Visiting Seaton Delaval Hall with your dog

A woman holds her hand out to a girl in a yellow jumper holding a small black dog in Seaton Delaval Hall's grounds — Enjoy the grounds at Seaton Delaval Hall with your dog | © James Dobson

With plenty of ground to cover and lots of woodland to wander, Seaton Delaval Hall is the perfect place to walk your dog. Find out about dog walking at the Hall, including where you can go and what facilities are available.

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.

Seaton Delaval Hall 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?

Dogs are welcome in all outdoor areas of the property, except for the Delaval Playdium in the North West Woods. There is a dedicated dog-friendly seating area in the Brewhouse cafe.

You must keep your dog on a lead at all times. This is to keep the neighbouring farm animals safe and to make sure that all our visitors have an enjoyable day.

Assistance dogs are permitted everywhere at the property, both inside and out.

Where can’t my dog go?

Dogs aren’t allowed inside any of the buildings or in the Delaval Playdium play area of the North West Woods.

What do I need to be aware of at Seaton Delaval Hall?

Please take care around the edges of the grounds along the ha-ha walls as there are steep drops.

The south front with Haha at Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland — The south front with Haha at Seaton Delaval Hall | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

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

Facilities available for your dog

There are water bowls outside the visitor welcome area, the café kiosk, Brewhouse Café and summer house (when it’s open). You’ll find dog waste bins at the visitor welcome area and before the entrance to the North West Woods.

The Parterre Garden at Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland

Discover more at Seaton Delaval Hall

Find out when Seaton Delaval is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.

Plan your visit

We've partnered with natural pet food maker Forthglade so that you and your dog can get even more out of the special places we care for.

Visit website

Two visitors holding hands whilst walking their dog at Tarn Hows, Cumbria

Dog-friendly places to visit

Discover the best places for a dog walk, from coastal adventures and dramatic mountains to more leisurely walks near you. Plus, find information on dog-friendly cafés and read our Canine Code.

A visitor with their dog leaving the Muddy Paws café at Lyme Park, Cheshire

Article

Visiting National Trust places with your dog

If you’re bringing your dog(s) to the places we care for, you'll find information on our pawprint rating system and the Canine Code to help plan your visit.

A man sitting at a cafe table with two large dogs

Article

Best walks with dog-friendly cafés

Find a place to sit and relax with your dog after a good walk. Here's a selection of great walks with dog-friendly cafés at the end to round off the day.

A dog on the lawn with dog treats from the Forthglade range at Ickworth House, Suffolk

Article

How we're working with Forthglade for dog-friendly visits

We've partnered with natural pet food maker Forthglade to create the Dogs Welcome project, helping you and your dog(s) get the most out of the places in our care.

The North Front of Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland

Article

Things to do inside Seaton Delaval Hall

Uncover centuries of history and the story of the flamboyant and theatrical 'gay Delavals' in architect Sir John Vanbrugh's stunning buildings at Seaton Delaval Hall. Discover the dramatic scars of the fierce fires that nearly condemned it to ruin 200 years ago and see how the creativity and mischief has returned to this country house once more.