Dog Friendly Walks and Pubs in the South Lakes — A Local's Guide from Old Hutton

There’s a particular problem with most “dog friendly Cumbria” guides: Cumbria is enormous. Saying a county the size of Cumbria is good for dogs is a bit like saying England is good for pubs — true, but not especially useful when you’re standing in Old Hutton wondering where to actually go this afternoon.

This is the local version. Everything below is genuinely close to The Hen House — much of it walkable from the door — rather than a county-wide list padded out with places an hour’s drive away.

What’s right outside the door

Before the car is even involved, there’s proper walking within easy reach of the cottage itself.

Millennium Wood is a short walk away and makes an easy loop without needing to get in the car at all — useful for a quick morning outing before breakfast or a last walk before bed.

The Helm is a small but distinctive hill near Oxenholme with a limestone summit and views out across the Lyth Valley. It’s a proper little walk rather than a token stroll, and the kind of thing most visitors to the area never discover because it doesn’t appear in the standard guidebooks.

Sedgwick village and the lanes around it make for gentle, flat walking — good for older dogs, or for an easy second walk later in the day.

Levens is a few minutes further and worth the short drive on its own — Levens Hall and its grounds sit alongside the river, and the village itself has one of the best pubs on this list (more on that below).

Easy walks worth the short drive

Once you’re happy to get in the car, the south Lakes opens up considerably. These are all genuinely close — most under half an hour — rather than the kind of “30 minutes” that quietly means 50.

Fell Foot, Newby Bridge — at the southern tip of Windermere, with flat lakeside paths, lawns running down to the water, and easy parking. One of the most relaxed places to let a dog swim.

Gummer’s How — a short, sharp climb above Fell Foot with a genuinely disproportionate view at the top across the full length of Windermere. Around 45 minutes return, making it ideal for a half-day outing.

Orrest Head — the walk that’s said to have converted Alfred Wainwright to fell walking for life, and it’s easy to see why. A short climb from Windermere town gives one of the best panoramic views in the southern Lakes for very little effort.

Tarn Hows — the National Trust’s most-visited beauty spot, and deservedly so. A well-surfaced circular path around the tarn, gentle enough for any dog, with views across the water to the central fells.

Kentmere — one of the quietest valleys in the eastern Lakes. No through road, very few visitors, and a lovely circular route up to the reservoir.

Longsleddale — even quieter than Kentmere, and almost entirely unknown outside the local area. A dead-end valley with a single road, excellent for a long, peaceful walk with almost no other people.

Ambleside park run — for the more energetic dog (and owner), there’s a dog-friendly 5k park run most Saturday mornings, around 30 minutes from the property. A proper way to start a weekend.

Dog-friendly pubs worth the detour

The Hare and Hounds, Levens — the closest genuinely excellent pub on this list, only minutes away. A 16th-century coaching inn with rooms, a beer garden, and a relaxed attitude to dogs and muddy boots that makes it the natural first stop after any of the walks above.

The Sun Inn, Kirkby Lonsdale — one of the best pubs in the north of England. Dogs welcome in the bar, exceptional food, and the town itself is worth a wander before or after.

The Royal Barn, Kirkby Lonsdale — home of Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery, with excellent sourdough pizzas and a properly relaxed, dog-filled atmosphere. A good lower-key alternative to The Sun Inn.

The Highwayman, Burrow — just south of Kirkby Lonsdale, a handsome old coaching inn with open fires and a genuinely warm welcome for dogs.

A note on the chickens

The Hen House takes its name seriously — there are chickens on site, and dogs should be kept calm and on a lead around them on arrival until everyone’s settled. Most dogs adjust within the first day, but it’s worth being aware of before you arrive, particularly if your dog has a strong prey drive.

A note on livestock more broadly

Much of the land around Old Hutton is working farmland. During spring lambing season (roughly March to May), keep dogs on leads near any field containing sheep — the countryside code is taken seriously here, and rightly so.

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