Don’t be hounded by guilt - opt for a dog-friendly holiday in Scotland

July 18 2022

Any dog owner knows, and dreads, the moment. A pre-holiday trip to the kennels. The puzzlement in those trusting canine eyes. The pain of parting. The holiday guilt. But the great news is you can wave bye-bye to pooch partings – just read our guide to dog friendly holidays in Scotland and get booking today.

Guilt aside, why else pick a dog friendly holiday in Scotland?

As people with pets know, it’s not just that you feel your dog is part of the family, they are part of the family. Not having them around leaves a void. And if leaving them behind prompts pangs of guilt, bringing them along brings joy.

It’s all about endless enthusiasm, fiercely wagging tails and unconditional love. It feels like the family is all together – because it is. The holiday photos are complete.

And the relaxed pace of dog friendly holidays in Scotland means they are well suited to your furry friend’s needs. Fitting a walk into a working day can be rushed. But when the day has no commitments, walking your canine companion is transformed into fun-filled joy. You really can ensure they get a proper runaround.

What’s the most important part of choosing a holiday in Scotland?

What’s the most important part of choosing a dog friendly holiday in Scotland?

The biggest thing to get right when you’re booking your dog friendly holiday in Scotland is choosing where to stay. You want an accommodation that doesn’t just pay lip service to being dog-friendly.

Instead, you need somewhere that will really treat your canine companion as part of the family.

At Kilcamb Lodge, we do just that. This boutique hotel on the shores of Loch Sunart is proud to have won the title of UK’s Best Dog Friendly Hotel in 2017. We promise to do the very best to provide your pet and you with everything you need for the perfect holiday. We love chatting things through to ensure we have everything you need in place.

It’s not just our warm welcome luxurious, sizeable rooms and thoughtful, pro-pouch service. It’s also our location. Set in 23 acres of private meadows, mountains and woods, the hotel is also just the throw of a dog’s ball away from the beach. And is also the springboard for some superb walks.

Where will we be able to walk on our Killcamb Lodge dog-friendly holiday?

Set in the Scottish Highlands, Kilcamb Lodge sits in the midst of the spectacular Ardmanurchan peninsula. The most westerly point of the British mainland, it a place where mountains flow down into oakwoods and sea lochs edge the shore. Which makes for cracking walking - right from your hotel.

There’s the trip to nearby Singing Sands, a tranquil golden beach looking out towards Skye and the small isles. Or try the Ariundle circuit, which runs from your hotel through ancient woods – choose the 2 mile or 5 mile options.

Or climb Ben Hiant. The highest hill in western Ardnamurchan, it offers wrap-around views of mountains, Mull and Skye.

Just some of the local walks that help make Killcamb Lodge one of the best locations for a dog friendly holiday in Scotland.

If I choose a dog-friendly holiday in Scotland, where can we go?

The great news is that in Scotland you can walk your dog on most land as long as you keep them in sight and under control, and follow the Outdoor Access Code. Key elements include

• Bagging and binning dog poo (take it away if there are no bins)

• Keeping to paths in fields of fruit and veg

• Not allowing dogs to disturb wildlife, including breeding birds

• Not allowing dogs to threaten, attack or disturb humans or animals

• If in doubt use a lead – although be prepared to let the dog off a lead if cattle behave aggressively or move towards you.

But why pick Scotland for my dog-friendly holiday?

Although it’s a fiercely contested title, Scotland can claim to be high on the list of dog-friendly nations. In fact the country was named as the most pooch-friendly UK destination by the Scottish Sun in 2017. Visit Scotland told the paper it had 95% more interest in “pet-related” searches than “romantic” ones. A wealth of dog-friendly places to stay, visit, eat and drink all played a part, as did a generally welcoming attitude.

Other clues to Scotland’s prime canine status include the sheer number of Scottish dog breeds (from Border Collies to Skye, Scottish and Cairn Terriers) and that Edinburgh thought so highly of a heroic hound it put up a statue – see the story of the Greyfriars Bobby. Scotland has even had its very own ‘Ambassadog’ – a Golden Retriever called George.