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The guide to dog friendly Scotland

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The guide to dog friendly Scotland

If you are planning a trip to Scotland and want to take your pup, you’re in luck! With beautiful walks, stunning beaches and lots of dog friendly attractions, Scotland is the perfect country for your four legged best friend to explore. Here is my guide to dog friendly Scotland.

The dog friendly guide to Scotland

Did you know that most of my Scotland travel comes with two dogs in tow? It’s rare that my two spaniels aren’t by our side. This means I am always searching out dog friendly places to visit and places to stay from pet friendly lodges and self catering accommodation and even five-star hotels. Thankfully Scotland is a very dog friendly country! Here is how to plan your trip.

Note – assistance dogs are allowed throughout Scotland. This post uses affiliate links at no cost to you.

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Dog friendly Scotland - Mount Freedom

Dog friendly places to stay in Scotland

Looking for pet friendly accommodation in Scotland? From pet friendly lodges, to romantic getaways to the best five-star hotels, I’ve put together a guide to my favourite dog friendly places to stay in Scotland.

> my favourite dog friendly places to stay in Scotland.

Looking for ideas? Here my favourite places to stay in Scotland with a dog.

  • The self catering accommodation – stay at Eastside Cottages, Edinburgh – located near Edinburgh, Eastside Cottages offers dog friendly holiday accommodation in Scotland on a farm in the beautiful Pentland Hills regional park a few miles from the heart of Edinburgh. With miles of walks on your doorstep, these cottages are a perfect doggy holiday close to the bright lights of the big city.
  • The romantic lodge – stay at the Birdwatchers Cabin, Golspie – on the North Coast 500 route by Golspie is one of Scotland’s best dog friendly log cabins. A dream for two or cosy for a small family, the Birdwatcher’s Cabin sits on lovely Loch Fleet. Inside is a retro dream interior and outside is a deck for watching the sunset, with the pup by your side.
  • The place to stay for foodies – The Meikleour Arms, Perthshire – while many hotels proclaim they are dog friendly, the Meikleour Arms truly is. The hotel has both rooms in the main hotel and cottages spread across the estate, dogs are also allowed throughout the restaurant and lounges making this a perfect dog friendly hotel in Scotland. Your dog will particularly love the underfloor heating in the bar!
  • If you want to stay in a pub – The Kirkstyle Inn, Dunning – at the heart of the village of Dunning is The Kirkstyle Inn, one of my favourite pubs in Scotland. Offering up roaring fires, a quirky interior, a warm and friendly welcome, delicious meals including a Sunday roast dinner alongside real ales and a great wine list, it is also very dog friendly throughout.
  • The perfect dog friendly log cabins – Eagle Brae, Glen Affric – beside Scotland’s most beautiful glen is the stunning cabins at Eagle Brae. Dogs will love the underfloor heating and wood burners, and outside there are enclosed balconies for a spot of fresh air – and of course, being the highlands of Scotland there are hundreds of miles of trails – just try and stop your dog exploring!
  • Over looking Ailsa Craig and the Firth of Clyde on the Ayrshire coast is Mount Freedom – where up on the hillside sits three beautiful, pioneer-style log cabins. Dog friendly and perfectly designed for outdoor living and cosying up by the fire, the cabins at Mount Freedom have been designed as replicas of American ‘Adirondack’ pioneer homesteads from the 1830s

    > More brilliant dog friendly places to stay in Scotland.

    Dog friendly Scotland - Pine Cone Point

    The best dog walks in Scotland

    Obviously dogs love a walk, but that doesn’t mean your daily miles (or sniffs) need to be a chore – Scotland is a brilliant place for both you and your dogs.

    I’ve lots of guides to walking in Scotland and i’ve popped a few of my favourites below:

    My favourite dog walks in Scotland

    • The Fife Coastal Path – dogs love the Fife Coastal Path. Spanning 117 miles, this spectacular trail offers breathtaking beaches and charming fishing villages. The whole Fife Coastal Path can be walked in a week and is designated one of Scotland’s Great Trails. My favourite section is Elie to St Monans with a dog friendly stop at the Ship Inn on the beach at Elie, or seafood at the East Pier Smoke House in St Monans.
    • Also in Fife, Tentsmuir Forest and Beach near Tayport, the huge Tentsmuir Forest is a haven for dogs. Take a leisurely stroll through the woodlands before heading to the massive Tentsmuir Beach, brilliant if your dogs need a lot of space run around. The lovely Rhynd Cafe near the beach is dog friendly. Visit Tentsmuir Forest and Beach. Car parking is £2 which you will need in cash for the barrier.
    • Big Tree Country, Perthshire – one of my favourite areas to take the dogs, Perthshire is full of beautiful woodlands for your dog to explore. From the ever popular Hermitage which offers up waterfalls and Victorian follies to find to walks along the River Tummel at Faskally Wood, the picturesque Loch Dunmore and dramatic Killecrankie, to a climb up to Pine Cone Point with its views along the River Tay. Read more in my outdoor guide to Perthshire.
    • The Uath Lochans, Cairngorms – hidden away in Glenfeshie are the Uath Lochans and above the lochs is a one of my favourite views in Scotland. This dog freindly walk takes you around a series of small lochans on wooden boardwalks before joining the Speyside Way. The path then climbs up to Farleitter Crag, eventually opening up with an incredible view. Climb Farleitter Crag.
    • An Lochan Uaine (the Green Loch), Glenmore Forest Park – surrounded by huge Caledonian pines is the beautiful Lochan Uaine – where it is said the waters get their green hue from the local fairies washing their clothes in it. The 3.7 miles / 6 km walk up to Lochan Uaine is a popular walk for families. If you are looking for a more strenuous walk, hike up to the Ryvoan Pass. Walk Lochan Uaine and find more dog walk ideas in the Cairngorm’s National Park.
    • Conic Hill, Loch Lomond – a knobbly little peak which rises up 350m above Loch Lomond. Conic Hill is an incredibly popular hill, as on a good day the views over the loch are utterly incredible and achieved with not much effort at all. The walk to the top will only take around an hour, but the path can be muddy and slippy – so wear decent shoes. One for dogs who like a bit of adventure.
    • The Balmoral Cairns walk – take your dog on a walk around the Balmoral Estate to find the Balmoral Cairns, historical memorials to the Royal Family including a huge stone pyramid for Prince Albert with fabulous views over Royal Deeside.
    • The Big Burn Walk, Golspie – just past Golspie are the beautiful waterfalls and woodlands along the Big Burn, an easy, but spectacular, walk for you and the dogs. Follow the glen along wooden walkways to find the waterfalls which pore over the cliff edges in this mini tropical rainforest glen. If you are feeling more energetic climb up Ben Bhraggie and to visit ‘the mannie’, Golspie’s infamous statue atop of the hill. 

    > Read more: how to get outside in Scotland

    Dog friendly Scotland - Balmoral Cairns

    Walking your dog in Scotland and the Outdoor Access Code

    The Scottish Outdoor Access Code is all based around access rights.

    We fought hard for access rights in Scotland to apply to walking, cycling, swimming – and dog walking too. However, we all need to be responsible when walking our dogs. Dogs can scare (or horribly, attack) livestock including pregant sheep and cows, disturb wildlife and breeding birds, and cause issues with other people and dogs.

    • where possible avoid animals, and if you are threatened by cattle, release your dog,
    • if in doubt, use a dog lead,
    • don’t go through farmers fields of crops, unless there is a path, and,
    • collect and bin dog poo. I use a dicky bag on walks in case there are no bins.

    > The Scottish Outdoor Access code have a helpful leaflet about dog walking in Scotland.

    Dog friendly Scotland - Big Burn Golspie

    Dog friendly places to visit, castles and attractions

    Bringing a dog to Scotland doesn’t mean that you are limited to staying outdoors! There are lots of dog friendly places to visit including museums, cathedrals, castles and historical sites. Here are some of the best dog friendly places to visit:

    Dog friendly castles in Scotland

    Did you know that Scotland’s castles are surprisingly dog friendly! Why not visit:

    > More castles to visit in Scotland

    Dog friendly boat trips Scotland

    • Firth of Forth Boat Trips on Maid of the Forth will take you out to the dog friendly Incholm Island.
    • The famous Sir Walter Scott Steamship will take you and the pup out onto the lovely Loch Katrine in Perthshire.
    • On Loch Lomond, both Cruise Loch Lomond and Sweeneys are dog friendly
    • On Loch Ness, both Cruise Loch Ness and Loch Ness by Jacobite both have dog friendly sailings
    • Dolphin Spirit will take you and the dog out on wildlife watching trips from Inverness.
    • Cruise Loch Linnhe will take you out from Oban.
    • The Bella Jane on Skye will take you out from Elgol onto Loch Coruisk under the Cuillin mountains.
    • West Highland Marine offer dog friendly boat trips from Inverewe Gardens.

    Dog friendly rail trips

    If you want to go a scenic rail trip, the Jacobite Steam Train (otherwise known as the Harry Potter train) accepts dogs in standard class, as does the Strathspey Steam Railway.

    Travelling with a dog in Scotland – trains, buses, ferries, and in a car

    So how do you get around Scotland with a dog? Whether you want to travel by public transport (trains, bus and ferries) or in a car, here is how to get around Scotland.

    • Travelling on Scotland’s ferries with a dog – Scotland’s ferry companies – Caledonian McBrayne (to the Inner and Outer Hebrides), Pentland Ferries or Northlink ferries (to Orkney and Shetland) and Argyll Ferries (to Dunoon and Gourock) all allow dogs on board in special dog friendly areas or on deck. You can also travel with you dog in your car. You usually require a ticket for your pet, check with your operator.
    • Dogs on trains in Scotland – the trains in Scotland are run by ScotRail. Dogs are allowed on all of Scotland’s trains at no extra charge, however they can travel with some restrictions: you can only travel with up to two pets and they must be on a lead or in a travel cage. Dogs are not accepted on rail replacement services.
    • Buses and dogs – whether your dog is allowed on a bus in Scotland varies between operators. Unfortunately dogs are not allowed on Scottish Citylink, Megabus, and National Express which run buses which operate between the Scottish cities, however Stagecoach does allows dogs at the driver’s discretion, as does Lothian Buses and Lothian Country buses for Edinburgh and the Lothians and West Coast Motors for the west coast of Scotland where they are not city link services.
    • Dogs travelling in cars in Scotland – if you are travelling around by car then by law your dog needs to be restrained – either in a crate, in the boot with a dog guard or by using a seatbelt harness.

    Love from Scotland x

    Kate Hopper

    The blogger behind Love from Scotland

    Love from Scotland is your guide to how to travel Scotland like a local. My name is Kate and on my site you will find everything you need to plan your perfect trip to Scotland – from destination guides to the best places to stay.

     kate@lovefromscotland.co.uk