Visiting Trelissick with your dog

Visitor walking with his dog on the beach at Trelissick, Cornwall in winter | © National Trust Images/Hilary Daniel

The countryside estate is dog-friendly with parkland, woodland, shoreline and beach to explore. There’s opportunity for a brisk exercise or longer walks to the water’s edge.

Dogs in the garden at Trelissick

Trelissick is a two pawprint rated place and, new to 2025, we are so excited to welcome you and your dogs into the garden here at Trelissick. Don't forget to bring a short, fixed lead (or be prepared to swap to one of ours) to enter the garden and please keep paws on paths throughout the garden.

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.

Trelissick 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 I take my dog at Trelissick?

The large estate outside the garden has miles of woodland walks and open countryside for you and your dog to enjoy. Dogs on short leads are welcome in the garden, keeping paws on paths.

Please be aware that only assistance dogs are allowed in the house and across the bridge into Carcaddon. You can also take your dog into Trelissick shop and Crofters cafe courtyard.

Please keep your dog on a lead when around the car park, main property and in the parkland, all dogs in the garden must be on a short lead. Dogs need to be kept under effective control on the beach and woodland walks.

Cattle are currently grazing in the parkland, please maintain effective control where livestock are present. 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.

Visitors walking their dogs in the garden at Sizergh, Cumbria — Visitors walking their dogs in the woodland | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Dog walking highlights

Enjoy a short stroll across the parkland that overlooks the estuary and sea with views as far as your eye can see. Or, take a longer a trek down through the trees to Roundwood Quay.

This more strenuous walk will take you through historic parkland, along an oak-fringed creek. Stop to play with your pooch near the timber framed bridge before reaching the 18th-century quay at Roundwood. You'll find wonderful views, historic landscape and wildlife galore.

Four adults and two dogs sit at a table under wisteria outside of a café, drinking coffee — Visitors enjoy refreshments outdoors at Crofters Café at Trelissick, Cornwall | © National Trust Images/Hilary Daniel

Refreshments

After all that exertion why not pop into the café and enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of homemade cake? The outside courtyard area is dog-friendly with water bowls and outdoor seating.

During bad weather we open an indoor seating area where dogs and owners can relax out of the rain and the chill.

What facilities are there for dogs at Trelissick?

Dog water bowls are provided in the café courtyard area. Additional water bowls are located at the entrance to the parkland. Dog bins are located at the entrance to the parkland by the car park.

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