Visiting Cotehele Mill with your dog

Dog walking on the Holnicote Estate, Somerset — Visitors exploring with their dogs | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Four legged friends are more than welcome to visit Cotehele Mill. There are miles of woodland paths to explore as well as the chance to relax at the Edgcumbe at Cotehele Quay.

Our pawprint rating system

We’ve been working on making it easier for you to find out how dog-friendly your visit will be before you and your four-legged friend arrive. To help with this, we've created a new pawprint rating system and given all the places in our care a rating. You can find this information in the National Trust members’ handbook.

Cotehele Mill is a one pawprint rated place.

Dogs are welcome here, but facilities are limited. They’ll be able to stretch their legs in the car park and walk in the nearby open spaces, depending on the season. Read on to discover exactly where you can take your dog.

Where can my dog go at Cotehele Mill?

Dogs are welcome on leads throughout the workshops and outbuildings. However, only assistance dogs are allowed in the mill building itself where flour and baked goods are produced. There are more than a thousand acres of countryside to explore at Cotehele and lots of dog-friendly walks.

What facilities are available for my dog?

Water bowls

Dogs can get a refreshing drink of clean water outside reception and the bakery at the mill

Dog waste bins

Although there are no dog bins at Cotehele Mill, there is a bin approximately 100 metres away on the paths leading to Cotehele Mill. Dog waste bins can also be found at Cotehele Quay on the path leading to the Chapel-in-the-Woods.

Help keep the Cotehele estate clean

Please use these for your dog waste bags or take them home. Leaving bags on paths, (or in trees), spoils the beauty of this special place and everyone’s enjoyment of it.

The rangers strim back growth around the walking routes at Cotehele, so please don’t flick poo into the grass at the side of paths, as it’s a health hazard.

What if my dog gets separated from me?

Call us on 01579 351346 and we’ll help reunite you.

Dogs in the gardens at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire — Dogs enjoying their walk | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

The Canine Code

We’ve worked with our partner Forthglade to come up with this Canine Code, which helps to make sure everyone can enjoy their day:

Keep them close: using a short lead helps to keep your dog from disturbing ground-nesting birds and farm animals. It's essential to use a short lead around sheep. But if cattle approach you, it's best to let your dog off the lead, and call them back when it's safe to do so.
Pick up the poo: please always clear up after your dog. If you can't find a bin nearby, take the poo bags home with you.
Watch the signs: keep an eye on local signs and notices wherever you're walking. They'll tell you if a beach has a dog ban, for instance, or if a path has been diverted, or if you're in an area where dogs can run off-lead.
Stay on the ball: remember that not everyone loves dogs, and some people fear them. So make sure your dog doesn't run up to other people, especially children.

Keeping control of your dog

Our definition of close or effective control is:

Being able to recall your dogs in any situation at the first call
Being able to clearly see your dog at all times (not just knowing they have gone into the undergrowth or over the crest of the hill). In practice, this means keeping them on a footpath if the surrounding vegetation is too dense for your dog to be visible
Not allowing them to approach other visitors without their consent
Having a lead with you to use if you encounter livestock or wildlife, or if you are asked to use one