5 fantastic places to walk the dogs in Pembrokeshire
You know how most villages, towns and counties have a gem of an area for dog walking? Well, you wouldn’t be wrong if you considered Wales to be that area of the UK, nor would you be wrong if you narrowed it down from that macro scale to the micro and exclaimed that Pembrokeshire was a gem of Wales. All in all, you’re not going to struggle to find somewhere to walk your dog if you’re in Pembrokeshire – all you’ll struggle with is deciding where to go. Discover these five dog friendly walking destinations in Pembrokeshire.
Colby Woodland Garden
So much of Pembrokeshire is the wild and bustling coastline and golden beaches with just keep going until you’re squinting, so it’s somewhat refreshing to venture into woodland areas and gardens rather than a sprawling beachfront sometimes – especially if you’re in the privileged enough position to be able to pick and choose between them (or, you know, visit the lot!) This National Trust property is nestled within a hidden wooded valley, and that’s just the start of it. Heritage, culture, sweeping natural beauty, walking routes, walled gardens, woodland gardens… Colby has it all. Throw in its rich Welsh history and you’ve also got a fun and educational time in store on top of the prime dog-walking landscape.
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs on leads permitted in meadow and woodland garden.
Website: Colby Woodland Garden
Stackpole
The words “dog ownership” and “National Trust” are practically synonymous – country estates make for pretty excellent walking destinations. National Trust properties are always fully equipped with facilities to ensure it’s a turn-up-with-lead kind of day, and roaming the gardens and the estate is free – it’s only a visit to the house that will cost you (and your dogs aren’t allowed there, so perhaps that’s a trip for another day). The beautiful deer freely roaming the park are a delight – and sometimes a little too much so for excitable dogs who aren’t used to fallow wildlife interrupting their exercise time, so be wary.
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs should be kept on leads when walking around Stackpole Warren, the coastal grassland between Barafundle and Broad Haven South and around Bosherston Lakes
Website: Stackpole
Picton Castle & Gardens
It can be easy to think “Pembrokeshire = Beach” when you consider just how much beach there is to explore, and how long the coastline is, but what makes Pembrokeshire such a top-notch destination (especially with four-legged fur-friends tagging along) is the variation. You could probably spend a month in the region and still not repeat one day’s worth of activity. That said, you may be tempted by a repeated-day after you’ve spent some time in Picton Castle & Gardens. There’s something for everyone: a stately home for the history-boffs, forty acres of woodland gardens and grounds for the pooches, and utterly eye-popping surroundings for those looking to marvel in the natural beauty of those gardens and grounds while getting some exercise and walking their dog at the same time.
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs on leads are more than welcome to accompany visitors within the Gardens.
Website: Picton Castle & Gardens
Cilgerran Castle
800-odd years of history is embedded in Cilgerran Castle and there’s no doubt that even the 13th century doggies had a blast in Teifi Gorge, which the fortress overlooks. If you follow the walk down from Cilgerran Castle towards the sea at Cardigan Bay, you’ll find that the area may just as well have been named Pup-Paradise. Greenery, ruins, wildlife, brooks, hills and plenty to gawk at, this part of Pembrokeshire is a dog-owner’s Narnia.
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs are welcome at Cilgerran Castle.
Website: Cilgerran Castle
St David’s Peninsula
Despite the size of the tiny area of St David’s compared to the rest of Pembrokeshire and even Wales at large, it’s a city rather than a town. This has nothing to do with the size, as nobody’s denying it’s more like a quaint countryside village than a bustling metropolitan or city. Instead, this is due to its most wonderfully beautiful cathedral – a city was once defined in the UK as a place which had a cathedral. End of story. They do things a little differently now, but it doesn’t detract from how beautiful this mini city is. This is just within the city centre, and but one of its pearls of history – St David’s Peninsula has a whole necklace of pearls, including stories of Celtic origins and the Welsh patron saint (St David, of course). Venture to the peninsula, and it’s a whole new world – and a particularly dog-friendly one, at that. There’s plenty of room to roam, a sea breeze and probably a killer pub to stop and enjoy the view from (and maybe a pint-sized bowl of water for the dogs).
Visiting with dogs:
Dogs are welcome, but please keep them on leads where livestock are grazing.
Website: St David’s Peninsula
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Cottages in Pembrokeshire
View all our dog friendly cottages in Pembrokeshire