Visiting Westbury Court Garden with your dog

Please keep your dog on a short, fixed lead

We ask for dogs to be kept on a short, fixed lead – both for their own safety and for the safety and comfort of other visitors. Dog owners arriving with a dog on an extendable lead will be asked to swap it for one of our short, fixed leads for the duration of their visit.

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 arrive. To help with this, we've created a pawprint rating system and given all the places in our care a rating. You can find this information in the National Trust members' handbook.

Westbury Court Garden is a two pawprint rated place. 

Dogs are welcome in the garden and garden buildings, on a short, fixed lead. We also have water bowls, a dog bin and dog-friendly walks in the surrounding area.

Where can my dog go?

Dogs are welcome at Westbury Court Garden, on a short, fixed lead. They are welcome to explore the garden and garden buildings. You can also enjoy a walk on the public footpaths across the 90 acres of surrounding farmland. You might like to ask at visitor reception for our guide to the Horseshoe Walk.

What facilities are available for dogs?

There are no café facilities on-site and there is limited parking.

There is a water bowl for dogs near the visitor reception, and there is a dog bin.

What do I need to be aware of?

There are open canals in the garden with no fencing.

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