Dog to the West Country

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liftkeel

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We're hoping to leave soon for the West Country from the East Coast. We've done this journey before but this time well have a dog with us. We are not in a hurry - just as well with Berta on the horizon - and will be day sailing only. Any recommendation for dog friendly marinas and anchorages?
 
One to check is Lyme Regis; years ago we were given a hard time by a particularly unpleasant deputy / stand in harbourmaster there for having our dog on board.

Hopefully things are different now, but worth checking.
 
It might be worth getting official confirmation from e.g. Harbour Master that you started your passage in England. Bringing a dog in from Europe can lead to all kinds of officialdom descending on you.
 
Seajet said:
One to check is Lyme Regis; years ago we were given a hard time by a particularly unpleasant deputy / stand in harbourmaster there for having our dog on board.

Hopefully things are different now, but worth checking.
Click to expand...

So was I, but it was the dog warden not the HM, the idiot claimed I should have known about the dog regulations before I visited. Quite funny really as I used to have a mooring there and knew almost all the fishermen and HM. The warden threatened to call the police if I so much as carried my dog back across the beach to my boat. I had the last laugh when a year or so later he was being interviewed on TV about his house slipping down the cliff into the sea.
He was well known locally as a complete ******.
 
The berk we met in 1978-9 was called Tim, it's burned into my memory...pretty sure he was some sort of U/T harbour git, or at least that was the impression he tried to give.

Also pretty sure he was given the DCM next season ! :)
 
Brixham is dog friendly, berry head is great for walks. Dartmouth is OK, Plymouth yacht haven is very good.
 
Just back from a cruise West (from the Solent) with our dog.......

Lyme Regis now has some rather bouncy pontoons connected to the harbour arm, which you can tie up to (£20 per day) no problem with a dog. The pebble beach to the W of the harbour is dog friendly too.

Some recommendations:

Studland. Anchor, or pick up one of the red bouys. Beach dog friendly, as is the Bankes Arms (excellent beers and good food). Good walk round to Old Harry.

Yealm. You need to dinghy ashore from the visitors pontoons, but if you land by the HMs office / showers, and turn left at the top there is a good walk round the river, and through the woods. Both the Ship and the Dolphin pubs are dog friendly

Gorran Haven. Good anchorage in the right conditions, easy dinghy landing in the harbour, beach is dog friendly, and good cliff walks.

In the Solent, we've found that the IoW tends to be particularly dog friendly. I can't recall ever having a problem, in marinas, or in pubs. Mind, there are plenty of dog friendly places on the mainland side as well. You're welcome to pm me if you need specific information.
 
I haven't ever had a marina or HM in the south and southwest bat an eyelid at us coming ashore with our 3 dogs - they don't even seem to be particularly interested in foreign boats with dogs on board. Most marinas around the Solent keep doggy biscuits under the desk, my Labrador is often first in the office and is most put out if a treat isn't forthcoming. I have never even considered pre planning or making any special arrangements travelling around the coast because I have dogs on board.
 
At fowey there is good shore access with nice walks at the Mixtow pontoon up opposite the clay terminal... The water taxi was always dog friendly with us... As Jimi says pyh in Plymouth is good for dogs.... In Falmouth the visitors haven is fine, up stream if you anchor in the pool below the big house just up from the bar then you can dingy across to the beach opposite which is great, further up steam the pontoons are a bit more difficult for shore access, if not impossible... But there is a very long pontoon ina a excellent position up past smugglers.

Mylor is excellent doggie territory..

Salcombe shore access is good from the anchorage up past the moorings above the bag... There is a nice little beach on the east bank just at point... Good walks here as well..
 
photodog said:
At fowey there is good shore access with nice walks at the Mixtow pontoon up opposite the clay terminal... The water taxi was always dog friendly with us... As Jimi says pyh in Plymouth is good for dogs.... In Falmouth the visitors haven is fine, up stream if you anchor in the pool below the big house just up from the bar then you can dingy across to the beach opposite which is great, further up steam the pontoons are a bit more difficult for shore access, if not impossible... But there is a very long pontoon ina a excellent position up past smugglers.

Mylor is excellent doggie territory..

Salcombe shore access is good from the anchorage up past the moorings above the bag... There is a nice little beach on the east bank just at point... Good walks here as well..
Click to expand...

Apart from the one occasion at LR, we've had no problems anywhere at all with any marina/port in the W country regarding our dogs.
 
l'escargot said:
I haven't ever had a marina or HM in the south and southwest bat an eyelid at us coming ashore with our 3 dogs - they don't even seem to be particularly interested in foreign boats with dogs on board. Most marinas around the Solent keep doggy biscuits under the desk, my Labrador is often first in the office and is most put out if a treat isn't forthcoming. I have never even considered pre planning or making any special arrangements travelling around the coast because I have dogs on board.
Click to expand...

+1. Never even considered the question on the Mainland. He was made very welcome in the Channel Islands as well (after completing relevant piece of paper). In fact, I think that this year we came across more boats with dogs on board than previously...
 
Swanwick at top of Hamble is dog friendly. Long walkies back down the river too.
We have 2 Alsatians (sorry German shepherds) and they are made to feel very welcome.
 
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