Visiting Tyntesfield with your dog

A small white dog walking on a muddy path — Dogs are welcome at Tyntesfield | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Whether you're a local who visits regularly or a visitor from further afield, we welcome all types of dogs and their owners at Tyntesfield. With miles of paths to explore, trees to sniff and grass to roll in, your four-legged friend is sure to have a great visit.

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.

Tyntesfield is a two pawprint rated place.

These places have water bowls, dog bins and dog-friendly walks. You’ll be able to take your dog into some areas, but not everywhere. If there’s a food and beverage outlet, you can have a cup of tea with them, probably outside. Read on to discover exactly where you can take your dog.

Where can my dog go?

Please keep your dog on a short lead wherever you are on the estate. Dogs are able to expore almost everywhere on the estate at Tyntesfield. This includes:

The large lawn areas, great for rolling
Shaded woodland including Truckle woods
The estate walks
Orchards with tree sniffing opportunities
Parkland for wide open spaces
Paradise, an area full of trees from around the world
Home farm visitor centre, where there's a dog-friendly section in the Cow Barn Café.
The car park

Assistance dogs are welcome across the house, garden, and estate all year round. Please make sure they're wearing their identity harness.

Where can't my dog go?

Some more sensitive areas of the estate are dog-free areas, due to conservation or planting. The dog-free areas are clearly marked on the walking routes map, which you can view on arrival.

These include:

Historic buildings on the estate, such as the house
The Walled Garden

What facilities are available for dogs?

Water bowls can be found in the Home Farm are, which includes the café and shop outlet. You’ll also find water bowls at the Pavilion café near the kitchen garden.

What do I need to be aware of?

Help keep Tyntesfield enjoyable for everyone and safe for nature by keeping your dog on a short lead. There are livestock, small children, and occasionally estate vehicles moving around.

Tyntesfield is a haven for plants and wildlife, and dogs roaming off the path mean that plant diseases which may be brought in are more easily spread. By keeping your dog on a lead, on the paths, you can help us protect the fascinating things that grow at Tyntesfield.

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.