Why not take a look at these 'pointers' on dog friendly days out in Essex - and plan a getaway where there’s fun guaranteed for everyone!

When you head off on an Essex howliday with your dog, you can spend lots of time in the great outdoors. Explore the beautiful grounds at our five star self-catering lodges, sniff out the beaches, unleash the local forests and sample some wonderful ruffreshments at the dog friendly pubs and restaurants on the doorstep...

Pawsome walks

Dog friendly days out in Essex - Chalkney Wood near our Essex lodges

A walking paradise, Essex is the ideal destination for lovers of the great outdoors. Our five luxury 5 AA star self-catering lodges near Wakes Colne in the beautiful Colne Valley offer 500 acres of private grounds with a two acre fishing lake. The woods here with a little stream are pooch perfect for ‘barking up the wrong tree’ on your dog friendly days out in Essex.

There are other woodland walks on offer nearby too, including Chalkney Wood and Arger Fen, ideal for a spot of fetch.

Or make tracks for Hatfield Forest (NT), once one of the great hunting forests of English kings. With its miles of grassy pathways and ancient, worn oaks, it’s a magical place for kids to let off steam and your four-legged friends will be in stick heaven on the forest walks. There are also great picnic areas and a scrummy café where your pooch will receive a warm welcome. How refreshing!

Dog friendly days out in Essex - Grange Barn (NT) near our Essex lodges

Essex has an extraordinary legacy of windmills and watermills, scattered across the countryside. Head to the iconic white-sailed post mills at Finchingfield or Thaxted with wonderful walking opportunities.

Go snap happy at Colchester’s Bourne Mill (NT) with its lovely circular walk and grounds perfect for picnics and pond dipping.

Other great dog friendly days out in Essex include a pleasant three mile circular walk from Grange Barn (NT) in Coggeshall, via the Essex Way and along the River Blackwater footpath to Paycocke's House (NT).

Dog friendly days out in Essex - Frinton-on-Sea near our Essex lodges

Accompany your pooch (and sample some award winning wines) on a self-guided trail around the Dedham Vale Vineyard in Boxted. Set in 40 acres of vines, woods and pasture the vineyard is the perfect starting point to explore the Essex Way and beautiful walks through the Dedham Vale AONB.

Or spend sophisticated dog friendly days out in Essex in Frinton-on-Sea. The beautiful beaches here are perfect for sandcastles, kite flying and even kite surfing. There is also a long promenade to walk along as well as a high street a short walk from the beach with dog friendly tea rooms, ice creams and fish and chips.

Alternatively drink in the watery views on the riverside path from Britain’s oldest recorded town, Colchester to the quay at Wivenhoe, a pretty fishing town that has inspired a wealth of contemporary artists and writers.

Paws & reflect in Constable Country

Dog friendly days out in Essex - Willy Lott's Cottage near our Essex holiday lodges

Straddling the Essex/Suffolk border, the gentle Dedham Vale AONB is forever associated with the paintings of landscape artist John Constable. Known as Constable Country even in his lifetime, the bucolic scenes here have hardly changed in the 200 years since he painted them. Ramble along the River Stour from 16th-century Bridge Cottage, which houses an exhibition of Constable’s work, past Flatford Mill and Willy Lott’s Cottage, which features in his most famous work, The Hay Wain.

You can hire a rowing boat and explore the idyllic countryside from the River Stour. Dogs are allowed on the boats under your own responsibility. Finish up in pretty Dedham, where you can enjoy a drink or meal at the dog friendly Sun Inn pub or afternoon cream tea at the Essex Rose tea house. You can also enjoy a cream tea overlooking the river at the National Trust riverside tea-room at Flatford, or try the excellent pooch-friendly Kings Head in East Bergholt. It’s a perfect family day out for creating some happy memories.

Castles & gardens to sniff out

Dog friendly days out in Essex - Marks Hall Estate by Marathon near our Essex lodges

Green-fingered visitors will not be disappointed. The driest county in Britain, Essex’s gently rolling landscapes have inspired many gardeners to work their magic, and a number of them are pooch friendly. Many gardens are perfect for dog friendly days out in Essex - with picnic spots and pooch-friendly cafés to treat your tired out ‘pack’ after a long hoof. Our favourites include the 200-acre Marks Hall Estate near Coggeshall offering a range of leafy trails around a formal lake, guaranteed to charm your whole pack.

Discover the beautiful gardens and wooded grounds of Hedingham Castle & Gardens, the perfect spot for a summer picnic.

Motoring on some 500 years, one of Essex’s most unusual buildings, Layer Marney Tower, stands as a stunning centrepiece to the tranquil gardens that surround it and offers some lovely woodland walks.

Head to the parklands of Melford Hall (NT) followed by a sniff along Long Melford’s High Street, the longest in Suffolk.

Give the dog and kids some fresh air and exercise at Hylands Park, a wonderful free green space with a lake and many a mile to walk your dogs... unless there is a pop festival there. There is a dog friendly courtyard next to the Stables Café for dog owners to have ‘ruff’reshments as well as offering plenty of inspiration for green-fingered visitors. What more do you need? Bring a picnic. Enjoy the views. Whenever you visit, each season brings its charms – from secret bluebell glades and blowsy summer borders to autumn’s fiery hues.

Culture hounds

Dog friendly days out in Essex - From top left: Images by Rob Mitchell, John K Thorne Photography, Monika & John Fielding

Many visitor attractions within barking distance of our holiday lodges actively welcome dogs on leads, meaning plenty of fascinating dog friendly days out in Essex for your whole pack.

After a historic adventure? Hop on a vintage steam or diesel train at the Colne Valley Railway at Castle Hedingham or make tracks to the East Anglian Railway Museum, just 1.5 miles from our holiday lodges. Adjacent to one of eastern England’s largest railway viaducts, this open-air museum houses 100 years of railway history with preserved locomotives, signal boxes, railway ephemera and special events and steam days aplenty.

If there’s a downpaw, you can take your furry friend to the Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome near Maldon. Now lovingly converted into a museum, it was from here that the Royal Flying Corps launched its assaults on German bombers headed for the capital during World War I.

The Museum of Power nearby is an innovative museum set in a former pumping station. The grounds also include a miniature railway and model village.

Whining & dining

Dog friendly days out in Essex - The Swan Inn, a mile from our Essex lodges

When you’re dog-tired, it’s nice to rest your bones and reward yourself with a meal and a relaxing pint. Mouth-watering dog friendly pubs and restaurants can be found across rural Essex. If pubs are your thing, there are many within four miles of our holiday lodges which pride themselves on being dog friendly. The Swan Inn is just a mile away and serves delicious food. They also have their own pizza oven and cook up a most excellent burger.

Other dog friendly pubs nearby include The Lion in Earls Colne, The Five Bells in Colne Engaine and The Thatcher’s Arms in Mount Bures.

You can also check out the nearby pubs recommended by DoggiePubs here.

West Street Vineyard in Coggeshall is a very good vineyard and restaurant combining prize-winning wines with great-tasting food, all dished up in a contemporary eco barn or on the tables outside with lovely countryside views. Bon A-pet-treat!

Hounds on treasure

Dog friendly days out in Essex - © Treasure Trails

Whenever you stay, make sure you explore the different towns across the region. A great way to enjoy this with your whole family and canine sidekick is with one of the Treasure Trail self-guided themed walks. Dog friendly days out in Essex include a fiendish Murder Mystery Trail in Colchester and Mistley, and a driving and walking trail from Tiptree to Tollesbury to unravel ‘whodunnit?’ from a list of suspects. Or test your wits on a Treasure Hunt Trail around Lavenham, Dedham or a themed driving and walking Treasure Trail from Sible Hedingham to work out the location of buried treasure. Alternatively, make like James Bond on a Spy Mission Trail in Chelmsford and work together to crack a code by entering numbers and letters into a grid.

Experience the thrill of discovery, a sense of play and the fun of following ‘clues’, whatever your age, whatever the weather! You can find out more here. 

Geocache with your Geohound

Geocaching is a great activity for your Essex holiday! A brilliant game of search and find that the whole family will enjoy, embark on a recreational scavenger hunt with your hound in tow. Seek out hidden containers or ‘caches’ containing little treasures using a gps device or your smartphone.

There are over 2,000 geocaches within a 10 mile radius of our luxury holiday lodges waiting to be sniffed out – and all you need to do to get started is to create an account and download the app which will give you clues on where the nearest geocache is hidden. Once you find a cache and open it, the idea is to then replace the treasure with something of equal value. These dog friendly days out in Essex are a pawsitively fantastic way to see the beautiful countryside!

Our dog friendly Essex lodges

For perfect dog friendly days out in Essex, we offer five luxury 5 AA star dog friendly lodges near Wakes Colne in the breath-taking Colne Valley.

Our Essex self-catering lodges are doggie holiday heaven and welcome pooches with open paws all year round. Their pooch friendly features and 500 acres of wonderful grounds to roam equal an exciting dog friendly getaway.

Browse our pawtfolio of dog friendly holiday homes here or pick up the ‘dog and bone’ and give us a call on 01275 217575. We’re here 7 days a week to help you choose your perfect dog friendly holiday cottage and can always 'collie' you back!