Discover more at Castle Coole
Find out when Castle Coole is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.
Visiting Castle Coole with your dog
Dogs are welcome at Castle Coole. With acres of parkland to explore there of plenty of opportunities for bounding, jumping, sniffing and splashing through this Fermanagh estate.
Our pawprint rating system
The National Trust has a pawprint rating system to help you understand how dog friendly our properties are. You can find this information in the National Trust members’ handbook.
Castle Coole is a two pawprint rated place. This means you will be able to take your dog into most areas, but not everywhere.
Where can I take my dog?
The two trails available at Castle Coole are the Beech Trail and Lake Walk Trail, which are both dog friendly walks for you and your furry companion to enjoy. Your dog is also welcome in the tearoom on a short lead.
Where can’t I take my dog?
Dogs are not allowed in the mansion, with the exception of guide dogs. They are also are not permitted on the farmland at Castle Coole. This is a grazing area and livestock should not be disturbed.
What facilities are available for my dog?
There are water bowls for your dog outside visitor reception and dog waste bins are located around the estate.
Get your pooch passport
Dog owners are invited to pick up a free Pooch Passport for their pet this autumn at Castle Coole.
Each passport will contain space to receive a stamp from participating National Trust places, and with four stamps owners will receive treats from Forthglade’s National Trust natural pet food range. With eight stamps owners will be able to collect an exclusive National Trust dog snood.
You can pick up your pooch passport, dog treats and snood in the following areas over the coming months;
September
- Visitor Reception: 11-4pm daily (except Tuesdays)
- Property Office: Tuesdays
October
- Visitor Reception: 11-4pm at weekends
- Property Office on week days
November – February
- Property Office on week days
Does my dog need to be kept on a lead?
Yes. Dogs must be kept on a short lead across the property. The grounds of Castle Coole are home to a wide variety of species and dogs off leads can disturb nesting sites and lead to physical damage of habitat through the trampling of vegetation, which can adversely damage more fragile species of plants.
Dogs off leads may foul in areas where ongoing wildlife conservation is taking place. They may also disturb or upset other visitors, with and without dogs, who are not comfortable with dogs off leads.
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
Our partners
We've partnered with natural pet food maker Forthglade so that you and your dog can get even more out of the special places we care for.
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