Visiting Dartmouth and Kingswear countryside with your dog

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.

Dartmouth and Kingswear countryside 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 on the nearby coast path and beaches. Read on to discover exactly where you can take your dog.

Where can my dog go?

Dogs kept under close control are allowed on all the walks around Dartmouth and Kinsgwear countryside. If walking towards Dartmouth, Dartmouth Castle Tearooms (not National Trust) is situated beside Dartmouth Castle (Historic England) and provide a water bowl and sell dog friendly ice-creams.

Please remember to stick to the paths and keep them under close control, so you will be able to clearly see your dog at all times and not allow them to approach other visitors without their consent.  

What do I need to be aware of? 

Dartmouth and Kinsgwear countryside is home to lots of wildlife and livestock, so we ask owners to keep their dogs under close control and follow any guidance about putting dogs on leads. 

You are also advised not to leave your pet in the car as the car park offers limited shade.

Are you in the right area?

Sometimes we might ask you to walk somewhere else to help us protect you, the places we look after and the wildlife that lives there. Keep an eye out for signs and be extra careful on coastal and clifftop paths.

There aren’t any dog waste bins so we ask visitors to bag their dogs waste and take it home to help us keep this area beautiful.

We've partnered with a local company Forthglade and produced the Canine Code to help both visitors enjoy spending time with their dogs at special places.

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 avoids tripping up other visitors and 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

Coastal walks and hidden beaches

There are a number of car parks around the Dartmouth and Kinsgwear countryside, including Man Sands and Scabbacombe on the Kingswear side, and Little Dartmouth on the Dartmouth side. All these car parks connect to the South West coast path. Venture with your canine friend to secluded beaches, military monuments and more. 

 

Coleton Fishacre

If you're looking to explore more on your day out at the coast, Coleton Fishacre is a few minutes drive away and is a three pawprint rated place. There are water bowls and waste bins, the shop is stocked with pet essentials and accessories, and in the summer the café serves doggie ice cream. If you’d like a memento of your visit, why not pick up a Pooch Passport from the team at Visitor Reception, where you can record your dog’s days out.