Exploring new holiday spots can be incredibly beneficial for dogs, especially those who come from deprived backgrounds. Different environments, fresh air, and plenty of exercise are great for our well-being too, and the best part is getting to spend quality, rewarding time with our furry companion.
So ….. looking for a great holiday spot to enjoy with your dog? I highly recommend Castleton nestled in the North York Moors National Park. It’s a stunning place, even in autumn and winter. The village is small and friendly, and it has my favourite dog-friendly pub, The Downe Arms. The tranquillity of the village offers a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. My Romanian rescue dog, Teddy, loves it there. He even has a YouTube playlist showcasing fantastic local walks, adventures on the Moors, and a beautiful winter walk around Whitby.
The cottage is set in the pretty village of Castleton in the stunning Upper Esk Valley, which is 15 miles from Whitby (the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula), 9 miles from Guisborough (full of restaurants and pubs) and 6 miles from Staithes (beautiful harbour and cobbled streets).
Discover more about Yorkshire with the Holiday Cottage guide.
Castleton has everything you need, including a Co-Op. If you need more, you can head to the market town of Guisborough which also has a Morrison’s supermarket. Staying at my favourite dog-friendly cottage, Blakey View, Teddy and I found it so peaceful and relaxing. Teddy loved gazing across the valley, looking up at the hills, and playing on the lawn, even on warm October days.
Watch Teddy’s walking videos: North Yorkshire walks
Take a peek inside Blakey View Cottage
Blakey View is a charming Grade 2 listed cottage that sleeps two and welcomes one dog. My 60kg giant, Teddy, absolutely loved his holidays. The lounge and kitchen are open-plan, and he enjoyed snoozing on the large, comfy kitchen mats, soaking up the warmth from the nearby log burner. If you’re considering a holiday here and have two small dogs, it’s a good idea to ask the owner through your Holiday Cottage portal.
Postcode is YO21 1TL.
Book your holiday at Blakey View in Castleton, North Yorkshire
What do both holiday cottages offer?
What to expect at Blakey View cottage:
- Contemporary open-plan kitchen and cosy lounge
- The kitchen includes all cookery and kitchenware (bring extra washing-up liquid)
- Wrought iron bistro table and two chairs
- Boomerang sofa, Smart TV, and free WiFi
- Log burner, complimentary wood and kindling
- Kingside bed, Smart TV, ensuite and outstanding views across the valley
- All bed linen and towels (bring extra toilet roll)
- Enclosed outside patio decking, table and chairs, and a BBQ
- In the bedroom is a kingsize bed, Smart TV, and en suite with outstanding views across the valley
- Highchair and travel cot available
- Tourist information
- Complimentary wine and cakes
Next door is another beautiful Grade 2 listed cottage. It sleeps two and welcomes two dogs to stay.
Book your holiday at Blakey View Bothy, in the North York National Park
What to expect at Bothy View cottage:
- Smart TV
- Elevated one bedroom with ladder access
- The kitchen contains all you need, including a microwave
- Eating bar
- Terrace patio with outdoor seating
- Shower wet room and WC
- Surrounded by stunning landscape
- Complimentary welcome goodies
- Two dogs welcomed
Teddy and I had wonderful holidays at Blakey View in both 2021 and 2022. Bothy View offers the same stunning landscapes, privacy, and charm.
Is there a charge to take your dog on holiday?
Prices for holiday accommodation will vary. For our stays at Blakey View, I paid £20 for Teddy, both for a part week one year and a full week the following year. Just be sure to include your furry friend when booking your holiday.
Breakdown of inside and outside a holiday cottage
If you’re considering a stay at Blakey View or Blakey Bothy, here’s some insider knowledge. Both cottages are charming inside and out, with ample parking, and breathtaking views, and are within walking distance of all amenities and a dog-friendly pub.
Early mornings, my ex-partner would walk Teddy on-lead walk while I enjoyed my coffee in bed. Don’t forget to watch Teddy’s walking videos too!
Watch Teddy’s Videos: A Romanian rescue dog’s walking trails
Blakey View cottage is warm, and cosy, offering exceptional views across the valley and a lawn garden that Teddy adored.
Watch the Video: Inside Blakey View Cottage and the stunning views of the valley
Garden safety for your dog at Blakey View holiday cottage
The garden wall is a typical Yorkshire stone wall, standing 78cm high with wire mesh fencing on the outer side. Teddy never tried to climb or jump over it, but it depends on your dog’s personality and breed. You can see in the image, a wooden gate leading to a field.
The decking area is perfect for sitting outdoors in warmer weather, with a wooden gate and fencing. However, the gaps between the poles are 18cm wide, so a Chihuahua-sized dog might slip through. And don’t forget to avoid letting your dog toilet on the wooden decking.
There is a shelter where the bins, logs and kindly are stored – Teddy would sometimes shelter here, perhaps as a reminder of his past as we have a photograph of him inside a similar construction in his home country.
A cluster of trees provides suitable shelter from the sun. Teddy loved to nestle beneath but equally loved frolicking and lying across the lawn.
Watch his #short: Teddy looking cute beneath the trees
Holidaying in Castleton and surrounding areas is wonderful, but it’s important to consider your dog’s safety, so I wanted to share these details about the garden setup.
If the height of the stone wall and the wooden fence are a concern, maintain the safety of your dog by considering the purchase of a heavy-duty dog tie-out spiral ground stake a tie-out cable, long enough to give freedom in the garden and access to shelter. It is ideal for sight-hounds in a location with sheep walking past.
Cheaper stakes are available in QD Stores and B&M, but choose strong quality products. You’ll find these products in camping stores.
Here are the choices of tie-out stake and cable:
- Amazon choice – Taylor & Brown heavy-duty tie-out cable and ground stake
- Hi Gear – spiral ground tether only and from Go Outdoors
- Trespaws – spiral ground spike and cable from Trespass
Overall, prices for the ground spike can start from £2.50 and the cable from around £6.
Indoors the Blakey View holiday cottage with your dog
The cosy property is perfect for two people and a 60kg dog! Teddy had plenty of space to snooze on the kitchen mats in the open-plan first floor.
The cottage features a charming spiral staircase.
Patio doors lead to the decking area, and the front door opens onto the quiet Ashfield Road, so if your dog is an escape artist, keep this in mind.
Wifi
The Wi-Fi name and password are provided in the cottage, making it easy to log on. The only mobile phone provider in the area is EE, and there’s no 4G coverage. If you don’t have a smartphone, there’s a public phone box on Castleton High Street. For those with smartphones, you can use Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp to message or call, but be sure to set up these accounts before your trip. Texts, calls, and sending photos are free using these apps.
On the Moors, there’s no service on most networks. In high-ground villages, the signal can be intermittent or non-existent. Emergency calls to 999 might go through, but I can’t confirm that. We had Vodafone and Sky and could only get service when back at the cottage or in villages on the lower ground.
It may be worth reading 7 Tips: How to Get a Mobile Signal in Poor Reception Areas at Pitchup Outdoors, a family camping website.
Heating
There is central heating, modern radiators, and a wood burner. The owners supply a large complimentary basket of kindling, logs, natural firelighters and matches to get your fire started. The cottage felt cold when we walked in – we holidayed in October – but by temporarily turning on the central heating and setting up the wood burner the cottage heated up within minutes.
2012 & 2022 prices for logs and kindling:
- Bag of logs £5
- Bag of kindling £4
- Put cash in the honesty box, although we didn’t find this so left the cash in the kitchen.
Alternatively, logs and kindling can be purchased at Co-Op for the same price.
Tips to keep your dog safe on holiday
I volunteer with Dog Lost North East, a Facebook group, and sadly, several dogs have gone missing while on holiday. For example, they may have disappeared from a garden, gone missing during a walk, or chased after an animal and gotten lost. Lexi and Archie both vanished while on holiday, and Shadow ran off scared on the Moors. It’s not only heartbreaking for the owner, but it also reduces the chances of the dog surviving.
Follow Lexi on Facebook: Help find Lexi the Chow Chow missing in Cornwall – disappeared from a holiday home garden
Follow Archie on Facebook: Help find Archie the Spring Spaniel missing in Cheshire – disappeared from a holiday minder
Follow Shadow on Facebook: Help find Shadow the Husky missing Whitwell Moors, South Yorkshire – disappeared on a walk
Watch the Video: Real-life stories of long-time missing pets
There are several dangers for dogs to be aware of, such as heatstroke, railway fatalities, dehydration, drowning in rivers or the sea, getting lost in the expansive Moors landscape, going underground through rabbit holes, and the risk of road traffic accidents. There’s also the danger of being shot if your dog worries sheep, as discussed in my article on this topic. All of these hazards can be fatal for your dog, and it’s not worth the heartbreak. It’s important to keep your dog on a lead to keep them safe.
Watch the Video: Warning – Pets can overheat in as little as 20 degrees
Let’s summarise with things to consider:
- Always keep your dog on a lead in new environments – the lead must be strong enough to accommodate your dog’s weight and size
- A harness with a double-ended lead attached offers extra security
- Are free-roaming sheep, cattle or horses located where you holiday?
- Do sheep, cattle or horses roam or routinely walk near the garden?
- Do horse riders pass frequently?
- Do you own a sighthound, or a Border Collie prone to lunging?
- Does the accommodation have safe fencing and is it high enough?
- Ensure the microchip details are up-to-date and include a secondary contact number for someone you trust. PetDatabase is free and supported by Dog Lost UK
- Did you call the microchip company and register the chip with your details after implantation? If you didn’t it is classed as an ‘unregistered chip’ and the company cannot contact you if your lost pet is found
- Is your dog wearing an ID tag? Remote areas may not have a local veterinary practice for scanning a chip. Calling you is a quicker way of being reunited
- Ensure your dog has an ID tag with holiday accommodation postcode
- Remember, remote areas won’t have a mobile signal
- Ensure the garden has shelter from the sun for your dog
- Remember the impact of full sun when out during the day – hot concrete, grass, tarmac, sand, and even in the pub garden or patio can burn paw pads
- Pack a familiar blanket or toy to comfort your dog
Key Takeaways:
- Blakey View & Blakey Bothy are dog-friendly
- Many locations have dog-friendly pubs
- Booking a dog can cost as little as £20 for up to a week
- Your dog’s safety is paramount
- Keep your dog on a lead during walks
- Ensure the accommodation has an escape-proof garden or invest in a tether and long lead
- Ensure the garden has shelter from the sun
- Be observant of areas with free-roaming sheep
- Be observant of rabbit holes – dogs have been known to crawl in and get lost
Based on a holiday at Blakey View in 2021 and 2022