Quick Summary
- 📍 Base: Landal Woodland Lakes, Thirsk
- 🚗 Visited: York, Harrogate, Helmsley, Rievaulx Abbey, Leeming Bar, Bedale and Leyburn
- 📅 When: May 2024
- 🐾 Dog Friendly Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
In 2024, Winnie was just seven months old when she joined us for a family break near York. At the time, it felt challenging. Looking back now, most of those challenges weren’t because Yorkshire wasn’t dog-friendly – they were because Winnie was still very much a young puppy.
The Road Trip
We drove to Yorkshire from Gloucestershire in a Skoda Karoq. Pre-Winnie, we considered this car to be more than big enough for our family of 4, and we used the roof rack to transport the kids’ bikes. For this trip, we needed to buy a roof box, so that Winnie could travel like the queen she is in the boot. Winnie was great on the journey, she was able to get up and reposition herself, and there were no moments where we felt that she was uncomfortable. The humans in the car had a different experience though. Without boot space to transport our stuff (we were self catering), the roof rack did all the heavy lifting. On our way back we realised that we might be expecting too much from the Karoq given that Winnie is a large dog. The kids literally couldn’t see each other across the back seat as they were surrounded by pillows!
Winnie has grown considerably since then too. In fact, we changed our car shortly after this trip. We now have a Tesla Model Y, and travelled in much more comfort on our recent week away, due to the numerous hidey holes where the engine should be!
We stopped once each way at service stations, and this is something we have changed as a result of the trip. We are more likely now to seek out some sightseeing en route, to make the most of the day travelling and we have realised that we need our time out of the car as much as Winnie does.
Also, Winnie’s favourite part of travelling in the car? When the windows are down!!
Staying at Landal Woodland Lakes
For our base, we stayed at Landal Woodland Lakes near Thirsk.
We were travelling as two families and stayed in a four-bedroom lodge. Even with a large group, there was plenty of space for Winnie to have her own area, including room for her crate.
The lodge wasn’t brand new, but it was clean, comfortable and had everything we needed. The beds were comfortable, the showers stayed warm and there was plenty of space for two families to spread out. Each lodge had its own hot tub, which we enjoyed throughout the week. The only slight disappointment was that ours was tucked down the side of the lodge rather than overlooking the lake. There was also a small onsite shop for forgotten essentials, a soft play area for younger children and a café serving simple but tasty food.
There was an onsite Pizza restaurant, and we enjoyed a takeaway from there one evening. On another evening we ordered an Indian takeaway that we enjoyed less but the panic to gather cash together to pay for it added some fun to the proceedings!
One of Winnie’s favourite holiday activities was watching the world go by. Between the fountain in the lake, ducks, goats and other wildlife around the site, there was always something happening outside. The lodge had an enclosed deck, allowing Winnie to have a little freedom outside, although we would not leave her out there unattended!
Dogs needed to remain on lead throughout the park, but there were enough paths and walking routes to enjoy several short sniff-filled walks each day. At seven months old, Winnie still had plenty of puppy energy and was more than capable of turning a gentle stroll into an unexpected sprint.
Riding the Wensleydale Heritage Railway
One of the highlights of the trip was travelling on the Wensleydale Heritage Railway.
We travelled between Leeming Bar and Leyburn before returning via Bedale. It turned out to be a fantastic day out for a mixed-age group that included Winnie and three primary-school-aged children.
The journey combined beautiful Yorkshire countryside, interesting stations, cafés, pubs, independent shops and opportunities for short walks. For families looking for an activity that works for both children and dogs, this was one of the most successful days of the holiday.
A Rainy Day at Rievaulx Abbey and Helmsley
Another day took us to Rievaulx Abbey and nearby Helmsley.
The weather wasn’t exactly on our side, so much of the day involved wandering around historic sites in the rain while trying to convince ourselves we were enjoying being outdoors. Rievaulx Abbey (English Heritage) was absolutely stunning, perhaps even more so because of the moody weather, and we enjoyed a cream tea in the cafe.
By the time lunch rolled around, we had a problem. We were too late for lunch service in some places and too early for dinner service in others. With a large group and a dog in tow, our options were starting to feel limited. We thought Helmsley was going to be a good option, but everything was closed or too busy.
On our way back to Thirsk, we spotted a roadside sign pointing towards “The Best Pub in Yorkshire.”
This is a bold claim, so naturally, we followed it.
The sign led us to The Carpenter’s Arms in Felixkirk, and it remains one of the most dog-friendly pubs we’ve ever visited.
Not only was Winnie welcomed inside, but staff brought a dog bed and water to our table. Nothing seemed too much trouble, despite our large group arriving at an awkward time of day. It’s one of those places we still talk about long after the holiday ended. The food was delicious too. Winnie had some dog sausages!
Exploring York and Harrogate with a Dog
We spent time in both York and Harrogate. Winnie was able to accompany us to many places in both.
That said, travelling with a dog does require some compromise. For example, when we went to Harrogate, we were excited to visit Betty’s Tea Room. They don’t allow dogs inside, which was a shame because having been a few times before, it was high on our list of places to share with our friends. That didn’t stop us taking it in turns to go in and order our lunch, which we ate as a picnic. Betty’s Fat Rascals scones are definitely some of the best in the country!
Whenever we came across an attraction or shop that wasn’t dog-friendly, one or more of us would stay outside with Winnie while others went in, and sometimes we’d swap over. Ultimately not everyone wants to do the same things, for example, in York, I was more interested in the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop than the Shop That Must Not Be Named, so was happy to hang out outside in the Shambles, meeting a lot of puppy admirers, and the contingent who didn’t want to go to the Christmas shop went for a pint! York and Harrogate are so lovely that it was a pleasure to just have a wander and people watch. We all loved the shops in York – notable mention for The Society of Alchemists
What We Learned from Travelling with a Puppy
Looking back, Yorkshire’s dog-friendly attitude was a huge help because the real challenge wasn’t the destination, rather it was travelling with a pup who was experiencing so many new things for the first time. There were new sights, new smells, unfamiliar accommodation, long car journeys and lots of excitement. We spent a good part of the trip managing puppy energy, training opportunities and occasional chaos.
This holiday felt special because it helped us bond as a family and reconnect with good friends. We spent more time outdoors than we normally would have, and we proved to ourselves that we were capable of managing the logistics of travelling with Winnie. It taught us that travelling with a dog isn’t about having a perfect or strict itinerary. It’s about adjusting expectations, embracing flexibility and focusing on spending time together rather than fitting in activities.
We learned that it’s important to pick holiday friends carefully. Our friends were incredibly patient. They’re not dog people, but we’ve been away together many times in the past and share a laid back approach to time off. I spent far more time worrying about whether Winnie was bothering them than they ever did but I think this was appreciated as it meant they didn’t have to have any awkward conversations. Thankfully, it didn’t damage the friendship and we’ve been away together since, but it definitely added an extra layer of stress to the holiday.
Choosing Yorkshire made travelling with a puppy much easier than it could have been. In fact, the friends we travelled with now keep an eye out for dog-friendly places to keep in mind for future trips. It turns out that dog-friendly destinations don’t just make holidays better for dogs – they make it easier for friends and families to spend time together and create memories too.