Dog-Friendly Lake District
We understand that your four-legged-friends are an important part of the family, so you may not want to leave them at home or in kennels when you go on holiday. The Lake District is the perfect place to take a trip with your pooch, as there are countless dog-friendly walks, pubs, restaurants, and attractions in the area.
So, if you’re thinking about enjoying a holiday or weekend away with your furry friend, get familiar with the best of dog-friendly Lake District.
Cafes, Pubs & Restaurants
There are plenty of places to eat and enjoy a drink in the area that will happily welcome a well-behaved dog as well as their human companions!
The Marina View Restaurant & Bar is a fantastic place to enjoy a meal and a drink with friends and family, and that includes children and dogs too. Located overlooking Windermere Marina, you are sure to get a taste of fresh, delicious ingredients in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
The 15 minute lake side walk to Bowness on Windermere presents an endless choice of cafes, pubs and restaurants to enjoy.
For stunning views across Windermere Boardwalk Bar and Grill is hard to beat. The Flying Pig, The Angel Inn and Quayside offer wide menus in a casual, family-friendly settings.
With over 20 pubs in Bowness on Windermere there are many choices, almost all are dog friendly and many have a treat or two waiting behind the bar! To name a few include The Angel Inn, The Flying Pig, Lake View, The Westmorland, The Albert, Easy Breeze and Boaters but there are many more – you’ll be spoilt for choice!
For a coffee stop you won’t need to walk far! There are many cafes serving everything from a coffee to full English to delicious homemade cakes. Mio Mondo, Monties and Home Ground are all walking distance from you front door at Windermere Marina Village
Attractions
The Lake District is a particularly dog-friendly area, so it’s no surprise that pooches are welcome at a number of different places.
Why not take a trip around Lake Windermere on one of the cruises with Windermere Lake Cruises? You’ll get to see the surroundings from a different perspective and enjoy a leisurely trip up the lake or a circular cruise taking in the islands on the lake. As a guest of Windermere Marina buy your tickets at our Reception and save 10% on the ticket price – just one of our exclusive discounts available during your stay.
In keeping with the theme of travel, the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway provides a great experience as you board one of the locomotives that takes you down to the Lakeside from the station or the other way around. There’s a woodland adventure playground, tea room and gift shop at the station, so you’ll have plenty to keep all the family entertained.
Why not hire an electric boat for the day? Bowness Bay Marina allow dogs on there hire fleet – a great day out for all ages and just a 10 minute walk from Windermere Marina Village.
A family favourite is Brockhole On Windermere – accessible by boat, car or bus there is always plenty going on, with kayak hire, archery, orienteering and an adventure playground it’s a great way to keep the children and dogs entertained!
Walks
Both you and your four-legged-friend will love the scenic walks you can enjoy when you visit the Lake District. Tick off one of the many Wainwright routes or for the less adventurous, take a lakeside stroll to Wray Castle – you can find a map of the route here.
Lake Windermere is right on your doorstep when you stay at Windermere Marina Village, so you can take a leisurely walk along the lake, up to Bowness-on-Windermere where you can look around the shops or stop for a drink in one of the many pubs. If you walk along the main road, it will only take around 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the more scenic route around, close to the lake’s edge, and go via Cockshott Point.
The Dales Way starts in Bowness and provides some stunning views as it passes Post Knott and Brantfell, for those looking for a longer walk taking the route to School Knott and back to Windermere makes a great day out.
Accommodation
At Windermere Marina Village, we understand that your dog is part of the family, so we have a variety of dog-friendly accommodation in the Lake District for you to choose from.
Our doggy welcome pack for all of our 4 legged friends includes ‘Sir Woofchester’ treats and a branded dog bag dispenser with sacks. In your property you’ll find a dog bowl and a dedicated ‘Paw’ towel to use during your stay. We also have a dog wash on site – located on the marina jetty, to your left hand side as you walk past Windward Apartment 38
Our pet friendly properties accept up to 2 dogs, however Windward Townhouses 4 and 5 accept up to 3 dogs per stay. A charge of £40 per dog per stay applies.
If you’d like to find out more or have any queries please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team who will be happy to help.
This page was reviewed on 9th February 2025 – no responsibility is accepted for any information that may have changed since this date and the reader should validate any information with the service provider
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