Visiting Croome with your dog

Dog walking in the garden at Dunster Castle, Somerset — Dog walking in the garden | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

With panoramic landscapes, fields to scamper around in and woodlands to be explored, there’s something for everyone and every dog at Croome. Read our canine code and ensure that you and your pooch enjoy your 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 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.

Croome 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?

We love dogs at Croome and they are welcome throughout the parkland. Please be aware though that there is livestock grazing across the site so please keep your dog on a short lead.

Please also don’t let your dog swim in the lake and the river, for their health and so as not to disturb wildlife.

Where can't my dog go?

Only assistance dogs are allowed in the house, RAF canteen and RAF Museum, as well as the privately-owned walled gardens. 

Facilities available for my dog

There are water bowls outside the visitor centre and nine dog waste bins across Croome which are marked on the map available on site. Tethering hooks are available outside the walled gardens.

A woman in a yellow jacket walking her border terrier in parkland at Croome, Worcestershire. There are autumn leaves scattered on the grass and across the path. — A visitor walking her dog at Croome | © National Trust Images / James Dobson

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