Visiting Wellbrook Beetling Mill with your dog

A dog enjoying a winter walk in the grounds at Trelissick, Cornwall — Dog walking at Wellbrook Beetling Mill | © National Trust Images / Chris Lacey

Dogs are welcome at Wellbrook Beetling Mill. We want you and your furry companions to enjoy their visit. Please help to ensure that all visitors, with or without dogs, can enjoy their day by following these guidelines.

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.

Wellbrook Beetling Mill is a one pawprint rated place.

One pawprint means you'll be able to take your dog into some areas but, not all. There will be water bowls, dog bins and dog-friendly walks.

Where can my dog go?

Dogs are welcome at Wellbrook. We ask that they are kept on a short lead whilst walking through the grounds. Not every visitor or dog is comfortable with dogs off lead and we ask that you bear this in mind during your visit.

Dogs must be kept on a short lead in the following areas:

The car park

We value your dog’s safety so please put your dog on a lead before letting it out of your car.

The grounds and woodland walks

Off-lead activity can lead to physical damage of habitat through the trampling of vegetation, which can adversely affect more fragile species of plants. Dogs off lead can also cause problems of disturbance to species, particularly wildlife. Please respect our conservation aims by keeping your dog on a short lead throughout the garden.

Please ensure that, wherever you are in the estate, you clean up after your dog and dispose of waste in the bins provided. Please do not leave waste for someone to step in or for our garden team to clear. You'll be helping us keep Wellbrook clean for everyone, thank you.

Where can't my dog go?

Dogs are not permitted in the Beetling Mill, with the exception of assistance dogs. Please bear in mind that dogs are permitted on leads in the grounds only.

Visitors walking their dogs in the garden at Sizergh, Cumbria — Explore the dog-friendly walks at Wellbrook | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Facilities for dogs

I have forgotten my dog’s lead, what can I do?

We may be able to help. Ask a member of staff at our welcome area if you have forgotten your dog’s lead. We may be able to offer you a spare. Please be aware that leads may not always be available.

What can I do with my dog’s waste?

Help us to keep Wellbrook Beetling Mill a clean place for all our visitors to enjoy.

Clear up after your dog, no matter where it may have fouled.
Dispose of your dog’s waste responsibly. Do not leave dog waste by the path side, throw bags into the grassland, or even worse hang in the trees!
Please clear up immediately if your dog fouls.
Waste can be disposed of in any general waste bin or at home.

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