Visiting North Helford countryside with your dog

Assistance dog with owner at Croome, Worcestershire — Assistance dog at Glendurgan | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

There are dog-friendly walks along the North Helford countryside from Bosveal car park, close to Glendurgan. With more than 120 hectares (300 acres) of countryside, coastline and dog-friendly beaches, there’s plenty of space waiting to be explored nearby. An information board at Bosveal car park details various waymarked walks that take in woodland, the South West Coast Path and secluded stony coves.

Where can my dog go?

Assistance dogs only are able to visit the garden.

Dogs can go into and outside Glendurgan Tea-house, where they can warm up near the log burner in the cooler months or find a shady spot outside in summer.

If you'd like to walk your dog near Glendurgan we recommend using Bosveal car park which is less than half a mile from Glendurgan’s main car park. From here countryside walks are available with access to year-round dog-friendly beaches.

Where can’t my dog go?

Only assistance dogs are allowed at Glendurgan. However, dogs are welcome in the surrounding countryside at Bosveal a short drive away.

What facilities are there for my dog?

Water bowls for dogs are located outside the tea-house and near picnic benches.

Feel free to ask one of the team for a map of the countryside and discuss different options for walks at Bosveal.

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