Visiting Lyme with your dog

A whippet-type dog sits on grass, with a stone building in the background, looking up at its owner — Enjoy a dog walk in the parkland at Lyme | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Lyme has always been a place where dogs can enjoy themselves. Dogs lived alongside the Legh family who left Lyme to the National Trust. Discover fantastic walks with your four-legged friend at Lyme. There’s ancient parkland, moorland and natural woodland in which to stretch your legs. Find out where your dog can go and the facilities available.

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.

Where can I walk with my dog?

Dogs are welcome in all areas of the park and garden. At this time of year, to protect the wildlife that calls Lyme home, we ask that dogs are kept on leads in areas of the park.

Recognising how important it is for dogs to be able to get exercise off the lead, we offer a secure off-lead dog-walking area in Knightslow Wood all year round, as well as a route through Pursefield Wood. To find out more, keep an eye out for signs in the park and use the map below to plan your visit.

For the rest of the year, dogs are welcome off lead and under close control in most areas, and always on a lead around livestock and wildlife.

Thank you for helping us care for the wildlife around you during your visit.

Download the map here

Download the map to help you plan your adventure | © National Trust / Lyme

Where else can my dog go?

Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas of Lyme.

Eat: Eat in or take away drinks and snacks are availiable from the Servants' Hall Café at the house. At the Timber Yard Café dogs are not allowed inside, visitors with dogs are welcome to sit in the Muddy Paws Engine House seating area in the Timber Yard, which follows the same opening hours as the Timber Yard Café. If you’re visiting alone, please use the doggy doorbell and one of our team members will pop out to take your order.

Shop: Pop into our Timber Yard Shop with your four-legged friend to check out our range of dog treats and accessories.

Crow Wood Playscape: Dogs on a short lead are welcome in the play area. Help us ensure this is a clean, safe space for children to play in by being extra-vigilant with dog fouling and not taking dogs near the tunnels or onto the play equipment.

Where can't my dog go?

Only assistance dogs are welcome inside the house, café and shops.

Dog events at Lyme

If you love dogs and nature, you’ll enjoy our dog events at Lyme. Whether you’re looking for a challenge or a friendly stroll, we have something for you and your four-legged friend. Join us for canicross, a fun and exhilarating way to explore the parkland with your dog or meet other dog owners and share tips and stories at our dog walking social group.

Visitor with her dog on a walk at Lyme Park, Cheshire | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Dog walking social group

Dog walking social group is a great way to meet new people and enjoy the outdoors with your furry companion. You can join us once a month for a relaxed and friendly walk around the park, where you can chat with other dog lovers and make new friends. It’s also a good opportunity to socialize your dog and let them play with other dogs. All breeds and sizes of dogs are welcome.

Find out more

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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