Scotland's 'most dog friendly' holiday destinations named ahead of summer
Scotland's "most dog-friendly" holiday destinations have been named. Three areas around the country have been ranked among the best for four-legged friends in the UK. Pets are part of the family for the vast majority of dog owners, which means you need to take them into consideration when it comes to family holidays . While there is always the option for petsitting or putting them up in a kennel, some can't bear to leave them behind. Cottage holiday provider cottages.com has put together a list of the most dog-friendly UK holiday destinations, combing through the data on everything from accredited veterinary practices to accessible green space. The three Scottish destinations on the list are Dumfries, Pitlochry, and Fort William. Dumfries, home to scenic beaches and lush forests, places second on the overall list with a total score of 96.79 out of 100. According to the experts, the market town and former royal burgh has five accredited veterinary practices, 34 dog-friendly eateries, and 15 accessible green spaces. Meanwhile, it was also found that there are currently six dogs in Dumfries that are reported as lost or missing. There have also been four sightings of harmful plants within a five-kilometre radius of the town. Following behind in second place for Scotland, and ninth overall, is Pitlochry in Perth and Kinross . The town, which is known for its easy access to many picturesque hikes, received an overall score of 45.17 out of 100. According to cottages.com, there is one accredited veterinary practice in Pitlochry, three dog-friendly eateries, and nine accessible green spaces. There is one dog currently reported as lost or stolen and five sightings of harmful plants within a five-kilometre radius. Finally, Fort William follows behind at number 10 on the list. Often referred to as a gateway to Ben Nevis, it was assigned an overall rating of 42.17. Fort William was found to be home to one accredited veterinary practice, three dog-friendly eateries, and nine accessible green spaces. According to the experts, there are three reports of lost or stolen dogs in the town and three harmful plant sightings. Elsewhere, topping the overall list with a perfect score of 100 is Penzance in Cornwall. It was praised for its dog-friendly attractions such as Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens and Trengwainton Garden. To determine the best dog-friendly staycation locations across the UK, six key factors relating to dog safety and suitability were analysed. These included veterinary availability, the number of lost and stolen dogs, traffic safety, dog-friendly dining options, and proximity to parks and green spaces. The experts also looked at reported sightings within a five-kilometre radius of six plants that are toxic to dogs. These were foxglove, yew, deadly nightshade, lily of the valley, giant hogweed, and daffodils. CEO of Pets Let's Travel Deepak Shukla commented: "When planning a staycation with a dog, owners should choose destinations with secure, pet-safe environments, think enclosed gardens, nearby parks, and accessible vet services. "Not all 'dog-friendly' accommodations are equal, so it's important to ask about restrictions, fees, and on-site amenities like dog beds or fenced areas. Reading reviews can help identify truly pet-welcoming spots near dog-friendly trails, beaches, or restaurants. Apps like "Bring Fido" or tips from local vets and online communities are great resources for discovering places that welcome dogs. "To keep dogs comfortable, maintain familiar routines and bring comforting items like a favourite toy or blanket. Packing essentials, portable bowls, vet records, calming sprays, and a basic first-aid kit, helps prevent stress and emergencies. "Owners should avoid overestimating their pet's stamina and stay alert to environmental risks during outings. Ideal activities include relaxed hikes, beach paddles, and visits to dog-friendly cafés, ensuring the experience is safe, fun, and enriching for both dog and owner." Read on for the full list of the most dog-friendly holiday destinations in the UK. For more information, visit Cottages.com .
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Guests rush to defence of Corfu hotel after British gran moaned about lack of chips
Guests rush to defence of Corfu hotel after British gran moaned about lack of chips Lido Corfu Sun Hotel was slammed by 69-year-old Susan Edwards, who claimed there was 'no food we could eat', but other guests have some different opinions Susan Edwards, who had a 'nightmare' holiday in Corfu (Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle ) A displeased British holidaymaker's critique about the lack of English grub at Corfu's Lido Corfu Sun Hotel has prompted fellow vacationers to come to the establishment's defence. The hotel, nestled on the picturesque eastern coast of Greece's famed island, was thrown into the limelight after Susan Edwards, aged 69, condemned her 'nightmare' getaway arranged via TUI, claiming an absence of palatable options with gripes about a shortage of chips leading her to be 'sick to death of looking at rice'. Defending the range of fare on offer, the hotel manager proclaimed the menu 'generous and diverse', highlighting that 'fresh salads, fruits, hot and cold dishes' were readily available each day. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Following the controversy, a slew of devoted patrons have since descended on Tripadvisor and Google Reviews to rebut Ms Edwards' disparaging comments, as noted by the Mirror. One individual, visibly irked, penned their inaugural Tripadvisor critique denouncing certain visitors as 'pathetic chavs'. The account, set up in direct reaction to the dispute this month, awarded the Lido Corfu Sun Hotel a full five-star accolade, reports the Manchester Evening News. Their impassioned review stated: "Don't listen to pathetic chavvy Brits and Poles who bought the cheapest 'all inclusive' package in existence and demanded type of service only the most entitled and uncouth would. It's a fine, charming little place. Close to water, nice food and clean facilities. Thankfully, no British food!". Article continues below The Corfu hotel where Susan Edwards stayed (Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle ) Another reviewer offered a cheeky riposte to Ms Edwards' complaints, extolling the virtues of the hotel's cuisine and its special attention to Scottish guests. Their review read: "Phenomenal hotel, very comfortable and well located for a relaxing holiday, we are regular visitors. Excellent all inclusive food and drink package, they really go out their way to cater for Scottish visitors. "We enjoyed draught Tennant's lager, Irn Bru was on tap (diet and full fat), square sausage on a roll at breakfast, scotch pies and bridies at lunchtime, and there was always a choice of haggis or mince 'n tatties at dinner. "Tunnock's tea cakes and shortbread were available all day, along with Scottish Blend tea. The staff are lovely and cannot do enough for you. The Greek dishes are also immense, which is a bonus, as Corfu is in Greece." In recent days, following the initial grievance expressed, an array of glowing reviews have also surfaced on Google Reviews for Lido Corfu Sun Hotel, many awarding it a perfect score. One happy visitor commented on the platform: "The food is delicious. The service is great. We arrived at 4am and at 8am we got a room and wristbands and we could use everything. On the day of departure after adding the key to the transfer itself we could use all the facilities and food. We sincerely recommend." Ms Edwards claimed her holiday turned into a nightmare the instant she, along with her family arrived, alleging it was 'horrendous' from the get-go. The gran from Westerhope, Newcastle – who suffers from ulcerative colitis – emphasised the necessity of being 'very careful' about her diet. "On a morning you could have toast, a hard boiled egg, or something in sauce," she recounted. "There was no bacon. For breakfast there was mozzarella and sliced tomatoes. There was no hot bacon or sausage. "One day we had chips. One day out of the whole lot. There were fish, sardines and rice - I was sick to death of looking at rice. There was pasta and salads, none of which were marked (labelled). There was a Greek night where they served kebabs; I couldn't eat that. It's the worst holiday I've ever been on." In response, TUI sympathetically offered Ms Edwards £100 in holiday vouchers, with their representative expressing regret over her ordeal. Article continues below Their spokesperson stated: "Our priority is to ensure customers have the best possible holiday experience, so we are sorry to hear that Ms Edwards felt dissatisfied with her holiday. We have been in touch directly with Ms Edwards to come to a resolution."
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg tells Scots brothers rowing the Pacific their story 'could be a movie'
The Ted actor called the three brothers, who are currently rowing across the Pacific Ocean. Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg has said he is 'inspired' by three Scottish brothers who are attempting to row across the Pacific Ocean, telling them their story 'could be a movie'. The Ted star made a surprise call to Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan Maclean - even offering to play one of them in a film. The brothers are rowing 9,000 miles unsupported, from Lima, Peru, to Sydney, Australia, to raise funds for clean water projects in Madagascar. Speaking to the trio, Wahlberg said: "You're badasses doing something no one else would even think of. This could be a movie. The best films I've done are based on true stories - ordinary people doing extraordinary things. No way I'd row an ocean, but I'd play one of you guys in a movie." As they battle salt sores, relentless weather, a broken watermaker, and a faulty autohelm - with over 5,000 miles still to go to reach Sydney, and more than £900,000 left to raise towards their £1 million target - the call with one of their heroes was a welcome and "surreal" boost. Wahlberg connected with the brothers over faith, family, and resilience, and pledged to help raise awareness for their mission. The Perfect Storm star, who is the youngest of nine siblings, shared his own experience of life at sea - on hearing that the brothers had a tuna on the line, he recalled nights spent sleeping on a tuna boat with squid as a pillow while filming for the true story he starred in alongside George Clooney. He commented: "When I was preparing to do The Perfect Storm, I went out on a sword boat - in Ocean City, Maryland, a longliner, and we were actually fishing. "We caught some pretty big tuna - 500, 600 pounder. I don't know how you guys are gonna wrestle that thing onto that boat, man. Oh my gosh." Wahlberg continued: "What you guys are doing is next level. You're living out a sense of purpose - combining passion with impact. "That's rare, and it's humbling to watch. People need to hear about what you're doing. "I couldn't be more inspired by the grit, the determination, the resiliency. What you guys are doing for such an amazing cause, and how hard you're willing to sacrifice yourself and your own wellbeing for the good of others, is so inspiring. For you guys to do this under your own free will - it's pretty crazy. "Some would say we might need to give you a couple of psychological examinations." The actor, who owns restaurants in Sydney and the Gold Coast, also promised the brothers a meal at the finish line, which will be a welcome reward after four months or so of freeze-dried meals. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He continued: "We'll have a meal waiting for you. My gosh, by that time, we may even be down there to welcome you." The Macleans expect to spend more than 100 days on board their 28-foot carbon fibre boat, Rose Emily, named in memory of their late sister. With no engine, no sail, and no support crew, they row in two-hour shifts, surviving on freeze-dried meals and desalinated water. "It's been much harder than we expected," said Ewan Maclean (33), who left his job as a Dyson engineer to help design and build the boat. "But today we had dolphins surfing near the boat, and that lifted our spirits - and then we hear we get to speak to Mark Wahlberg, so spirits are absolutely through the roof. "We are such big fans, and speaking to him is like a dream come true for us. It's so cool but it's bloody surreal." Lachlan, who will turn 28 next week and is the youngest of the trio (Jamie's 32), added: "We're all operating in such little sleep that we thought it all could have been a hallucination." The brothers, who previously set three world records rowing the Atlantic in 2020, are rowing for The Maclean Foundation, their charity supporting clean water projects in Madagascar.
Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Mark Wahlberg tells Scots brothers their Pacific rowing bid ‘could be a movie'
Three Scottish brothers aiming to become the fastest people to row across the Pacific have received a surprise video call from Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg, who told them their record-breaking bid 'could be a movie'. The Perfect Storm star spoke to Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean 54 days into their bid to row 9,000 miles non-stop and unsupported from Lima, Peru to Sydney, Australia. As well as aiming to set a record for the fastest row across the world's largest ocean, the brothers are hoping to raise £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar. Wahlberg told the brothers that he was 'so inspired' by their undertaking, which has seen them battle salt sores, relentless weather and broken equipment during more than seven weeks at sea. 'You're badasses doing something no one else would think of', he told them. 'This could be a movie. The best films I've done are based on true stories – ordinary people doing extraordinary things. 'No way I'd row an ocean, but I'd play one of you guys in a movie.' He added: 'What you guys are doing is next level. You're living out a sense of purpose – combining passion with impact. 'That's rare, and it's humbling to watch. People need to hear about what you're doing.' Ewan Maclean told the actor that speaking to him from the middle of the Pacific was 'probably the most surreal situation I've ever been in'. Lachlan added: 'We're operating on such little sleep that we thought it could all have been a hallucination.' Wahlberg responded that he 'couldn't be more inspired by the grit, the determination, the resiliency' that the brothers were showing. He continued: 'What you guys are doing for such an amazing cause, and how hard you're willing to sacrifice yourself and your own wellbeing for the good of others, is so inspiring. 'For you guys to do this under your own free will – it's pretty crazy. Some would say we might need to give you a couple of psychological examinations.' Wahlberg, who owns restaurants in Sydney and the Gold Coast, also told the brothers he would 'have a meal waiting for you' at the finish line. Asked about conditions so far, Ewan replied that 'it's been much harder than expected', but that earlier that day they had seen 'dolphins surfing near the boat, and that lifted our spirits'. Wahlberg quipped: 'You guys are probably getting a lot more sunshine than you're used to at home.' He added: 'I've been fortunate enough to visit a couple of times and it's a beautiful, beautiful country. So you guys are making your homeland proud.' The brothers expect to spend more than 100 days on board their 28-foot carbon fibre boat, named Rose Emily in honour of their late sister.
