Dog Friendly Days Out in the Peak District
October 26th, 2018
You’ve probably read our blog posts on dog friendly pubs and dog friendly restaurants in the Peak District, but what are you supposed to do once you’re finished eating? Well, we’ll tell you. Here is our guide to dog friendly days out in the Peak District to keep you and Fido entertained all day long.
Take a walk on the mild side
It’s no secret that the Peak District has many fantastic walking routes for you and your furry friend. Some of the best ones for dogs include Mam Tor, Derwent Valley, Chatsworth House gardens, Lathkill Dale and Buxton Country Park.
These are great because of the wide, open plains and slight hilly areas. They’re nice and safe for your pooch whilst still being scenic places to go for a walk.
Explore Treak Cliff Cavern
These caves in Castleton are famous for their large deposits of Blue John stone. In fact, they are one of only 2 caverns in the UK where you can find these purple, semi-precious stones.
During the guided tours of the caves and mines, your tour guide will tell you all about the history of the place, and afterwards you can enjoy a light bite in the visitors centre. Tours last for roughly 40 minutes. Dogs are allowed in both the visitors centre and the cavern as long as they are on a lead.
Settle down with a book
For a relaxed, cosy day in, stop on by the High Peak bookstore and café in Buxton. Dogs are welcome throughout and it is a lovely place to relax.
You can browse the wide collection of books on offer, have a cup of tea or coffee and watch the birds outside as they eat from the birdfeeders. The venue also has free parking, so you won’t have to pay by the hour to enjoy this little gem.
Pamper your pooch
Le Moulin Pooch in Buxton is a doggy boutique and spa. Here, your dog can enjoy a range of treatments. Some of these include teeth cleaning, a facial, hydro bath and blow dry, or even a lovely pawdicure.
Whilst they enjoy their treatments, you can either check out the luxury boutique to treat them even further, or you can go have a spa treatment of you own! You’ll both be looking fresh as daisies.
Be the King of Peveril Castle
Peveril Castle in Castleton is an 11th century building that now lies in ruin. However, it is still open to the public for anyone that fancies a climb to the top. The Norman fortress gives you an amazing view of Hope Valley.
On your visit, you will be able to explore its remains before popping into the visitors centre to see a few interactive displays. These are great for kids. Your dog might not care so much about the history aspect of the trip, but they will love the walk around!
Tram along the way
The Tramway Village in Crich, Matlock, is a restored period town that is incredibly dog friendly. You can take your dog into any of the shops (apart from the eateries), on the tram, or in the National Tram Museum. This little pseudo-village is even recommended by Dogs Trust, so it’s well worth a visit.
Before you leave, don’t forget to take your pup on a little walk through the Woodland Walk & Sculpture Trail. It is full of interesting sculptures that are handmade by the wood’s resident sculptor.
Get crafty at Caudwell’s
Caudwell Crafts and Café in Matlock is a unique experience. Here, you can see master artisans craft beautiful works of glass, metal, wood, upholstery and more. Workshops are scattered all around the area and you can also purchase some of the pieces.
If you get a little peckish, there is a stunning café that serves delicious vegetarian and vegan food, plus a great selection of teas and coffee. You can even buy flour that is made on site at the mill. Tours are available of the mill, although not with your dog, unfortunately. This place really is incredible and the views will blow you away.
Discover Hardwick Old Hall
This Tudor manor in Chesterfield is a marvel of ahead-of-its-time architecture. The building was inspired by Italian design and its interiors are covered in decorative plaster work.
Today, the manor lies in wreck and ruin. However, you can still visit to see the stunning intricacies of this now empty home. Come along to discover the history of this unique building for yourself. Bring along your dog, too, for some furry company.
Reach new heights
Take to the skies on the Heights of Abraham cable car. Your pup will have the time of their life, and you’ll both be able to see Matlock from a new, bird’s eye view. After you get off, you and Rover can take a slow stroll around the countryside before having a bite to eat in one of the nearby cafes.
As if that wasn’t good enough, there are also complimentary bowls of water for your dog all around the site. No need to worry about running out of water.
Have a sleepover
If you don’t think you’ll be able to get through everything you’d like to, why not stay over? Our luxury holiday cottages and caravan site are dog friendly and offer the perfect place to rest after a day of exploring.
Farditch Farm is in the ever-popular Buxton and Endmoor Farm is in the famous town of Bakewell. Both complexes are near excellent walking routes and plenty of local eateries. Check them out for yourself.
So, there you have it: 10 dog friendly days out in the Peak District. We hope this gave you some new information and inspiration on what to do with your dog in the Peaks. We hope to see you soon!
