What you can expect from a dog friendly tour of North Yorkshire.
Pictured is the 200 year old viaduct over the river Nidd at Knaresborough
We recently embarked on an adventure to show our American friend Cedric the delights of our human's home county with a tour of North Yorkshire. We were delighted to discover the area is extremely dog friendly and would like to share some highlights of our trip.
Stonegate, York
We began our adventure in the area's capital city of York where we based ourselves for a few days, staying in an apartment by Wheelwrights who have several in the city centre.
Museum Gardens, York
York has lots of great architecture to see and some wonderful green spaces like the Museum Gardens and Tower Gardens plus some great walks along the river.
If you need to rest your little legs for a while, a great place to see the city is from the river. City Cruises welcome four legged friends to travel free on all their York river cruises. You just have to have a paying human with you!
When in York be sure to visit its most famous street, The Shambles. This ancient cobbled street has been around since the 13th century and is a must for Harry Potter fans as it is rumoured to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley. Amongst the wizard themed shops there is also a market and street food market.
The area is always very busy so if you want some perfect photos we recommend you pop by early in the morning!
Revolution Bar, York
Obviously food is never far from our thoughts but all this adventuring helps build up quite an appetite!
There are many dog friendly pubs and restaurants to choose from. We enjoyed Revolution Bar which is a large space by the river (be warned it can be lively and noisy in the evenings). The staff at Revolution are super friendly and we had a huge feast!
We also visited The Star Inn The City for a delicious Sunday Roast and Partisan is great for breakfast
Cliffords Tower
Areas where dogs are not permitted in York include inside any museums, up Cliffords Tower and on the City Walls. But you can still get great pics of them.
On day 2 we decided a trip to the seaside was needed so we headed to the harbour town of Whitby.
The beach at Whitby is a huge stretch of sand with a gentle shoreline - perfect for running and paddling. The beach is dog friendly until end of April and a small stretch on East Side all year round.
After the obligatory fish and chips (which you may need to enjoy al fresco as we only discovered one fish and chip restaurant who welcomed dogs inside) climb the 199 steps up to Whitby's most famous landmark - The Abbey.
Dracula leapt up these very steps disguised as a big black dog in Bram Stoker's novel but for those less able to cope with such a climb, you can drive up there or use the hop on hop off bus.
However you decide to get there, it's certainly worth the effort to see the stunning remains of the 7th century Abbey and some fantastic views of Whitby and surrounding areas.
You can see quite a bit of the Abbey from outside its walls but dogs are also allowed within the English Heritage site on a lead. There is an entrance fee to pay.
Whitby has cute cobbled streets with plenty of dog friendly boutique shops and cafes. The humans enjoyed coffee at Hopes and Beans who gave Cedric and I some treats.
We are also welcome on the many boat trips that depart from the harbour.
Nacho is wearing Ralph & Co
Next stop was the pretty spa town of Harrogate which is famous for its Victorian architecture, beautiful flower gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms (sorry no dogs allowed at Betty's 😢)
Before discovering all that Harrogate had to offer, we decided to set ourselves up for the day with a hearty brunch.
On the outskirts of the town centre you will find Brew Bar which is a fabulous dog friendly neighbourhood cafe.
We were made to feel so welcome at Brew Bar and the humans loved their brunch dishes. A must visit if you are in the area and it's just a short walk through a park into town from there.
With our bellies full, we then explored the beautiful town and did some shopping in the many dog friendly stores.
As mentioned earlier, Harrogate is home to the original Betty's Tea Rooms but dogs are not permitted at any of their locations and they do not have any outdoor seating. If you want to sample their famous delights, you can get a takeaway to enjoy in one of the pretty town centre gardens.
We actually struggled to find any dog friendly afternoon teas but eventually found Mamma Doreen's Emporium had a few tables outside (albeit on a busy roadside).
On your way to or from Harrogate, be sure to stop off at the very beautiful Knaresborough to see the viaduct and Mother Shipton's Cave.
The Bike and Boot Inn, Scarborough
Archie joined us for the next leg of the tour, which began in Scarborough.
Scarborough is a typical English seaside resort with a large sandy beach, a long promenade and lots to see and do.
We particularly enjoyed the beach, sections of which welcome us all year round, including the part pictured above. We also liked to ride on the tram which takes you from the top of Scarborough down to the seafront.
We stayed at The Bike and Boot Inn in Scarborough which is so dog friendly it even has its own dog grooming area! It's like a spa weekend for dogs!
The rooms at the Bike and Boot are spacious and super comfy and there is a fridge so we had somewhere to keep our Butternut Box.
The hotel is situated at the top of the cliffs so has an excellent view of the sea.
We doggies are welcome throughout the hotel including the bar areas and restaurant so you can join the humans when eating and drinking (which ours like to do a lot of)!
The restaurant Bareca serves food all day and the humans said everything was delicious.
A new Bike and Boot Inn opens in the Peak District in November 2022! Look out for our review once we have been there.
No dog can visit North Yorkshire without stopping off at the market town of Malton which was voted UK's most dog friendly town in 2018.
The town is small but has some cute cafes and boutique shops to explore and lots of treats on offer for four legged friends.
We had a wonderful lunch at The Talbot in Malton which welcomes us in the bar area and outdoor areas.
The garden has fantastic views over the valley and the humans said the food was worthy of a Michelin Star.
Four legged foodies can also stay the night at The Talbot.
Across from the hotel you will find Talbot Yard with more foodie options, including yummy ice cream from Groovy Moo.
