Visiting Powis Castle and Garden with your dog

A small white dog sat at a café table — Enjoy a bite to eat together outside the Courtyard Café | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

If you’re bringing your dog to Powis Castle and Garden, it’s important to know when and where you can visit beforehand. Discover where you can stop for a bite to eat with your four-legged friend, and the quieter times of year that the garden opens up to our dog visitors.

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.

Powis Castle and Garden 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 I take my dog from March to October?

From March to October dogs are welcome in the car park and in the main courtyard. Here you will find outdoor tables where you and your four-legged friends can enjoy refreshments from the Courtyard Café. Please note, dogs are not permitted inside.

Unfortunately, dogs cannot access the garden during these busier months. If you are unsure, please speak with the visitor welcome team.

A dachshund wearing a purple checked coat, on the lead, with autumn leaves on the grass around it, at Bodnant Garden, North Wales — Discover when and where to walk your dog at Powis Castle and Garden | © National Trust Images/Emma Baxendale

Visiting during the winter

Dogs on leads and their well-behaved owners are welcome to explore acres of beautifully kept garden during the winter months.

From 1 November to 28 February, you and your dog can explore the woodland, stroll through the Edwardian Garden, or find a quiet spot on the Italianate Terraces to admire long views across the Severn Valley.

Assistance dogs

Any indoor spaces are restricted to assistance dogs only.

Leaving your dog

For the comfort of your dog and other visitors, please don’t tie up your dog and leave them alone. If you need some help, just ask.

Enjoy a cuppa together

Treat yourself to a drink and slice of cake during your visit. You’ll find lots of tables outside the Courtyard Café where you can enjoy a bite to eat with your four-legged friends - all whilst admiring a beautiful view of the castle. Please note, dogs are not permitted inside.

The wider estate at Powis Castle and Garden

Please note that the wider Powis Estate and deer park are not owned by the National Trust and we ask you respect the landowner’s wishes by not taking your dog on their land.

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