces at some stage. Some stiles may not have a dog friendly mechanism and some may require some climbing. For this reason, your dog should be familiar with different stiles, or you should be prepared to lift your dog over them.
Your dog should be prepared for a long distance walk in much the same way as you should be. Start by gradually building the length and duration of your dog's walk until you think that he or she will be comfortable with the mileage involved. Introduce your dog to the sights and sounds of the countryside, including meeting sheep, scrambling over rocks and crossing stiles.
You should also pay attention to your dog and his or her age. Dogs under 12 months old are still growing and should not be walked for long periods of time. If it looks like your dog is struggling, stop for a rest. The more time you spend training your dog, the more time you will have to appreciate the walk.
If you have any doubts about your dog's ability to walk long distances, contact your vet for advice.
Legally, dog owners are not required to use a lead on public paths as long as the dog is under control. It is an offence to allow a dog to chase sheep or livestock, so it is strongly advised that dogs are kept on a lead in any area where there are farm animals.
If you have any doubts about your dog's obedience, always use a lead.
By law, anyone who allows their dog to foul on public land and does not clean up after them could be fined up to £1000. The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 does not apply to land used for agriculture, woodlands, marshland, moor or heath, but Contours Walking Holidays strongly suggests that you clean up after your dog at all times.
If you have any further questions or queries, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to advise you.
