Camping, caravanning and holidays with your dog

Best places to take your furry friends plus a dog-free site

If you have one or more four-legged family members, you’ll know how heart wrenching it can be to leave them behind when you go away. It can be quite pricey too. That’s why one of the best things about camping or touring is being able to take your dog, or dogs along, to join in the fun.
All but one of our adult only Tranquil Parks welcome well-behaved dogs with open arms. Each park is independently owned and run and many offer their own unique range of facilities for dogs.
While some parks charge a small fee for pets to stay, others don’t charge at all – Moor View Touring Park in South Devon or Woodland Springs Touring Park near Dartmoor in Devon and Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park, for example. Greenacres Touring Park in Somerset allows up to three dogs completely free.
Equally, you may prefer to avoid dogs completely on your holiday, or just want a hassle-free, break away as a couple. If this sounds like you, skip to the end for details of our dog-free park.

On-site dog walking and exercising
Being able to exercise your dog on-site can be a real plus. Some of the largest on-site dog walking areas can be found at Back of Beyond Touring Park in Dorset (13 acres of woodland) or the four-acre area at Brookside Country Park in Lincolnshire. Another favourite is Gelderwood Country Caravan Park in Lancashire, which is set in 15 acres of woodland and has riverside walks that are ideal for exercising you and beloved dogs.
The following parks also have on-site walks or designated areas, such as fields or enclosed spaces. Some allow dogs to run around off the lead, so they can make new friends and really let off steam:

• Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park, Somerset
• Cherry Tree Touring Park, Lincolnshire
• Daisy Bank Touring Caravan Park, Powys, Wales
• Delph Bank Touring Park, Lincolnshire
• Longnor Wood, Derbyshire
• Lamb Cottage Caravan Park, Cheshire
• Long Acres Touring Park, South Lincolnshire
• Moor View Touring Park, South Devon
• The Old Oaks Touring Park, Somerset
• Plough Lane Caravan Site, Wiltshire
• Red Kite Touring Park, Powys, Mid Wales
• The Willows. Abersoch, North Wales
• Three Castles Country Caravan Park, Monmouthshire,
• Waterrow Touring Park, Somerset
• Wheathill Touring Park, Shropshire
• Wolds View Touring Park, Lincolnshire
• Woodland Springs Touring Park, Devon
• York Caravan Park, York

Dog walks from the site
Some of our Tranquil Parks have great walks right on their doorstep, for example, Chainbridge Touring Caravan Site in Northumberland is very close to the River Tweed, while Cherry Tree Touring Park in Lincolnshire is just 20 minutes by footpath, from the sea with a year-round dog friendly beach.
The Millennium Way public bridleway is just a one-minute walk from the gate at York Caravan Park. It runs for 26 miles in a loop around the city of York.
Greendale Farm in Rutland has a dog-friendly village pub nearby and the park’s website features a useful blog about other dog-friendly pubs in the area.
In the South West, Killwerris Touring Park in Cornwall, Moor View Touring Park in Devon, Old Oaks Touring & Glamping Park in Somerset and Plough Lane Touring Caravan Site in Wiltshire all have networks of footpaths easily accessed from the site. Also in Somerset, Waterrow Touring Park offers a leaflet of circular walks directly from the park, whilst visitors to Wells Touring Park can enjoy both local routes and the magnificent Mendips a little further afield.
Longnor Wood provides useful guides to local walks on its website, while Briarfields Motel & Touring Caravan Park in Gloucester and Brookside Country Park in Lincolnshire also have great walks from the sites.
Lamb Cottage Caravan Park in Cheshire has Forestry Commission land across the road, and Manor House Park in Lancashire has quiet lanes for walking dogs and an exercise field nearby.
The Willows. Abersoch, North Wales have a huge almost 2 to 3 acres closely mown dedicated dog exercise area, where furry family members can be let off the lead should guests wish. A comprehensive dog information point with guides to dog friendly beaches (there are 15 within 2 to 10 miles).

On site dog washes and more

If, after all that walking, you want to avoid muddy paws inside your caravan or tent, you’ll find fully kitted out dog washes at the Red Kite Touring Park in Powys, mid-Wales, Three Castles Country Caravan Park in Monmouthshire, Back of Beyond Touring Park in Dorset and Wells Touring Park in Somerset.
There’s also a dog wash (with hot water) at Old Oaks Touring & Glamping Park in Somerset, alongside a washing machine and dryer for washing dog bedding and doggy paraphernalia. This park has thoughtfully set up places to ‘park’ dogs by the shower blocks and reception, complete with sun shades and water bowls.

Local attractions and dog sitting services
Many of our adult only campsites are situated near dog-friendly beaches, national parks and local attactions, such as Overbrook Caravan Park in Yorkshire or Woodland Springs, near Dartmoor. But it’s not always possible to take your dog on your day out, so a dog sitting service can be a godsend. For example, South Wales Caravan Site has teamed up with a local dog and cat sitting service, Wells Touring Park and Old Oaks Touring & Glamping Park (both in Somerset) have access to dog sitters and doggy day kennels are available for hire at Woodland Springs Touring Park in Devon. The Willows, Abersoch has a dog sitting service and taxis that take dogs.

Dog-friendly accommodation

Unfortunately, dogs aren’t always welcome in accommodation, whether it be static caravans, lodges, pods, bell tents or yurts. And whilst it’s a delight to enjoy time away with our furry friends, they can be viewed by park and accommodation owners as a cleaning nightmare, so you sometimes have to shop around.
Look no further, because some of our Tranquil Parks do allow dogs in their accommodation: There’s a dog friendly mini-lodge at Longnor Wood Holiday Park in Derbyshire, and Old Oaks Touring & Glamping Park in Somerset and Back of Beyond Touring Park both offer dog friendly glamping options, including lodges, bell tents, pods, mini lodges and shepherd huts.
 
Dog free Tranquil Parks
But what if you want to avoid dogs? There is one Tranquil Park; Wayfarers near Penzance in Cornwall, which is completely dog free. Perfect for the non-dog owners.
Whether you’re travelling with a four-legged friend or not, we think there’s a perfect Tranquil Park for you and your dog.
Find your perfect park.