Dash & Bear's dog friendly guide

ATTRACTIONS AND EVENTS

The Sheepdog Trial    
We love the annual Sheepdog Trial at Rowlands Farm, which usually falls on Bear’s Birthday! There are lots of lovely craft stalls, with handmade goods, plus a pet stall with treats galore. There’s lots of food options and delicious ice cream (for us and the humans!) The set up is fantastic and it all raises money for charity. Dogs are welcome on leads. 

Fort Victoria Country Park   
The views across the Solent from here are amazing! With access straight to the beach this is the ideal place for a cool off in the sea. There’s a trail through the woods that you can follow and the old fort houses a cafe, planetarium, replication, museum and gift shops.

The Donkey Sanctuary    
We love the donkey sanctuary in all weathers, as there’s lots of paddocks and some indoor barns. The donkeys are really friendly and there are lots of interactive sections. After all the exploring, the cafe is perfect for a drinks stop, and if you wag your tail enough the staff bring lots of treats over!

The Garlic Festival    
We LOVE the Garlic Festival weekend. Dash takes part in the Isle of Wight Dog Training Society Agility Demonstration, which draws a big crowd and tons of cheering. There is also a dog show, have a go scent work, and lots of treats and snacks, with water bowls available around the site for dogs. 

Carisbrooke Castle 
We love walking around the grounds and taking in the amazing history, they also hold events through the year, we love watching the knights tournament! The gardens are beautiful and the donkeys working the mill are a highlight too!

EATING

Paradice Ice Cream Parlour - Cowes  
We love a wander along the seafront and through the town in Cowes, where we always stop for a Rex’s Range, the islands very own dog ice cream, at Paradice. Mum can never decide which flavour of delicious island made ice cream to have so we get lots of strokes and attention while we wait.

Cook and Baker- Godshill  
A quaint little cafe in the centre of Godshill, the ideal stop off for humans to grab a delicious brunch or sweet treat. We love the doggy doughnuts, and mum always gets a handmade passionfruit tart. 

Warren Farm - Totland  
Surrounded by beautiful countryside Warren Farm is a hidden gem. We can walk for miles over Headon Warren and Tennyson Down then stop in to enjoy a rest in the sunny grounds. They have a farm shop, coffee shop, and a horse box bar! They regularly host a hog roast, and we love those days.

The Blacksmiths - Calbourne  
The team at The Blacksmiths always make us feel super welcome, providing blankets, water bowls and treats too! The sunsets from here are amazing and the food for humans is also exceptional. If they ever have leftovers (which is rare) we get to try it! 

Appley Beach Cafe - Ryde 
Located at the start of the dog friendly section of Appley Beach, perfect to get a drink to take along the beach or stop for coffee and cake afterwards. 

BEACHES

Colwell   
Our favourite place to catch the sunset, the sea is super clear and the beach really sandy. We eat our dinner al fresco down here while the humans have a picnic.

Grange Chine   
The walk down to this southern beach is really fun. We love seeing all of the animals at the farm, donkeys, sheep and goats to name a few. The beach is shingle and the cliffs are low so we love to climb and catch all the good sniffs. 

Thorness Bay   
We can run for miles at low tide from Thorness Bay, it is almost 2 miles long and joins up with the coastal paths. The beach is mostly sand at low tide and the views across the Solent are beautiful.

Priory Bay - Seaview 
This beach is great for exploring, it is bordered by National Trust woodland so we can run in and out the trees and take a dip too! 

WALKS

St Boniface Down to Luccombe   
Our favourite spot, the highest point on the Island.  There are many routes across the top of the downs, but we love heading over to Luccombe to look out across the Solent. There’s a blanket of bluebells in spring, which are perfect for an impromptu photo shoot!

Maddie’s Meadow, Arreton  
A purpose-built “dog secure” walking field, we love to come here and enjoy totally safe off lead freedom. The field is securely fenced and all yours for the time window you book online. There’s lots of different zones – Bear loves the scentwork puzzle and the sand digging area, where Dash loves to climb up and over the ramps and obstacles in the climbing area before finishing off with a super-fast zoomies lap of the field!

Tennyson Trail, from Carisbrooke through Brighstone Forest   
Forest adventures are one of our favourite things, Dash likes to jump the logs and Bear likes to get as muddy as possible! With lots of paths and routes to choose from we never get bored. 

Parkhurst Forest  
One of the best places to see Red Squirrels, owls and many species of birds, with purpose made hides for watching them. There is lots of different tracks to explore meaning your route can be as long as you wish and even a picnic area too!

Newtown Creek   
This beautiful nature reserve is a haven for so many types of wildlife. It is the only natural nature reserve on the Island! There are wooden bridges crossing the marsh and a million other photo opportunities too! Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.

Freshwater Bay to Alum Bay   
The unmatched panoramic views at the top are worth the hill climb to get there. There is a great loop walk up over the cliff top towards the monument then back along the lower part through the woods. Please be careful of dogs off lead near to cliff edges.