Visiting Quebec House with your dog

Our pawprint rating system

We’ve been working on making it easier for you to find out how dog-friendly your visit will be before you and your four-legged friend arrive. To help with this, we've created a new pawprint rating system and given all the places in our care a rating. You can find this information in the National Trust members’ handbook.

Quebec House is a one pawprint rated place.

Dogs are welcome here, but facilities are limited. They’ll be able to stretch their legs in the car park and walk in the nearby open spaces, depending on the season. Read on to discover exactly where you can take your dog.

Where can my dog go at Quebec House?

You are more than welcome to bring your dog to the garden at Quebec House, although we please ask you to always keep them on a short lead due to the small nature of the garden, and nearby main road.

What facilities are available for dogs?

There is a water bowl by the second-hand bookshop. There are no dog waste bins available at Quebec House itself. The nearest dog waste bin is in the main council car park, which is a short walk down the road. Please do not use the general waste bins provided in the garden for dog waste.

Please keep our garden clean and safe for everyone to enjoy by picking up after your dog.

What do I need to be aware of?

Assistance dogs only are allowed in the main house and Coach House.

Quebec House is a tenanted property with a young family who you may meet on your visit.

What about a longer walk?

There is a 2-mile walk from the centre of Westerham, which will take you and your dog through the local countryside to Chartwell. Pick up the start of the walk by the statue of Winston Churchill on the village green, which is just a short stroll from Quebec House, and you should be at Chartwell in around an hour.

The Canine Code

We’ve worked with our partner Forthglade to come up with this Canine Code, which helps to make sure everyone can enjoy their day:

• Keep them close: using a short lead helps to keep your dog from disturbing ground-nesting birds and farm animals. It's essential to use a short lead around sheep. But if cattle approach you, it's best to let your dog off the lead, and call them back when it's safe to do so.
• Pick up the poo: please always clear up after your dog. If you can't find a bin nearby, take the poo bags home with you.
• Watch the signs: keep an eye on local signs and notices wherever you're walking. They'll tell you if a beach has a dog ban, for instance, or if a path has been diverted, or if you're in an area where dogs can run off-lead.
• Stay on the ball: remember that not everyone loves dogs, and some people fear them. So make sure your dog doesn't run up to other people, especially children.

Keeping control of your dog

Our definition of close or effective control is: ​

• Being able to recall your dogs in any situation at the first call
• Being able to clearly see your dog at all times (not just knowing they have gone into the undergrowth or over the crest of the hill). In practice, this means keeping them on a footpath if the surrounding vegetation is too dense for your dog to be visible
• Not allowing them to approach other visitors without their consent
• Having a lead with you to use if you encounter livestock or wildlife, or if you are asked to use one