Pet Friendly Cottages St Ives

If you’re searching for a pet friendly cottage in St Ives you’ve come to the right place. As dog owners ourselves we’re all too familiar with the conundrum of finding the perfect dog friendly property, especially in a town as popular as St Ives. Which is why our portfolio of self-catering cottages includes so many that do welcome your canine family members.

Pet Friendly St Ives

Nothing feels more quintessentially Cornish than the beautiful harbour town of St Ives. With its winding streets and wide sea views this really is a magical place. Some say it’s the light; intense, pure, pristine…perhaps from the combination of sparkling granite, golden sands and turquoise sea. Other say it’s the atmospheric Downalong coupled with lovely shops, independent art galleries and amazing eateries.

A town for all seasons, we’d say that you and your dogs will enjoy St Ives best during less busy times when there’s a lot more space. You can wander the cobbled streets and enjoy a good sniff (your dogs not you!) around the town without too much traffic or bustle, and Christmas time is a particularly enchanting period to visit. Having said that however, no summer family holiday would be complete without the four-legged members so a house with a secure garden where they can stretch their legs is even better.

Dog friendly beaches in St Ives

Settled into the coastline of St Ives Bay, the town boasts many beautiful beaches, among which are Porthmeor which is overlooked by the Tate St Ives Gallery, and the award-winning Porthmister which is perfect for families. The smallest sandy crescent in the area is Porthgwidden and right next to it is the dog-friendly beach of Bamaluz where your four-legged furballs are permitted all year round.

Another terrific option is the not very well-know Lambeth Walk Beach which sits between the RNLI station and Porthminster Beach. You’ll have to check the tide times for this one because at high tide there’s virtually no beach at all, however when the water’s out it develops into a sandy beach which links up the harbour and Porthminster, and dogs are welcomed here all year round.

Best dog walks in St Ives

If you don’t mind hopping in the car, the wonderful Porthkidney Sands lies just 2 miles, or 15 minutes’ drive from St Ives and is, in our opinion, one of the best dog-friendly beaches in all of Cornwall. Resting to the west of the mouth of the Hayle Estuary, the sands cover a vast area, especially at low tide and are backed by dunes, so there’s plenty of exploring to be done by both you and your dogs.

With much of the South West Coast Path’s 630 miles spanning the Cornish coastline, it stands to reason that there are some fantastic dog-friendly walks in the area. We like our walks to be scenic and the walk from St Ives to Carbis Bay most certainly fulfils the brief. This easy walk runs above the railway line and delivers some fairly spectacular views over St Ives Bay and its coastline. You’ll pass a small medieval chapel and a fishermen’s hut, as well as shipwrecks and railways.

Next up is the 4.5 mile walk from St Ives to Lelant which plots its course along the railway line high above St Ives Bay. The route is known for its rare wildflowers, migratory bird species and takes in scenes of countryside and coastline.

All in all St Ives is a wonderful place to spend your holidays, and if your pooch is in on the fun, then even better.