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World Walkies
The River Ouse in York on a sunny day, with a tour boat heading for Lendal Bridge, narrowboats moored on the left and a tree-lined riverside path on the right

North Yorkshire

Dog-friendly York

Photo: mattbuck, CC BY-SA 4.0

You can walk your dog along the River Ouse on the Millennium Bridge loop, past Rowntree Park, or out over the Knavesmire to Bishopthorpe. In town, the Old White Swan, Harkers, the Shambles Tavern and the bar and terrace at Star Inn The City all let them in.

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Where to stay in York with a dog

4 hotels, inns and B&Bs and 6 cottages and holiday lets that take dogs, each with its dog charge and limits.

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Where to stay

Our picks: the places most welcoming to dogs.

  • Hotel · Minster

    The Dean Court

    Dog charge: £15 per night (covers up to two dogs when booked direct)

    A hotel facing York Minster across Duncombe Place, with a pub downstairs. There are dog rooms in every room category.

    Check prices

  • Hotel · Station

    The Milner York

    Dog charge: £30 per dog per night

    A big Victorian railway hotel next to York station, with its own gardens for a morning walk. You can eat with your dog all day in the Swollen Gambler and the Garden Room.

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  • Hotel · Minster

    Galtres Lodge Hotel

    Dog charge: £15 per dog per night

    A small hotel on Low Petergate, near the Minster, with the Forest restaurant downstairs. The dog rooms are near the front door, and the river walks are a few minutes away.

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York with a dog

York is a walled city on the River Ouse, with the Minster at its centre and narrow medieval streets such as the Shambles and Stonegate around it. The station is just outside the walls, about half a mile from the Minster, and the river runs through the middle of town.

The best dog walks follow the river: south to the Millennium Bridge and Rowntree Park, or further on across the Knavesmire to Bishopthorpe. Out of town, the National Trust's Beningbrough Hall has parkland paths by the Ouse.

Pubs and cafes

All 14 dog-friendly pubs and cafes in York

Dog walks

  • Millennium Bridge riverside loop · 2 miles

    A circular riverside walk south of the centre: down the River Ouse on New Walk, over the Millennium Bridge and back up the other bank on Terry Avenue. Rowntree Park, with its lake and cafe, is just off the path.

  • Bishopthorpe and the Knavesmire · 5.75 miles, or a 3-mile short cut

    A City of York Council walk from the library on Bishopthorpe's Main Street, out along the Trans Pennine Trail, across the Knavesmire past the racecourse and old Terry's chocolate works, and back along the River Ouse by the Archbishop's Palace. There are two stiles, and the 11 and 11A buses run to Bishopthorpe.

  • Beningbrough parkland

    The National Trust's Georgian hall north-west of York, by the River Ouse. Dogs are welcome on the parkland paths and in the gardens, and at the tables at the back of the restaurant, its outdoor seats and the shop.

The journey

Getting to York with a dog

The nearest station is York.

You can take your dog on the train to York for free: National Rail allows up to two per passenger. Keep them on a lead or in a carrier on the train and at stations.

York station is on Station Road, just outside the city walls and about half a mile from the Minster. The Milner hotel is next door.

The council runs car parks around the centre, including Marygate by Museum Gardens, Monk Bar, Bootham Row, Castle and Nunnery Lane.

Map of dog-friendly places in York

S = stay, B = beach, P = pub or cafe, W = walk start. Hover over or tap a pin to see its card.

Show as a list

Pubs and cafes

Good to know

  • York's city walls are closed to dogs, apart from assistance dogs. You can follow the line of the walls from the pavement below instead.
  • Keep your dog on a lead in Rowntree Park.
  • At Beningbrough, keep your dog on a short lead in the gardens and on the paths in the parkland. The hall and the play area are off limits to dogs.
  • On National Trust land, use a short lead around sheep. If cattle come towards you, let go of the lead and call your dog back once it's safe.
  • At the Treasurer's House behind the Minster, dogs can visit the small garden on a short lead, through the garden gate opposite Dean's Park, but not the house or cafe.

Quick answers about York with a dog

Is York dog friendly?
Yes. You can walk your dog along the River Ouse and over the Millennium Bridge, eat with them in pubs such as the Old White Swan and Harkers, and stay with them at hotels by the Minster and the station. They travel free on the train to York, too.
Can dogs go on York's city walls?
No. Only assistance dogs are allowed on the walls walkway. You can follow the walls on foot from the pavement below.
Where can I walk my dog in York?
Along the River Ouse: the Millennium Bridge loop is a 2-mile circuit on New Walk and Terry Avenue, close to Rowntree Park. For a longer walk, the council's Bishopthorpe route crosses the Knavesmire and comes back along the river.
Can I take my dog on the train to York?
Yes, for free. Keep them on a lead or in a carrier on the train and at stations. York station is just outside the city walls, about half a mile from the Minster.