Travelling West - dog walks en route

[KC and the boys]

This is a follow-up to a previous post re. dog friendly holiday lets in Cornwall. I'm dead excited about our upcoming beach holiday with the boys. We have found a nice cottage near St Ives (I will report back on our return) and have checked out all the local beaches that are allow dogs between May and Oct. There aren't many locally but since we have a car it's no big deal.

The question is now how best to get from Brighton on the South Coast to the West Coast by car with two dogs.... Is it better to take M23, M25, M3, A303, A30 route or just rattle along the South Coast with its 1 Mio roundabouts. Where is good to stop and let the boys have a run? It will be a long drive, whichever route we're taking, and motorway resting points aren't exactly known to be dog friendly.

Has anyone travelled this route and shed any advice, please?

[Jean Lippett]

I think it will depend on the day / time of day you want to travel, as the A303 can get very congested in places at 'popular' times, like Friday evening. If not then, I think I would go Brighton to Salisbury and join the A303 at Wylie, unless you want to sit in traffic for half an hour looking at Stonehenge.

There's a lovely dog walking spot near us, just north of Yeovil, a mile south of the A303 - halfway on your journey. It's called Ham Hill Country Park, with a dog-friendly pub and some good running space through the old quarry area.

[Christine Pullen]

I wish we could have these invaluable bits of info about holiday lets and journeys and best places to run dogs on the way, in one folder that we could pull out and look at when needed!! Good luick hope you have a lovely holiday, look forward to hearing how it goes xx

[Angela Clarke]

Hi Christine, what a great idea, and it would be possible if you go to groups and click on ADD and start a group for this purpose. You could call it "British holiday makers and dog walkers" or similar, I for one would find other peoples experiences invaluable good or bad, go for it and good luck X 

[Christine Pullen]

Ok Angela...here goes!

[Christine Pullen]

all done..... hope everyone will add their own places that they enjoy to go on holiday!!

[Angela Clarke]

Well done Christine, I am your 1st. Member I will wright soon ( got a blocked sink to sort out !)

[Christine Pullen]

oh yuk, good luck with that and thank you for joining!!

[Jean Lippett]

I've copied my Ham Hill info to Christine's new group.

[Eunice Marott]

Hope some Australian members join

[KC and the boys]

Hi All - thanks for replies and especially to Jean for suggestion re. dog walk on route. Will definitely investigate Ham Hill. Now thinking it might be best to drive through the night what with the current heat wave. Have joined group and will add further details on return.

[susan clemence]

Try the website "cool stops for hot dogs" it gives suggestions for walks a couple a miles from major motorway junctions.  I think there is a link from the "dog friendly britain" website.  

[Rosie Dudley]

http://www.drivingwithdogs.co.uk/