If you have a dog, you will likely be able to attest that they are a great source of companionship. They can be both a man’s and a woman’s best friend — to the extent that you could be distraught by the prospect of having to leave them at home or with a minder while you go on holiday.
Fortunately, though, it’s not too tricky these days to plan a holiday where you would be able to bring your pet along for the ride. Here are several examples of Yorkshire tourist attractions where dogs are welcome — we bet you ‘canine’ believe just how long this list is…
Brimham Rocks
Of course, one big advantage of owning a dog is that they give you many opportunities to get out into the open air and do some walking, which would obviously bode well for your physical fitness.
So, it’s fortunate that Yorkshire is resplendent in countryside walks — but, obviously, you could appreciate being able to take in sumptuous scenery when you do go wandering. This all helps to explain why Brimham Rocks can prove a powerful draw for dog owners.
Brimham Rocks is a 454-acre Geological Conservation Review (GCR) site notable for its dramatic moorland rock formations. It’s easy to reach, too, being just outside Harrogate. Brimham Rocks is owned by the National Trust but free to enter.
Helmsley Walled Garden
Helmsley Castle is an arresting sight, but there are only particular conditions where dogs are permitted to go into this medieval structure located in the North Yorkshire market town of Helmsley.
Assistance dogs are welcome right across the English Heritage-owned site of Helmsley Castle, while dogs in short leads are allowed in its grounds, shop and museum.
What if you are eager for your dog to stroll a little more freely? In that case, you could consider paying a visit to Helmsley Walled Garden, which sits beneath the castle’s ruins.
While the castle’s origin can be traced back to the 12th century, the garden was built in 1759. Another big incentive to drop by Helmsley Walled Garden is the onsite Vine House Café, where your dog would be able to join you in a small indoor section or an outdoor seating area.
Wharram Percy
We have already mentioned English Heritage, and the conservation charity also happens to own Wharram Percy. This deserted medieval village has been preserved since the 16th century, when it was abandoned after six centuries of occupation.
As you can imagine, then, Wharram Percy today provides intriguing insights into medieval village life. Many remnants of the area’s church and millpond have lingered to this day, while a grassy plateau further up shows outlines of many lost houses.
You wouldn’t need to pay a single admission charge to be able to explore all of this — situated only about a mile away from the North Yorkshire village of Wharram-le-Street — with your pooch.
Mother Shipton’s Cave
This Knaresborough cave, close to the River Nidd, is one of England’s oldest tourist attractions — and strongly associated with the legend of the prophetess Mother Shipton.
She is reputed to have been born in the cave — which, every year, attracts visitors fascinated by the magical story of Mother Shipton’s life. The cave is near a ‘petrifying well’ — so-called as physical objects left in it can eventually garner a stony coating.
Dogs on leads can roam around all areas of the Mother Shipton’s park except the (thankfully well-signposted) adventure playground.
Ryedale Folk Museum
Chances are that you aren’t able to use a time machine to literally send your dog through time, even if ‘Doc’ Brown did exactly that with his own dog, Einstein, in the first Back to the Future film.
So, if time travel isn’t technically possible, what’s the next best thing? Probably visiting a place that recreates a bygone age so authentically, you could feel as though you have genuinely stepped into it.
You can get exactly this feeling at the Ryedale Folk Museum, located in the village of Hutton-le-Hole. The historic buildings on the open-air museum site include an Iron Age roundhouse, a 16th-century manor house and a photography studio from the Edwardian period, shortly before World War I.
On its website, Ryedale Folk Museum describes itself as a “dog-friendly day trip” — so, perhaps even Doc and his own canine friend might fancy coming along.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
You may have initially assumed that you wouldn’t be permitted to take your dog with you on a ride along this much-loved heritage railway line.
On the contrary, however, the website of the NYMR itself clarifies that dogs are welcome on all of its trains except ‘Dining’ trains and for select ‘Special Events’. So, it would be worth keeping a close eye on the website for further details of when and how dogs are allowed.
Your dog would need their own ticket, but you can get hold of one for £3 (or free of charge if you are an NTMR Member). In any case, however, remember that your dog must be kept off the seats and tables of the train, which can take you through such places as Whitby, Goathland and Pickering.
Trans Pennine Trail
Given just how much there is for you and your four-legged friend to do in the region, you could understandably be trying to see if you can find an easily accessible, well-equipped and — of course — dog-friendly static caravan for sale on the Yorkshire coast.
You can purchase a caravan here to allow you and your dog to easily start following the Trans Pennine Trail. This long-distance path runs from the seaside town of Hornsea right through to Southport on the North West England coast.
Of course, you and your canine chum wouldn’t have to walk quite that far. Indeed, some offshoots of the Trans Pennine Express lead to major Yorkshire settlements including York and Leeds.
