Visiting Lytes Cary Manor 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.

Lytes Cary Manor is a two pawprint rated place.

These places have water bowls, dog bins and dog-friendly walks. You’ll be able to take your dog into some areas, but not everywhere. If there’s a food and beverage outlet, you can have a cup of tea with them, probably outside. Read on to discover exactly where you can take your dog.

Where can my dog go?

Dogs on leads are welcome on the estate at Lytes Cary Manor. There are plenty of walking options, with three waymarked walks to follow.

Where can't my dog go?

Only assistance dogs are allowed inside the formal garden, chapel, house and tea room.

If you are unsure about where you can go with your pooch, please ask on arrival.

Leads around livestock

If you're exploring the estate, there may be sheep or cattle about. Dogs need to be kept on a lead when sheep are grazing so that they are not chased or worried. If cattle are about, dogs should be kept under close control and on a lead.

What facilities are available for my dog?

You'll find water bowls in the courtyard. Dog bins can be found in strategic positions on the estate and in the car park to make them easy to find.

There is a doggie tie-up area in the tea-room courtyard under the parasols, where you can leave your dog if you want to visit the toilets.

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