Crufts names ferries best way to travel with pets and recommends top doggy destinations
After identifying a significant rise in pet travel, Discover Ferries, the ferry industry body, has teamed up with The Kennel Club – organisers of Crufts - to highlight some of the best places for dogs and their owners to explore, and offer travel advice.
When surveyed, members of The Kennel Club community voted ferry travel as the easiest way to journey over seas in the British Isles and beyond with their dog1. The ability to travel with a car or motorhome, together with a range of pet-dedicated facilities on board ensures pets – and their owners – travel in comfort and arrive at their destination feeling relaxed.
The pawfect destinations reached by water
To inspire owners to explore with their dogs, Discover Ferries has compiled a list of the 10 best dog-friendly destination reached by water.
1. Agility classes in Texel Island, The Netherlands
The relaxed North Sea island of Texel is a popular holiday spot for Dutch and German visitors, but relatively unknown to Brits. It has white sandy beaches, natural dunes, woods, plenty of dog-friendly accommodation and eateries, and wonderful sunsets to top off a chilled break.
Canine friends can run freely on many westerly beaches year-round, in De Dennen forest and in the dunes between September and March. For hunting dogs and their owners, themed monthly agility workshops are organised by Jachthondensport. There is even a dog wash on the island, so you can clean mucky paws and get rid of any ticks.
Sail to the Netherlands with DFDS from Newcastle to Amsterdam, P&O Ferries from Hull to Rotterdam or Stena Line from Harwich to Hook of Holland and then take the ferry from Den Helder.
2. Cruisin’ the Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland
Considered to be one of Ireland’s most spectacular road trips, the Causeway Coastal Route is a mix of rugged coastline, unique geology and beautiful beaches. There are plenty of places en route for your pooch to play, including the 7-mile beach of Benone Strand or the National Trust-protected Portstewart Strand. Dogs on a lead can also visit the Giants’ Causeway. With dog-friendly accommodation and eateries, such as The Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy and 55 Degrees North in Portrush, along the way. Keen walkers can hike the 33-mile Causeway Coastal Way and enjoy some peace with Man’s best friend. Dogs are also able to travel freely between the UK and Northern Ireland.
Sail with Stena Line or P&O Ferries from Cairnryan to Belfast / Larne.
3. Walkies with a view in Waterford, Ireland
Looking for spectacular dog walks? You will be spoilt for choice in Waterford, with its mix of forest, mountains, coastal cliffs, and the Waterford Greenway to explore.Highlights include:
Dunmore East Cliff Walk, a stunning cliff linear walk starting at the picturesque fishing village of Dunmore East and following the coast all the way to Ballymacaw Cover, almost 7km away. After your walk head to pet-friendly Loko in Waterford for a bite to eat.
Mahon Falls, up in the Comeragh Mountains, this 80m waterfall is lined with sheer rock faces and has impressive views back towards the sea. Choose between a 4km 40 min walk up to the waterfall or an 11km hike along the trails. After building up an appetite the 360cookhouse in Dungarvan will be a welcome break, it even offers a menu for dogs!
Sail with Irish Ferries or Stena Line from Pembroke / Fishguard to Rosslare.
4. In search of history in Normandy, France
If you’re looking for an escape with picture-postcard villages, delicious cuisine, and a rich history, as well as plenty of outside activities that you can enjoy with your dog, then Normandy is the place for you. From cliff-top walks along the Alabaster Coast to scampering in the sands of the Pearl Coast, Normandy provides ample space for your furry friend to run around and explore. Normandy’s beaches usually welcome dogs between October and the end of May. The Gardens of the Château d’Acquigny – 37 acres of garden, with a river, boating lake and orchard to explore for dogs on a lead.
Kayaking in the river Eure – bringing your pooch aboard a hired kayak will make gliding down the River Eure that much more special (and fun!).
1944 Radar Station, Douvres-la-Délivrande. Discover the bunker and the surroundings with your dog on the lead at this open-air museum that was the site of Germany’s largest radar station in the Calvados region.
Juno Beach Centre is Canada’s Second World War Museum and cultural centre. The museum is fronted by Juno Park where you’ll find part of the remains of the German defensive Atlantic Wall. Small four-legged friends can accompany you in your arms or in a bag at all times, and larger dogs on a lead can enter daily between 1300-1400.
Sail to Caen or Le Havre with Brittany Ferries, Dieppe with DFDS or to Calais with DFDS, Irish Ferries or P&O Ferries.
5. Outdoor pursuits on the Isle of Arran, Scotland
With paw-some walkies such as up Goat Fell – a bucket-list worthy mountain – to one of West of Scotland’s most spectacular waterfalls – Glenashdale Falls – and around pre-historic Machrie Moor Standing Stones, the Isle of Arran gets the tail-wag of approval all-year round.
Auchrannie Resort provides a treat for your pooch on arrival and fluffy towels for muddy paws. Dog friendly bars and lounges are located around the resort.
Pup-friendly The Drift Inn has a cosy fire to curl up next to for cooler days, and The Corrie Hotel bar has one of the best beer gardens in Britain, looking out across the Firth of Clyde.
Sail to Brodick from Ardrossan with Caledonian MacBrayne
6. Scavenging along the coastlines of Guernsey and Jersey
Known for their breathtaking beaches, milder weather and relaxed pace of life, the Channel Islands are a great escape for pet owners. Greve de Lecq, on Jersey’s north coast is a small, sheltered beach with rock pools to sniff and a cave to explore. Head to the Priory Inn at Devil’s Hole after the walk where dogs are welcome in the bar and outside in the beer garden. On Jersey, four-legged friends can charge around the beaches freely from October to April. From 1 May-30 September they must be on a lead between 1030-1800.
On Guernsey most beaches are available for walkies all year round with only a few having restrictions between 1 May and 30 September. However, if you want to combine seeing a bit of the islands’ history with stunning views, the Bordeaux coastal walk is a good option. Providing sweeping views of Alderney, Sark and Herm, the popular walk from Castle Street in Bordeaux takes in the 600-year-old Vale Castle, Bordeaux’s natural harbour and the Neolithic burial mound of Dehus Dolmen.
Sail to Jersey and Guernsey with Condor Ferries from Poole or Portsmouth.
7. Glen & plantation exploration on the Isle of Man
Though world-famous for its motorcycling events, outside of these times the island is uncrowded and perfect for exploring, both on two legs and four!
Many of the beaches in the Isle of Man do not have any restrictions for dogs so they can run around and play in the sea to their hearts’ content. There are over a hundred miles of coast, eighteen glens and the island is recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere, the Isle of Man is relatively undiscovered.
The plantations and glens have a network of peaceful walking trails through woodland, countryside and parkland. Conrhenny car park is one of 26 registered Dark Sky Discovery Sites on the Isle of Man, so after a later afternoon/ evening ramble in Conrhenny Plantation on a clear day budding stargazers will be rewarded with stunning views of the night sky.
For dog-friendly accommodation and facilities Visit Isle of Man runs Dogs Welcome Scheme.
Sail from Heysham to Douglas with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
8. Paw-secco on the beach on the Isles of Scilly
This archipelago 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall is a magical choice for a holiday with your four-legged companion. These islands have spacious, white, sandy beaches and clear blue sea to play in and, as dogs are part of island life, there are many pet-friendly cafes and restaurants. The Island Dog Show happens in June and there are 10 categories to enter such as best dog /owner lookalike.
Although there are restrictions on some St Mary’s beaches from May- September, the ‘off islands’: St Martin’s, St Agnes, Bryher and Tresco are dog friendly all year round, though on Tresco dogs must be kept on a lead. The inter-island ferries happily to take dogs on board.
On St Martin’s the Karma Hotel, which won Bronze for Dog-Friendly Business of the Year in the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2019, welcomes its canine customers with VIP (Very Important Pet) treatment. Dogs get a water bowl and blanket and there is even a special menu featuring Paw-secco and steak. A pet-sitting service can also be arranged.
Sail to St Mary’s with Isles of Scilly Travel from Penzance. Dogs must be kept on a lead on board but can travel on deck with their owners.
9. Ride the railway on the Isle of Wight
Whether sniffing out the hidden rock pools, spotting red squirrels around the forest or watching over the family while they visit the island’s many attractions, on the Isle of Wight your furry friend never needs to be left behind.
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, named UK Heritage Railway of the Year 2023, The Needles Landmark Attraction, Shanklin Chine, Yarmouth Castle, Carisbrooke Castle and Robin Hill Country Park are just of few of the attractions that welcome pups. At the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, the Grazers Café features a dog station with fresh water, clean towels and a tasty dog menu.
As a special treat for you pooch book a Bare Bones Luxury Spa Dog Grooming with All Canines Great and Small or a fun dog agility session.
Sail to the Isle of Wight with Hovertravel, Red Funnel or Wightlink. Dogs travel for free and have their own pet lounge on Red Funnel and Wightlink, with pet products from Paleo Ridge, a premium raw dog food company based in Hampshire, available on Wightlink, and Rex’s Range dog-friendly ice cream and Dewkes Treats available for purchase on Red Funnel. On Hovertravel, during the quick 10-minute journey your canine companion can enjoy the ride next to you if on a lead.
10. Pup-pampering in London
The capital is as glamourous for four-legged visitors as it is for two-legged ones. Pups can feel thoroughly pampered after Battersea Park, is a Victorian Park most famous for its peace pagoda. With its riverside promenade, parkland and woods it’s great place for your furry friend to strut their stuff before being pampered. Battersea Power Station has many pet-friendly cafes and restaurants to choose from, then head to The Pet Spa, Chelsea, for some luxury grooming or to upmarket pet boutique Mungo & Maud near Sloane Square for a new collar or coat!
Feel the wind in your hair – or fur – and enjoy the capital’s sights on Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ river bus service. Alight at River Pier: Battersea Power Station.
The most comfortable way to travel
Pet cabins, promenades, lounges, pet cleaning stations and even the now infamous “pee trees” on Isle of Man Steam Packet Company ships, give pups and their owners greater comfort during the journey. Brittany Ferries now has 138 kennels across its fleet, which has increased by 25% since 2019 and Stena Line has 15 pet-friendly cabins on board each of its ships that travel between the UK and the Netherlands. Six new cabins open on Condor Islander in October, uptake is already proving popular and Condor Ferries is already looking to install more on other ships.
Travel across the Solent is as much of a day out for dogs as it is hoomans. Hovertravel welcomes dogs aboard for the 10-minute flight from Southsea to the Isle of Wight and has a free Hover Paws bowl at the terminal so dogs can hydrate before they hop on. Four-legged passengers on Red Funnel can enjoy a lick of Doggie Ice Cream or indulge in some nutritious treats from new product partner Dewkes. Travellers on Wightlink ferries can pick up dog food from Paleo Ridge, based in Hampshire, so both pets and owners can eat locally sourced food while on board.
Abby Penlington, Director of Discover Ferries, says: “The ability to easily drive or walk on board with a dog makes ferry travel particularly appealing to dog owners. Since lockdown, ferry operators have seen a rise in pet travel and are investing in dedicated pet lounges, cabins and other facilities including pet promenades to give owners the opportunity to enjoy the journey with their pet as much as the time they spend at their destination.”
Emma Dyer, Head of Marketing at The Kennel Club says: “Dogs are very much a part of the family so it’s not unexpected that so many people are keen to take their dogs with them on new adventures. People are often surprised just how easy it is to travel with their dog but, particularly following this summer’s heatwave in Southern Europe, want to be confident that the destination will be the right fit for their dog – including a comfortable temperature, as well as having plenty of activities and suitable walks to keep their canine companion occupied. We’re delighted to partner with passenger ferry operators to identify the best dog-friendly places across the UK, British Islands, Ireland and Europe – and the optimum time of year to visit.
“Autumn is a lovely time to travel with dogs as it is slightly cooler, quieter and often beaches drop any restrictions for dogs, although owners should always check local guidance before they travel. It’s also the start of the season for fireside dining in many pubs and restaurants, when dogs will enjoy curling up next to the fire after a long walk.”
Visit https://www.discoverferries.com/dog-friendly-travel/ for more information on dog-friendly trips by ferry.
