Bringing your dog to Sheringham Park

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.

Sheringham Park 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 at Sheringham Park?

Dogs are welcome in the woodland, parkland and clifftop areas.

Where can’t my dog go?

Only assistance dogs are allowed in the Bower Garden, as families and school parties use this area for a variety of activities. There's a dog post outside where you can secure your dog while you go in to see the wildflower meadow, sensory garden and wildlife pond.

What do I need to be aware of at Sheringham Park?

Cattle

Signage will indicate where cattle are grazing. In the unlikely event of cattle chasing you, it’s safer to let your dog off the lead.

Adders

Please keep an eye out for adders between February and November – you might see them basking in the sun, especially early in the day. 

Ticks and Lyme disease

Ticks are tiny, spider-like creatures found in woodland and heath areas. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks. Please be sure to check yourself and your dog for ticks after your walk.

Ground-nesting birds

Between 1 March and 31 July, dogs must be kept on a lead throughout Sheringham Park. This is to protect ground-nesting birds that call Sheringham Park their home.

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

Facilities for your dog 

Drinking bowls and hitching posts are provided around the visitor centre. Dogs on leads are welcome in the Courtyard Café, where they can join you as you choose a drink or snack to take away.

Everyone knows how unpleasant dog mess is, so please help Sheringham Park remain a beautiful place by bagging it and binning it. You’ll find bins along the Main Drive and close to the car park, or feel free to take any waste home with you and dispose of it there.

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.