Start wagging those tails: dog-friendly places to stay in Yorkshire
With so many glorious walks over hills and dales, moors and mountains, dogs love Yorkshire just as much as their outdoorsy humans. We’ve rounded up five of our favourite places to stay in rural Yorkshire, from laid-back hotels to award-winning barn conversions and restored chapels to heritage gardener’s cottages, that all make your dog feel as welcome as can be.
Beck Hall
You’ll feel instantly at home here with comfy bedrooms, all very different, all beautifully dressed, and dog-friendly too – beds, mats and bowls can be provided for your hound. Huge sliding glass doors allow guests to spill out into the pretty streamside garden from the restaurant, which specialises in good, seasonal and local food cooked simply. The area has some of the most stunning and remote countryside in the UK and it’s great for cycling as well as striding. Wild swimmers will be happy too, with rivers, lakes and waterfalls to hurl themselves into. And dogs will love it all as much as their owners.
Guest Sally: A really lovely place to stay. All the staff want you to have a great time. The food is excellent. Also, we were made to feel very welcome with our dog.
Crag House Farm Barns
Beacon View Barn is a lofty and light award-winning barn conversion in the North York Moors National Park. It sleeps six, plus one well-behaved dog, in stylish comfort. Exotic rugs and leather sofas set off a beautifully hewn oak framework, cushions soften Yorkshire stone window seats, flagged floors are heated underfoot and the master bedroom is on the ground floor. Snuffle about in the large gardens and sheltered barbecue areas – private, apart from the odd sheep peeping in. Take long walks in the Moors, return to splash in the double-ended, roll-top bath with a built-in sound system.
Guest Maddy: We had a wonderful stay here, and could not get over the natural beauty of the local area.
St Aidan’s
St Aidan’s lies at the gateway to the heather-covered North York Moors, and the coast (Staithes, Whitby, Robin Hood’s Bay) isn’t much further – perfect yomping ground for you and your dog. You stay in a Gothic Revival chapel restored to full glory. Spangles of light filter through windows of stained glass, Nordic insulation keeps you cosy, and the curved ceiling soars above. You sleep in a large bed by the altar enclosed by the original screen, and snuggle up on sofas by the wood burner. A beautiful new wing houses a sunny kitchen where a welcome basket awaits. Head for the garden and lap up the countryside.
Guest Maxwell: Delightful converted church with cosy dining and living areas, but with modern kitchen and bathrooms.
Gamekeepers Cottage
Gorgeous countryside in this neck of the woods, rolling and lush, plus six acres of orchard and paddock for dogs to enjoy. Inside the cottage, the style is an enticing mix of modern and vintage, with two bedrooms downstairs and a master up top where a French-style bed brings the wow factor. Snuggle up by the wood burner for a cosy night in with a basket of logs on the house. In summer, drift onto the patio for a barbecue and heart-stopping views. Tuck into a welcome pack of locally sourced fresh bread, eggs from the hens outside, butter, milk, cheese and a bottle of wine. As for pubs, there are three excellent ones nearby.
Guest Penelope: Great location for country walks with pubs in Settle a few miles away.
Garden Cottage at Ganthorpe Hall
Settle down in a tiny Yorkshire hamlet on the fringe of the Howardian Hills AONB, the perfect spot from which to stride into miles of rural landscapes with your four-legged pal. Return to hunker in front of the glowing wood burner surrounded by antique finds, warm lighting, colourful textiles and local art. You stay in the sweetest stone cottage, originally the gardener’s abode attached to Ganthorpe Hall, but with its own private entrance and pretty garden. This is a generous sort of place. Arrive to find the fire lit, help yourself to veggies from the abundant patch, get recommendations for good places to eat and things to do. Foodie Malton and historic York are both lovely for a day out.
Guest Natasha: Loved this place. Such a beautiful private little oasis to come back to after exploring all day.
Written by
Carmen McCormack
Carmen is a freelance writer specialising in travel. She once lived in a bus in north Wales, skipped off to study in Barcelona, and now calls Bristol home. When she’s not tapping away on her laptop, she can be found reading (a lot), lake swimming (a little), and pottering on the allotment with husband and two kiddos. She’s currently dreaming about cold cerveza and torta in Mexico.
