404 Error - page not found
We're sorry, but the page you are looking for doesn't exist.
You can go to the homepage

OUR LATEST POSTS

country cottages
Exmoor National Park

Planning your summer travels in Britain and want to take your precious pooch along with you? The experts at Country Cottages have rounded up the best places for a dog-friendly break in the UK

Sponsored post

Best places for a dog-friendly break in the UK by Country Cottages

For lots of pet owners, leaving our pet pooch at home whilst we enjoy a cottage holiday in the UK is simply unthinkable. Pets are precious, and shh don’t tell, but many of us prefer our pets to our partners!  So holiday without them? No way! The good news though is that being a nation of pet lovers, the UK is home to many dog-friendly holiday homes and plenty of pet-friendly holiday destinations.

So, if you want to take your pooch on holiday where are the best places to holiday in Britain?

Whether you want to discover coast or countryside, there’s a great choice of options for you to explore with your four-legged friend in Britain, we will guide you to some of the best locations. You can also browse a wide selection of pet-friendly accommodation here. 

Get Tails Wagging in Aberdeenshire

Cruden Bay. Aberdeenshire

Off the beaten track, Aberdeenshire in Scotland can be perfect for a holiday with your pooch. The quaint village of Cruden Bay with its long stretch of golden sandy beach is a wonder to explore with your dog and you can happily take your dog to Aberdeen’s sandy beach too.

You can also enjoy exploring country parks and nature reserves in Aberdeenshire; both Balmedie Country Park and St Cyrus National Nature Reserve allow dogs.

Aberdeenshire is also of course known for its castles. At Crathes Castle you are allowed to walk your dog around the gardens (although chasing squirrels is not allowed!) and also at Balmoral Castle, much-loved holiday home of the Royal Family, on the days when the castle is open to the public, dogs are welcome in the grounds.

Discover Dartmoor National Park, Historical Attractions and Dog-Friendly Beaches Galore in Devon

Dartmoor National Park

With more dog-friendly beaches than both Cornwall and Dorset, Devon is a superb part of the West Country to explore with your pooch. What’s more, Devon is home to an impressive 76 dog-friendly beaches, a number of which are pet-friendly year round.

If countryside is more your thing, Devon is also of course home to Dartmoor National Park, and Exmoor National Park, where you can walk with your pet in lush greenery.  Do remember though to keep dogs on a lead during lambing and ground nesting bird season.

Also worth sniffing out whilst in Devon is Agatha Christie’s previous home; Greenway House where dogs are welcome in the garden, boathouse, shop and café, but must be kept on a lead.

If you are a history buff then don’t miss Totnes Castle, both for its impressive historical appeal and its impressive setting, high above the medieval town of Totnes by the River Dart, and dogs on leads are welcome to step back in time here too.

Northumberland Unleashed, Discover the Northumbrian Coastline with 31 Dog-Friendly Beaches and the Glorious National Park

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland

Northumberland is home to gorgeous Northumberland National Park, as well as 31 dog-friendly beaches.

Right up in the north of England, head to Northumberland with your pooch and you can discover big wide skies, the road less travelled, as well as stunning sandy beaches. Bamburgh beach with the imposing castle set above the sands, is iconic and dog-friendly year round.

Head to Northumbria’s National Park and soak up the scenery with your pet in tow. Kielder Water and Forest Park is home to miles and miles of good dog-friendly trails.

Paw-Friendly Coastline Aplenty in Pembrokeshire

Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire is home to an amazing 81 dog friendly beaches! With dramatic cliffs, sandy beaches, and picturesque coves, the Pembrokeshire coast is just stunning and there are miles and miles of paths to explore with your pooch along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.  Enjoy walkies with your pet along Freshwater East Beach with its stretch of sandy shores, and beautiful Barafundle Bay where you can enjoy plenty of vitamin sea.

Step back in time at Pembroke Castle with your furry friend where dogs (and owners of course!) are welcome to walk around the grounds and the castle (pooches aren’t allowed in the gift shop but are elsewhere in the castle).

Pembrokeshire is home to plenty of dog-friendly pubs too so you and your pooch can be assured of a warm welcome in this part of Wales.

Discover God’s Own Country with your Pooch

Whitby Abbey, Yorkshire

Yorkshire is home to two national parks; the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors, with countryside and walking trails galore, making this a great place to discover with your pup. Yorkshire boasts a stunning coastline too, so whether you want coast or countryside, Yorkshire has it all.

What’s more, some of Yorkshire’s best known attractions are pet-friendly; Whitby Abbey which stands high atop a cliff overlooking the iconic seaside town of Whitby welcomes dogs on leads, so you can both happily explore together. Also nearby, is the gorgeous historic fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay. This village’s amazing stretch of sandy beach is dog-friendly year round.

For pet-friendly holiday accommodation in the above parts of the UK and elsewhere, find a great choice of dog-friendly cottages on offer from Countrycottagesonline.com and get planning your pooch-friendly break.

Read more from Discover Britain:

facts about st patrick
The Broad Lough, Lower Lough Erne, Lough Navar Credit: VisitBritain/Tony Pleavin

St Patrick – the patron saint of Ireland – is steeped in mythology.

St Patrick’s Day on 17th March commemorates St Patrick (17th March is believed to be his death day) and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, although today it is more about celebrating the culture and heritage of the Irish in general. Today St Patrick’s day is a public holiday and celebrations involve public parades, festivals, céilidhs and wearing green and shamrocks.

facts about St Patrick
St Patrick
Here are some more facts about St Patrick that we think we know to be true.

10 facts about St Patrick you might not know:

1 It is thought St Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary, born in Britain in AD 387.

2 His name was thought to be Maewyn Succat.

3 At 16, he was kidnapped and taken as a slave to Ireland. Legend has it he was sold to a druid chief and for six years he worked as a herdsman.

4 While among the sheep, he “found God”.

5 He escaped and returned to his family in England where he became a priest.

6 He took the Christian-Roman name of Patricius, which was later known as Patrick.

7 He returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity, using the three leaves of a shamrock to explain the Christian holy trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

8 Over three decades, he is said to have travelled the Emerald Isle, establishing monasteries, schools and baptising and ordaining priests.

9 While legend credits St Patrick’s evangelising with converting the Irish to Christianity, historians believe there were already Christian believers in Ireland by the time Patrick arrived.

10 It is believed St Patrick died on March 17 in 461AD and was buried at Downpatrick.

You can find out more about St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Ireland, here.

And find out about St Patrick’s Day celebrations in London, here. 

Read more from Discover Britain:

    Suffragists in 1908
    Suffragists Lady Frances Balfour, Millicent Fawcett, Ethel Snowden, Emily Davies and Sophie Bryant at a march in 1908. Credit: Alamy/History collection 2016

    To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, we unearth Britain’s pioneering women and celebrate their legacy

      Top Withens, Haworth
      Top Withens, Haworth - the alleged inspiration for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Credit: VisitEngland/North York Moors

      Explore Britain’s best romantic literary escapes, inspired by the poetry, love stories and lives of some of our most-loved literary heroes

      EMILY BRONTE’S WUTHERING HEIGHTS

      Explore the rambling, desolate moors of Yorkshire like Heathcliff and Cathy once did and discover the romance of this wild barren landscape that dominates Emily Brontë’s beautiful novel of love and revenge, Wuthering Heights.

      Said to be set around the village of Haworth, recreate famous scenes on a walk around Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse that is also said to have inspired the Earnshaw family home.

      While in the area, make sure to visit The Brontë Collections at the Brontë Parsonage Museum. Once the Brontë family home, it now contains the world’s most comprehensive collection of Brontë manuscripts, letters, early editions of novels and poetry, and secondary material on the famous family and their work.

      WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

      Hall's Croft, Stratford
      Hall’s Croft, Stratford, home of Susanna Shakespeare, daughter of William Shakespeare. Credit: VisitBritain/LeeBeel

      Lovers of Shakespeare will adore a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, a stunning setting for a romantic weekend away. Visit Hall’s Croft, the home of William Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna Shakespeare and her husband, Dr John Hall, and take a romantic stroll through the beautiful gardens. Transform into Shakespeare’s romantic heroes with costumes and supporting in-house actors at Shakespeare’s Birthplace; and visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, the 500-year-old thatched cottage, where Shakespeare courted his bride-to-be.

      Continue the romance with a stay at medieval Warwick Castle, where two magnificent suites, The Peacock and The Rose, offer guests the opportunity to spend the night in a luxurious private chamber complete with four-poster bed.

      ROMANTIC ENGLISH POET JOHN KEATS

      John Keats' house, Hampstead, London
      John Keats’ house, Hampstead, London. Credit: VisitBritain / Britain on View

      John Keats’ stunning Regency-era villa Keats House in London’s Hampstead is a romantic gem for lovers of poetry. The house, where the poet fell in love with Fanny Brawne and wrote some of his finest poetry including Ode to a Nightingale, serves as a memorial and features Fanny’s engagement ring, locks of their hair, paintings and original books in which his poems were penned, as well as letters exchanged between the lovers.

      Spend time reading the love letters and poems from Keats to Brawne and enjoy different special events throughout the year, which may include poetry readings of Keats, Byron and others, live music and special tours.

      JANE AUSTEN’S HAMPSHIRE

      Jane Austen's House Museum, Chawton, Hampshire
      Jane Austen’s House Museum, Chawton, Hampshire. Credit: VisitBritain / Daniel Bosworth

      Fans of 18th century author, Jane Austen, will adore a visit to Hampshire, the author’s birthplace and final resting place, and where she penned the classic novel, Sense and Sensibility. Explore the love affair of Marianne and Willoughby and Elizabeth and Darcy at Jane Austen House Museum in the quiet village of Chawton where you can see the table at which she revised her manuscripts for Sense and Sensibility, as well as Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey, and wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion.

      If you’re planning to make a weekend out of your visit, nearby Lainston House Hotel, located in 63 acres of gorgeous Hampshire countryside, makes the perfect spot for an evening stroll and take in the loveliness of the area Austen called home.

      NOTTING HILL

      Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London
      Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London. Credit: VisitBritain/ Joanna Henderson

      This may be a cheeky addition, but Richard Curtis’ classic film Notting Hill is one of our most-loved on screen love stories. The tale of travel bookshop owner Will Thacker (Hugh Grant) and mega movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) has instilled a romance into London’s Notting Hill. Stroll the streets and explore the brightly painted buildings, shops and markets of Portobello Road and discover the real life Travel Bookshop (the inspiration for the film) around the corner on Blenheim Crescent. Stay in style at the five-star boutique hotel The Arch London. Tucked away on a calm residential street in Marylebone, this opulent Georgian hideaway offers the perfect romantic retreat.

      Read more:

      Best places to visit in Northumberland: top attractions, and places to stay, eat and drink

      Nominate your British heroes: Who do you think has shaped our nation?

      10 of the best Scottish landscapes

        Daffodils in Ullswater. Credit: Brian Sherwen

        It’s a sure sign that spring is on its way when the dark green shoots of daffodils start to break through the frost-covered ground. Although synonymous with Wales and St David’s Day on 1 March, many parts of Britain are covered with the cream-coloured petals and yellow trumpets of wild daffodils for weeks before and after that date.

         

        Golden Triangle, Gloucestershire

        At one time, Gloucestershire was the commercial centre for growing wild daffodils; the flowers being sent for sale in London’s major markets. A vast area within the county became known as the GoldenTriangle for the sheer number of daffodils growing there. Over time the wild flowers have declined as modern agricultural practices have taken over. However, the Wildlife Trust has now taken over conservation of much of the area and visitors can still make their way around the circular, 10-mile Daffodil Way, taking in Kempley and Dymock Wood en route.

        Organised walks also take place annually throughout March.

        www.wildlifetrusts.org

        Felley Priory, Nottinghamshire

        In the grounds surrounding Felley Priory, daffodils dominate the orchard in springtime. Some extremely rare species can be found amid the blaze of yellow, apricot and orange flowers. Varieties include Green Pearl, Toto and the minute Baby Moon. Parts of the house itself date from the 12th century as sections from the original priory church were repurposed within its construction after the Dissolution. The gardens, however, are the creation of the Chaworth-Musters family which first took ownership of the property in 1822, but wouldn’t go on to create the spectacular horticultural haven until the 1970s when the family went to live at the property full time.

        www.felleypriory.co.uk

        Ullswater, Cumbria

        William Wordsworth would often visit the Ullswater area of Cumbria and stroll around the wonderful Lake District landscape. It was one such stroll that is thought to have inspired the Romantic poet to write one of his most famous works, Daffodils, in 1804.

        Today, visitors to the area can still see golden rows of daffodils along the banks of the lake, whether travelling on foot or on the Ullswater Steamer, which has been ferrying people up and down the length of the water for over 150 years.

        www.golakes.co.uk

        Coed y Bwl, Wales

        This ancient ash woodland on the north-west side of the Alun Valley is well known for its wild daffodils that carpet the ground beneath the trees in spring. Under the care of the Wildlife Trust, the woodland is the refuge of many bird species, including Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs that help to add to the serene backing music as visitors pass beneath the canopy of trees.

        www.welshwildlife.org

        Dunsford Nature Reserve, Devon

        Running alongside the River Teign on the edge of Dartmoor, Dunsford nature reserve encompasses woodland glades, large areas of oak and an abundance of wildlife. Keep an eye out for Fallow Deer, flycatchers, Otters and dragonflies during a visit. The woodland was once used to produce bark for the leather industry as well as timber for charcoal production. Today, the riverside glades provide the perfect environment for daffodils.

        www.devonwildlifetrust.org

          This issue, our travel special focuses on somewhere close to our editor’s heart: Yorkshire.

          I was at university in Yorkshire when I fell in love with my (now) husband, so it is still a very special place for us but I’m not the only one to have fallen for its charms.

          The city of York, which I was lucky enough to revisit for this issue’s city guide is one of Britain’s most popular tourist spots and even when its cobbled lanes are crammed with visitors, you can’t help but swoon at its timber-framed buildings.

          Of course, when it comes to Yorkshire, we can’t not mention All Creatures Great and Small, and this issue Tina Walsh takes us on a gentle journey through Herriot Country in Yorkshire, and the filming locations for TV’s most heart-warming drama.

          And for all the areas of natural beauty, from the countryside to the coast, Yorkshire also has an impressive number of grand houses and this issue Jeremy Flint steps inside one of the grandest, Harewood House for an exclusive photoshoot.

          Plus, we celebrate the 750th birthday of one of Scotland’s greatest heroes – King Robert the Bruce.

          And, you could be in with a chance of winning a two-night stay in York!

          Get your copy now here.

          Also inside the issue:

          • We explore the life of the youngest Brontë sister, Anne, and discover why her radicalism meant she has only recently gained the recognition she deserves
          • Our writer discovers the origins of some of Yorkshire’s most famous delicacies, and advises on where you can enjoy them today
          • Our writer has us dreaming of cosy weekends away with her pick of Yorkshire’s best inns
          • From Easter to May Day, we explore some of the more unusual British spring traditions

          Read more: