Planning a walk with your dog and want a pint at the end? Dog friendly pubs in Cornwall are easy to find, and many sit close to a coastal walk. Call ahead for tables, and keep your dog on a lead.
For the wider picture, read the overview of cornish pubs on this site.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Padstow to Harlyn Bay walk | 6.9 miles |
| Cawsand to Whitsand Bay walk | 5.2 miles |
| Poldhu to Mullion Cove walk | 4 miles |
| The Cornish Arms, St Merryn | Dogs welcome on leads |
| The Gurnard’s Head, near Zennor | Booking a dog friendly table may be needed |
| Charlestown beach | Dogs not allowed |
These figures come from Visit Cornwall’s dog friendly pubs with great walks and five favourite dog walks pages. Distances and pub policies can change, so check the source and the pub before you rely on them.
What makes a pub properly dog friendly
A pub that tolerates dogs is not the same as one that welcomes them. The clearest sign is a bowl of water and a biscuit at the bar. Visit Cornwall says that at The Working Boat in Falmouth there’s usually a biscuit and a bowl of water waiting for four-legged friends, according to its pub list.
House rules still differ from one pub to the next. These three examples show the range:
- The Cornish Arms, St Merryn: dogs are welcome on leads, says Visit Cornwall.
- The Mexico Inn, Penzance: dogs are welcome in the bar and the restaurant, but in the restaurant only on a lead, according to Paws & Stay.
- The Pandora Inn, near Restronguet Creek: a Toad Hall Cottages blog post dated July 11, 2019 says well-behaved hounds are welcome into the downstairs bar area.
Ask whether your dog can come into the restaurant as well as the bar, because the answer is not always the same.
Dog friendly pubs on the north coast and in Penwith
The north coast and the far west pair rugged paths with old stone inns. Use the list below as a starting point, then check each pub’s dog policy before you set off.
- The Gurnard’s Head, near Zennor: Visit Cornwall calls it an award winning pub with excellent dog friendly credentials, and says you may need to book and reserve one of the dog friendly tables. Sawday’s places it just a field or two back from the coastal path.
- The Cornish Arms, St Merryn: the food is based on Rick Stein’s famous recipes, and the pub pours St Austell Brewery ales such as Tribute and Proper Job, Visit Cornwall reports. Sawday’s adds a wood-burner for winter and a huge garden for summer.
- Padstow: the Old Custom House Inn, the Shipwrights, the London Inn and the Old Ship Hotel are all listed as dog-friendly pubs on Visit Cornwall’s dog walks page.
- St Just: the same page names The Commercial and the King’s Arms as dog-friendly pubs.
- Port William Inn, Trebarwith Strand: it sits in the cliffs just above the sandy cove and welcomes dogs, per Visit Cornwall.
- The North Inn, Pendeen: the 2019 Toad Hall Cottages post says it welcomes a steady stream of walkers’ dogs and has a spacious beer garden.
Further along the coast, Visit Cornwall includes Driftwood Spars at St Agnes, which has three cosy bars with wood burning stoves. From the pub you can walk down to Trevaunance Cove, take the South West Coast Path west and climb St Agnes Beacon.
Near Newquay, Sawday’s points to the dog-friendly bar at the Plume of Feathers in Mitchell.
Dog friendly pubs on the south coast and the Lizard
The south coast trades big cliffs for harbours, creeks and sandy coves. Here are pubs worth a stop with a dog:
- The Working Boat, Falmouth: it sits on the waterfront under the Greenbank Hotel, and Visit Cornwall suggests a Sunday roast before or after a walk.
- Rashleigh Arms, Charlestown: a dog friendly bar that serves food, per Visit Cornwall.
- The Blue Peter Inn, Polperro: it stands on the South West Coast Path, and Paws & Stay mentions an apparently endless supply of treats behind the bar.
- The Old Inn, Mullion: listed as dog-friendly on Visit Cornwall’s dog walks page.
- The Rising Sun, Kingsand: one of several dog-friendly pubs in Kingsand and Cawsand, says Visit Cornwall.
- The Halzephron Inn, Gunwalloe: the 2019 Toad Hall Cottages post says it is always delighted to welcome well-behaved dogs.
- Fives Cyderhouse, Falmouth: Paws & Stay describes a warm welcome for the dogs.
If you want a view with your pint, the guide to pubs with sea views cornwall is a useful next read.
For a broader shortlist that is not only about dogs, see the guide to the best pubs in cornwall.
Matching pubs to walks
Visit Cornwall shares five dog walks recommended by the South West Coast Path, and each one mentions a dog-friendly pub nearby. The table below pairs the walks with those pub stops.
| Walk | Distance | Dog-friendly pub stop |
|---|---|---|
| King Arthur and the slate coast | 5 miles | Port William Inn |
| Padstow to Harlyn Bay | 6.9 miles | Old Custom House Inn, the Shipwrights, the London Inn, Old Ship Hotel |
| A twirl of the Cape | 4.8 miles | The Commercial, the King’s Arms |
| Poldhu to Mullion Cove | 4 miles | The Old Inn, Mullion |
| Cawsand to Whitsand Bay | 5.2 miles | The Rising Sun, Kingsand |
The distances come from Visit Cornwall’s five favourite dog walks. The Padstow route includes the dog friendly beaches at Harbour Cove and Hawker’s Cove, while Trebarwith Strand is dog-friendly throughout the year.
Check beach rules before you plan a post-walk pint. Visit Cornwall notes that dogs are not allowed on the beach at Charlestown, but suggests the Clay Trails north of St Austell as a dog-friendly alternative near the Rashleigh Arms.
Tips for taking your dog to a Cornish pub
A little planning keeps the visit relaxed for you, your dog and the other customers. Work through these steps:
- Call ahead. At The Gurnard’s Head you may need to reserve one of the dog friendly tables, so ring first if you can.
- Ask where dogs can go. Some pubs welcome dogs in both bar and restaurant, others only in the bar.
- Keep your dog on a lead. The Cornish Arms welcomes dogs on leads, and the Mexico Inn asks for a lead in its restaurant.
- Check the beach rules. Charlestown beach does not allow dogs, but Mullion Cove and Whitsand Bay are dog friendly through the year.
- Plan the route. Choose a walk that finishes at the pub rather than starting from it, so your dog arrives pleasantly tired.
Cliff paths need extra care. Classic Cottages notes there are over 300 miles of South West Coast Path to explore and recommends keeping dogs on a lead there.
Beaches can be part of the day too. Visit Cornwall lists Whitsand Bay as dog friendly all year round, so you can pair a paddle with a pub stop in Kingsand or Cawsand.
Frequently asked questions
Are dogs allowed in the restaurant area of Cornish pubs?
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It depends on the pub. Paws & Stay says The Mexico Inn welcomes dogs in the bar and the restaurant, but only on a lead, while a 2019 Toad Hall Cottages post limits dogs at the Pandora Inn to the downstairs bar. Ask when you ring.
Do I need to book a table with my dog?
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Sometimes. Visit Cornwall says you may need to book a place at The Gurnard’s Head and reserve one of the dog friendly tables, so call ahead if you can.
Can my dog go on the beach near the pub?
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Check each beach. Visit Cornwall says dogs are not allowed on Charlestown beach, while its dog walks page lists Mullion Cove as dog friendly throughout the year and Whitsand Bay as dog friendly all year round.
Which pub is closest to the coast path?
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The Blue Peter Inn in Polperro stands on the South West Coast Path, according to Paws & Stay. Sawday’s puts The Gurnard’s Head just a field or two back from the coastal path.
