Making our Exmoor holiday cottages dog friendly was always paramount. We know how much you love your four-legged family member, and that loyalty and fun spirit deserves to be rewarded with a getaway as well!

Guest Blogger, Lynne Scott, shares with you her personal experience, starting with getting there and away.

Why you don’t want to leave Spotty at home

People choose a self-catering holiday so they can please themselves. Naturally, when your fur friend is a part of the family, kennels aren’t an easy or cheap option. So, with an estimated nine million dogs in the UK*, holiday home providers are making it their business to accommodate pups and their owners! Here’s how to suss out property owners who go the extra mile to create the ultimate getaway with your dog.

Considerations for a dog-friendly self-catering holiday

When you’ve found a holiday cottage you like the look of, it’s time to find out more information. Most providers who welcome four-legged friends will have a standard policy that protects their property. Moreover, some will charge for each pet to cover basic cleaning. However, there are also practical matters which will make all the difference to enjoying a relatively stress-free holiday. For instance, having a secure garden or an outside tap for washing your fur baby down after a walk, or the provision of beds which will save space in the boot.

Exmoor Character Cottages has everything you need for your pooch

So, what makes these Exmoor holiday cottages dog friendly? Let’s find out!

Getting to West Somerset is easy and scenic

Heading to Exmoor with its stunningly beautiful diverse landscape is just a short hop across the Quantock Hills from junction 24/25 on the M5. There are plenty of glorious stopping off points and opportunities to exercise your faithful friend along the way.

Stunning, spectacular location

Lucy Green is the owner of Exmoor Character Cottages, and you can choose between four gorgeous period properties on the West Somerset coast. Each of the retreats is on the doorstep of 37 miles of stunning Exmoor coastline. Flanked by wooded valleys, wild moors dotted with chocolate box cottages, medieval villages and small harbours, this really is a splendid part of the world.

All canine breeds welcome

Luxury holiday cottages with dogs are not always easy to find when planning holidays. However, Lucy welcomes four-legged friends of all sizes, which is undoubtedly a bonus. When you confirm your booking for one of the four cottages, Lucy just needs to know how many fur friends will be coming along. Following this, you will receive information on pet-friendly places to visit during your brilliant time away. Lucy also sends helpful things to know including beach access times and the contact numbers of the local vets. When you arrive, there’ll even be a little doggie treat on the welcome tray. There are pet beds, blankets, and food/drink bowls can be found on a cute little bone-shaped floor mat.

Lucy says: “We’ve seen an increase in the number of guests with fur friends of all sizes, from really tiny to pretty big! We go out of our way to make our dog-friendly cottages in Exmoor welcoming – some pets even ‘write’ comments in the Guest Books with their favourite walks. Very clever.” If that doesn’t demonstrate the lengths we take to make our Exmoor holiday cottages dog friendly, then what does?!

House rules for your fur friend

There aren’t too many rules other than to pick up after your pet. However, whilst the garden isn’t out of bounds, the bedrooms are! Like any other accommodation provider, Exmoor Character Cottages discourages washing muddy paws in the bathrooms. After all, these are luxury holiday cottages with dogs, not exclusively for dogs! However, that should be no hindrance at all given all cottages have a hose in the garden along with a batch of towels just for our doggy guests! Woof woof!

Take time to settle in

When you arrive, you will want to settle in and relax at the start of the holiday. Your four-legged friend will be settling in, too. However, they might have a different way of showing it. Indeed, he or she might decide to let the whole neighbourhood know they’re in town! Over-excited pets can insist on barking at everything that moves, including next door’s cat! If this happens, take your mate outside on a lead until he settles down.

Listen to regular guest Duncan talk about holidaying with dogs at Exmoor Character Cottages in this podcast chat from July 2021.

Dog-friendly beaches

Dogs on a beach — Beaches for your four-legged friend to enjoy

Guests are fortunate to have some beautiful secluded harbours along the Exmoor coastline from Minehead to Porlock and further afield at Lynton and Lynmouth. As such, if your pet loves the water, they are also in luck. There are plenty of beaches that allow animals as well, making dog-friendly holidays in Exmoor an absolute pleasure for all.

You can expect to find dog-friendly beaches at:

The main bathing beach in Minehead allows them between October and April
Dunster and Blue Anchor Beach allow access all year round.

Many of Lucy’s guests ask for information on beach access, and they receive any updates upon their arrival.

If you are going out and would like to leave your pooch in your holiday home-from-home, you may want to consider Annie for dog sitting. Find out more here.

Dog-friendly holidays in Exmoor

Drinking water for your pooch

If your four-legged friend gets thirsty easily, we suggest you take plenty of fresh water on your rambling. This is so you can dilute salty seawater or contaminants from rivers. These aren’t so obvious and might cause upset tummies. Remember too that sea currents and tides can change quickly. As a result, check any warnings around the beach or lake. If you aren’t sure, keep your pet on the lead. Some areas, for instance, Bossington Beach, have strong undercurrents and Lucy advises against letting your faithful friend – or you for that matter – in the water here.

Pooch “walkies” on Exmoor

If you are on a serious walking holiday and want to cover some miles, head to the south west coast path, which starts at Minehead. A magnet for walkers, Exmoor is also home to the highest coastline in England and Wales rising to 433m (1421feet) at Culbone Hill. The diversity of the Exmoor landscape provides many opportunities for the family to enjoy an Exmoor holiday with your pet in great outdoors with plenty of places to paddle, run, swim and cycle. Here’s the essential guide to being out and about on Exmoor with your furry companion.

It goes without saying that keeping to the clearly marked footpaths and your pet on a lead (if livestock is in the fields) is courteous to landowners. Moreover, it keeps all animals safe. We always advise you to be especially careful around sheep, lambs, and Exmoor ponies.

What to do when you cross other animals whilst walking your dog?

Sheep:

Canines can be distressing for the sheep (especially pregnant ewes and lambs) and a landowner can legally shoot your pet if it is worrying livestock. As such, be sure to keep them on a lead.

Cattle:

Cows will come towards you both. If this happens get to a place of safety and drop the lead – a dog will get clear of any danger on its own.

Ponies and horses:

Can react in a variety of ways and will sometimes approach you. A good idea is to begin talking to the animal so as to offer some reassurance. If in doubt, drop the lead and get to a safe place.

After walking through Exmoor ensure you regularly worm your pet, treat them for fleas and ticks and of course, always make sure you clean up after them.

Know where you are going

What appears to be well-trodden paths may not always mean a legal right of way, so it’s a good idea to check out the local area and keep a map handy when out and about. Dog-friendly holidays in Exmoor are best when a little bit of planning is involved! Lucy has produced a Little Book of Walks, which is available in each of the four cottages. For serious walkers, Lucy recommends the excellent and good value Croyde Walking Maps, which are sold in the Exmoor National Park Centres.

Animal ticks

Unfortunately, some dangers are not so obvious, so be aware of the problems of ticks and how to spot and treat them.

Local dog services around Exmoor:

We like to indulge in a haircut or a manicure whilst on a trip away. Similarly, our pooches also appreciate maintaining standards. As such, these wonderful local services are sure to oblige.

Dog groomers

Doggie Styler, 20 Quarry Cl, Minehead TA24 6EE

Dogs Make Over, Brook St, Minehead TA24 6BP, 07793 490867

Best Friends Pet Suppliers, Minehead, 5 Summerland Rd.01643 708070

Adventure walks

Minehead Dog Adventures 07540 847379

Dog fashion

The Pet Centre, 35 Alcombe Road, Minehead, 01643 703815

Vets

White Lodge Veterinary Clinic Stephenson Rd, Minehead TA24 5EB 01643 703649

Glenmore House Veterinary Surgery, Glenmore Road, Minehead 01643 703175

Dog-friendly places to eat

Minehead

The Old Ship Aground pub, Quay Street, 01643 703516

The Quay Inn, 01643 702839

Apple Tree Tea Rooms, The Avenue 01643 706090

Echo Beach Café, 01643 709628

Dunster

Ye Olde Tea Shoppe, 07497 295358

Tessa’s Tea Room, 01643 822394

Luttrell Arms, High St, Dunster 01643 821555

The Stags Head Inn, 10 West Street, 01643 821229

Porlock

The Royal Oak, High St, TA24 8PS

The Bottom Ship Inn, Porlock Weir, 01643 863288

Horner Tea Gardens, Porlock, 01643 862132

Blue Anchor

Driftwood Café 01643 821697

Lynmouth

The Rising Sun, Harbourside, Lynmouth, 01598 753223

The Pavilion Dining Room, Lynmouth, 01598 753484

Blue Ball Inn, Countisbury, near Lynmouth, 01598 741263

Further afield

The Royal Oak of Luxborough, 01984 641498

The Royal Oak, Winsford, 01643 851455

The Bell Inn, 3, Market Street, Watchet, 01984 631279

The Notley Arms, Monksilver, 01984 656095

Carew Arms, Crowcombe, 01984 618631

Woods Bar & Dining Room, Banks Square, Dulverton, 01398 324007

White Horse, Exford, 01643 831229

Making our Exmoor Holiday Cottages four-legged friendly has been a delight. It brings us so much pleasure knowing guests can enjoy their time away with their fur friend in tow. But that’s not even the half of it – find out what else makes Exmoor Character Cottages such great getaways!