
From its huge beaches and woodland walks to pet spas, canine boutiques and special doggy menus, Norfolk is paradise for pooches. Here are just some of the ways to get tails wagging
North Norfolk
Your four-legged companion will love the wide, open beaches of North Norfolk. Holkham and Wells-next-the-Sea are dog-friendly year-round, though they have an on-lead rule in some areas during the summer season. Afterwards, make a pit-stop at Wells beach café with its Bark Up Bar, puppuccinos, doggy ice-creams and treats. The long, flat walk from Burnham Overy Staithe to Gun Hill will also get tails wagging; be mindful of the nesting birds and other wildlife (note, there are a lot of rabbits in the dunes).
Holkham Hall promises a pawsome day out. Dogs are welcome throughout the parkland, though they must be kept on a lead due to the resident herd of fallow deer, as well as in the courtyard café and shop. The cycle centre even hires out a trailer for dogs, so why not whizz up the sweeping drive to Holkham’s pub, The Victoria? Other pup-friendly pubs include The Three Horsehoes in Warham, which has a doggy treat menu, and The Feathers in Holt, where cooked sausages are available for hungry hounds. Make sure to nip across the road to Woofers & Barkers, which sells every manner of canine accessories. Creake Abbey, just south of Burnham Market, is home to another dog boutique and groomers, Hannah’s Hounds. Hannah has launched The Paddock, an onsite training field with agility equipment, which can be booked for 55 minutes for up to two dogs. Finally, if you’re in the seaside resort of Cromer, pop into the Doggie Diner, which does a Doggie Afternoon Tea washed down by a glass of Pawsecco.
West Norfolk
If you’re heading west, Brancaster beach has mile upon mile of golden sand and shallow water where your pet can practise doggy paddle to their heart’s content. Though do note there is a fenced-off dog-free zone at the eastern end between May and September. Indeed, the National Trust has developed a Pawprint rating system across its sites in Norfolk and beyond – three Pawprints shows the very best places you can visit for a day with your faithful friend (you can take your dogs to most areas and there’ll be dog-friendly experiences); two Pawprints means you’ll be able to take your dog into some areas and these places have water bowls, dog bins and pooch-friendly walks; and one Pawprint means dogs are welcome, but facilities are limited. Brancaster is a two Pawprint-rated place. Afterwards, bag a dog-friendly table at the bar of The White Horse in Brancaster Staithe; further along the coast, Deepdale Cafe at Burnham Deepdale is a great place to rest weary paws on a coastal walk. Inland, The Railway Inn, Docking, and The Rose & Crown in Snettisham also warmly welcome dogs.
Another beach that’s perfect for exercising your hound is Old Hunstanton, where there are no restrictions at any time of year. They will also have a royally good time at nearby Sandringham where there are 20,000 acres of parkland to explore (though no dogs are permitted in the house and gardens). The estate has teamed up with Beau’s Pawsitive Dog Training offering a large space for exclusive use, should you desire it. The King’s Lynn area is teeming with pup-perfect spots, including the newly-opened Nest Farmhouse restaurant, set on a sprawling 1000-acre farm just outside Docking, which serves a local, seasonal menu and welcomes dogs in the lounge area, veranda seating and all outside seating.
Norwich & The Broads
Canines will love Norwich. Local dog-walkers recommend the sweeping views from Mousehold Heath, as well as Eaton Park, for stretching doggie legs – and for an art fix, take your pup around the Sainsbury Centre Sculpture Park to admire works by Henry Moore, Elisabeth Frink, Lynn Chadwick and Antony Gormley. If they fancy a spot of swimming, Doggy Paddle in the north of the city has a 24ft indoor dog hydrotherapy and leisure swimming pool that’s heated to 29-degrees, where swim sessions are led by a certified canine hydrotherapist. Afterwards, make a beeline for The Black Horse, which has a sprawling pub garden.
Hop on the Bure Valley Railway, which follows the meandering River Bure between Aylsham, the bustling town of Wroxham and the Norfolk Broads. The steam train is dog-friendly, even the café – it costs £4 per dog and assistance dogs travel for free. Once at the Broads, hire a self-drive boat or take a captained trip along the waterways – nearly all boats welcome well-behaved dogs. On land, the riverside paths, marshes and woodland of the Broads National Park is a playground for pooches – though remember that on open-access land, dogs must be kept on a short lead between March and July to help protect ground-nesting birds, and all year round near farm animals.
South Suffolk
If you’re heading towards the south of the county with your hound, make Thetford Forest your first port of call. It’s the largest lowland pine forest in the UK, with almost 19,000 acres of pines, heathland and broadleaves for walking the dog (much of it leadless, providing that you have them under control) – and many a brook and stream to keep them cool.
Centre Paws in nearby Wymondham promises a day out that everyone can enjoy. There’s a café with a full dog menu (the homemade pupcakes come highly recommended), a social field and farm walk, a pet spa, dog training and a small animal clinic and hydrotherapy. All that pampering making your pooch hungry? The Crown Inn in Pulham Market offers an extensive dog menu including a Sunday roast dinner washed down by a ‘Bottom Sniffer Beer’. A dog’s life never looked so good…