Robin Hood’s Bay is one of those places that everyone who visits falls in love with and most return to again and again. If you are planning a trip there you will find that it is one of the most dog-friendly and beautiful places on the planet.
The village has a captivating past of smuggling and seafaring and according to legend the smugglers used the intricate network of alleyways and hidden passages to move their contraband around and conceal it from authorities. Robin Hood’s Bay also happens to be situated on one of the most stunning parts of Britain’s coastline and is a top contender for my favourite place to take a dog-friendly holiday in the UK.
Fellow pet blogger Rachel feels the same, in fact she was so enamoured with this quaint old fishing village that she has actually bought a place there, the result is probably the most dog friendly cottage in Robin Hood’s Bay, if not in the whole of Yorkshire.
We were delighted to be invited to be the first to review Sunnyside Cottage and I’m really not exaggerating when I say that Rachel has thought of everything to make it a paradise for pooches and their dog parents.
One of the main attractions of the cottage, well for my spaniels anyway, is that it is literally one minutes walk to the year round dog-friendly Robin Hood’s Bay Beach, and can you believe in just that short stroll you pass Dolly’s Sweet Shop where they sell doggy ice-cream as well as a couple of dog-friendly pubs!
This cosy cottage sleeps four people and spans 3 floors with an open plan living/kitchen/dining area on the ground floor, a bathroom and a double bedroom on the first floor and the master bedroom on the top floor. Sunnyside welcomes two small dogs, (such as cocker spaniels) or one larger dog such as a golden retriever. Another bonus is that there is no extra charge for doggy guests.
The kitchen area is really well equipped with a full sized cooker, cooking utensils, a fridge freezer, a microwave, plenty of condiments, a vacuum, and there was even a whole pint of milk in the fridge!
The cottage also has the benefit of good wifi, a smart television and lots of games and books (a lot of them dog themed) so there’s no chance of being bored if you do get a rainy day!
There is no garden, but remember the beach is a minutes walk away, and there is a sweet bench outside the cottage where you can relax with a drink and soak up the ambience of the place.
Being seasoned travellers with big egos as soon as my dogs set paw in the cottage they were sniffing around for their pup welcome pack and they were extremely happy with its contents: natural treats eco-friendly poop bags, and the highlight was a nautical bandana for each of the girls.
The spaniels were also very interested to sniff out the human welcome gift, which was a treat box from local store, The Higgledy Pig, containing craft beer, and luxury toiletries. This quirky little store is well worth a visit, it sells an array of items ranging from Gin to old school Vinyl, and you’ll definitely find something you didn’t know you needed there! There was an ice cold bottle of prosecco in the fridge at the cottage as well, so we all felt very welcome!
There’s one criteria that I think separates a truly dog-friendly cottage from one that has just jumped on the bandwagon and just tolerates our fur babies and that is whether or not dogs are allowed on the furniture. Like most pups these days Lucia and Maya relax on the settees at home,so I don’t consider it much fun for them if they are confined to the floor when on vacation, it must be confusing for them too. At Sunnyside Cottage there are no worries in that respect. As long as you cover the seating with the fleecy throws provided and ensure your four-legged friend is clean and dry before they head upstairs, dogs are allowed the free run of the cottage. And yes! they can even sleep on the bed with you if they choose.
My spaniels actually prefer to sleep together for some of the night in a nice comfy dog bed, and I think you’ve guessed it, dog beds are provided at Sunnyside Cottage.
Talking about beds, the human one is really comfortable and if you peek out the master bedroom window you are rewarded by a magnificent sea view.
I often get emails from readers asking what they need to pack for their dog when they go on holiday, well at Sunnyside Cottage, all you really need to take is their food! As well as food and water bowls and a big jar of dog biscuits, there is a toy box, (complete with tugs and balls) a borrow box that contains nearly everything that you might possibly forget, such as dog shampoo, a spare harness, and dog drying robes, so that you can dry your pooch off after visiting the beach etc.
Dog Friendly Pubs and Cafes in Robin Hoods Bay
Long story short, all of them!
A dog friendly stay in Robin Hood’s Bay is as much about eating and drinking out and browsing around the quirky little shops as it is about hiking and adventures to us. The vibe everywhere is so relaxed and I can honestly say that every single shop, pub, cafe and restaurant we’ve been to in the village has welcomed the spaniels with open paws.
Our personal favourite places to eat and drink are The Bay Hotel and The Cove Cafe, which is great on a hot sunny day as it does offer some shade on one side, plus there’s great views across the bay on the other. Part of the charm of the village though is discovering new places to relax and take a beer or a snack at as you meander through the alleyways, there is an amazing amount of choice!
Dog Walks in Robin Hood’s Bay
One of the lovely things about taking your dog to Robin Hood’s Bay is that there are so many walks right on your doorstep, in fact you could while away a couple of hours simply wandering round the alleyways but there are some more challenging walks and hikes too. I would recommend using AllTrails if you decide on any of the longer ones.
Robin Hood’s Bay to Boggle Hole.
I think everyone and their dog does this walk if they stay in Robin Hood’s Bay. If the tides are with you you can make it there and back along the beach (top tip, wet feet are probably inevitable on the beach walk to Boggle Hole so take suitable footwear) Otherwise you can walk one or both ways via the Cleveland Way, there are multiple steps on this route at both ends of the walk, but you do get some great views for your effort.
Robin Hood’s Bay Ghost Walk
The history of Robin Hood’s Bay is full of intrigue and legend and this walk is superb. Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome and if you aren’t already smitten by the village, this walk will probably have you reaching for your phone to book your next stay, It really is that interesting and enchanting. Find out more here.
Robin Hood’s Bay to Whitby
This is a longer coastal hike along the Cleveland Way to Whitby, the scenery is absolutely stunning, it’s a pretty easy walk of about 61/2 miles following the Cleveland Way along the North York Moors Heritage Coast. I do tend to keep Lucia and Maya on leads when I do this walk. On arrival at Whitby you can either explore the town and get the bus back to Robin’s Hood or walk back the way you came or, to make it a circular walk take the Cinder Track to make it a circular.
There’s so much to see and do with the pooches in Whitby, from visiting Whitby Abbey, and Whitby Brewery to popping into the Fuzzy Dog Bakery and walking up the famous 199 steps. You can even take a boat trip or hop on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and take a steam train to Pickering. Of course if you don’t fancy the walk you can drive there!
Robin Hood’s Bay to Ravenscar,
If I only wanted to schedule in one longer walk in a dog-friendly stay in Robin Hoods Bay it would be the walk to Ravenscar and back! There are a few steep ups and downs and steps as you walk along the Cleveland Way but you get to see the old Alum Works and you can get down on the beach, famous for its seal colony, although obviously this is not the thing to do if you have your canine adventurer with you! Again there is the option of returning on the less exposed and easier to walk Cinder Track, which I normally do to give the girls some off lead time, I mean you could go there and back on it if you wanted to, but the views from the Cleveland Way are phenomenal – just saying! There is a nice National Trust Cafe once you reach Ravenscar that serves doggy ice cream so its always a popular destination for Maya and Lucia!
You could literally spend a week in Robin Hood’s Bay without running out of things to entertain you and your furry friend, but just a short drive away there are some amazing sniffs to be had on the moors themselves. A couple that I would recommend are the Hole of Horcum Circular, a fabulous 5 mile circular walk that begins at Saltergate car park (you are highly likely to encounter cows on this walk) and the 3 mile circular walk to Mallyan Spout waterfall, which starts in the village of Goathland.. My spaniels absolutely revel in a moorland walk, but dogs do have to be kept on a lead in nesting season, and under close control at other times.
So as you have read Robin Hood’s Bay really is the perfect location to take your dog for a fluffing good holiday and Sunnyside Cottage is the place to stay! If however Sunnyside is booked for the dates you want, Baytown Holiday Cottages the booking agents for Sunnyside cottage have some other great dog-friendly cottages on their books, as well as a wealth of information about visiting the area.
So what are you waiting for, click here and view the availability and pricing for Sunnyside Cottage, your dog will love you all the more for it!
Love Sal, Maya and Lucia xxx
* We received a complimentary stay at Sunnyside Cottage in return for writing this review