Now that the weather is cooling down, dog owners will be eager to get out and about with their pooches again, and one Welsh seaside town could be the perfect day trip
Many dogs love a day at the beach(Image: Getty Images)
The summer heatwave made long dog walks impossible, and many dogs will no doubt be keen to make up for lost time with some long walkies, and maybe even a day trip or two.
The seaside is a classic place to take your dog, there’s plenty for them to sniff and explore, and many dogs love running on the beach and even taking a dip whatever the weather. Tails.com has put together a list of the most dog-friendly seaside towns across the UK, looking at all sorts of practical factors from the amount of dog-friendly beach space, to green spaces, the number of restaurants and cafés that’ll let you bring a dog, and even how many vets each town has, in case of an emergency.
Putting together this data, it was able to compile a list of the top ten places to take your dog for a seaside day trip, and coming in at second place was a Welsh seaside town that’s beloved by both two and four-legged creatures.
Southport in Merseyside took the top spot, but Llandudno in North Wales came a close second thanks to its doggy-friendly offering of 43 routes for walkies, 15 cafés and 24 restaurants where dogs are welcome, and two beaches where dogs are allowed, subject to restrictions.
Dogs are allowed on Llandudno’s Pier if they’re on a leash, and both pooches and their owners will no doubt be impressed by the beautiful Victorian architecture and sweeping coastal views. For a small fee, you can take your dog on the Great Orme Tramway, another major attraction in the town. This limestone headland also has some incredible walking routes, and its vintage train carriages run from Llandudno Victoria Station on a regular basis.
Stop at the halfway station enroute and you can explore the Great Orme Mines. While your dog might not appreciate the 3,500 year old series of ancient mines, they will no doubt enjoy your company as you explore the Bronze Age marvel.
And once you’re done visiting the mines, your pup will no doubt be excited to hit the beach. In Llandudno you have a couple of options. West Shore Beach is very popular with dog walkers, and while the central area has dog restrictions during the summer, it’s open to pets in the autumn. The shingly North Shore Beach is another spot where, from September through to May, dogs are welcome to roam free.
Other Welsh locations to make the Tails’ top ten included Conwy, just a 15-minute drive from Llandudno, which has a year-round dog friendly beach. At number eight was Penarth, which has areas of beach restricted to dogs until September 30, but after this date owners are free to bring their pooches along the entire stretch of beach.
And at number nine was Barry, which had dog-friendly spots including Jackson’s Bay and Watch Tower Bay for pups to enjoy.
The UK’s 10 best dog-friendly seaside towns
- Southport
- Llandudno
- Margate
- Falmouth
- Whitstable
- St Ives
- Conwy
- Penarth
- Barry
- Whitby
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