5 dog friendly days out in the Cotswolds
The Cotswolds is an area of outstanding natural beauty and is bustling with dog friendly days out that the whole family can enjoy.
Cotswold Wildlife Park
The Cotswold Wildlife Park is a complete must-do when visiting this meadowed expanse of the country. Get the chance to meet animals – everything from sloths to pandas. Better yet, add your own animal to the mix – dogs are welcome, though remember to take them home with you. They probably won’t enjoy spending the night in the rhino enclosure. The limitations, given the circumstances, are quite stringent – dogs must remain on their leads and under control throughout their visit. They aren’t allowed in certain areas, such as the bat house, but that’s not to say there aren’t loads of spaces to enjoy with them.
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs may be brought into the Park provided that they are kept on a lead and under adult control at all times.
Website: Cotswold Wildlife Park
Address: Bradwell Grove, Burford, OX18 4JP
Cotswold Water Park
The Cotswold Water Park constitutes 40 square miles of over 150 lakes throughout Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and West Oxfordshire and visiting doesn’t just benefit you. It doesn’t just benefit and your dogs, who are welcome to enjoy the area with you. It also forms part of a charity, so it benefits society at large and specifically conservation, wildlife and biodiversity projects. There are facilities scattered throughout the park, meaning a trip with your dog is no great hassle and you have access to the bins. Safe to say – there’s no shortage of water for them to frolic in, either. But remember: dogs can’t just swim wherever they want, but there are clearly signposted dog swimming areas.
Visiting with dogs:
The whole area of the Cotswold Water Park has plenty of lovely public footpaths and bridlepaths where you can walk your dog. Dogs must be kept out of the water and on a lead near lake edges, to minimise disturbance to wildlife.
Website: Cotswold Water Park
Address: Spine Road, South Cerney, GL7 5TL
Batsford Arboretum
Visiting a local arboretum when visiting an area like the Cotswolds is an excellent way to fully understand the scope of the wildlife and biodiversity in the region, as well as marvel at the foresight of our predecessors who planted all this glorious naturalness without having the opportunity to see the skyscrapers we visit today. These 56-acre gardens trees and shrubs from all over the world, as well as bin facilities scattered around the venue and a cafe to ensure you can clean up after your dog and relax with them after a long, fruitful walk. Dogs are allowed everywhere – including in the cafe – provided they remain on a firm lead throughout.
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs are allowed throughout the arboretum and inside the main building, including the café, but must remain on a short lead.
Website: Batsford Arboretum
Address: Batsford, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 9AD
Cotswold Lavender
This farm looks over Broadway and the Evesham Vale, but that’s not nearly the most beautiful part of the views you experience at Cotswold Lavender. You look onto a sea of purple as you take in the smells and sights of the expansive lavender plants, lined in rows like a vineyard, where the lavender is grown to be steam distilled, naturally aged, and then transformed into the essential oil we love so much, using all the traditional methodology of years gone by. Dogs are welcome to mosey through the fields with you, but please be considerate and ensure you don’t leave any mess behind – with smells as fresh and poignant as lavender filling the air, it would be a shame to contest that with doggy-fragrance….
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs on leads are very welcome at the lavender fields and you can walk your dog around the fields with you.
Website: Cotswold Lavender
Address: Hill Barn Farm Cottage, Snowshill, WR12 7JY
Westonbirt Arboretum
Though the phrase “tree museum” seems a little crass when discussing something as grand and beautiful as an arboretum, the sentiment is accurate, and Westonbrit Arboretum is a great spot to explore this selection of international trees. There are numerous play areas, walking and running trails and areas that your dog can enjoy. These dog-sections are limited to the Silk Wood, the Downs and in the main visitor area, but this is such an expansive section of forestry and beauty that you’ll hardly feel you’re missing out. The Autumn leaves are the most famously colourful and incredible sight to behold, which lasts from the end of summer until mid-November, sparkling in the crisp but bright light.
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs are welcome on the central downs area on a lead and off the lead in Silk Wood as long as they are kept under control and return when called.
Website: Westonbirt Arboretum
Address: Westonbirt, Tetbury, GL8 8QS
So there you have it – five dog friendly days out in the Cotswolds, that are largely inexpensive and mostly enjoyable by the sheer natural beauty in which they’re situated. Get the kids in the back and the dogs in the boot and ready yourself for a fun-filled day of adventure.
Cottages in the Cotswolds
If you’re planning to take the dogs to the cotswolds, we have a fantastic selection of dog friendly cottages in the Cotswolds that are available to book today.