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Ross-on-Wye, renowned for its huge variety of countryside walks on its doorstep, is proud to be a dog-friendly town and with National Pet Month running until the beginning of May, we thought it as good a time as any to highlight where you can safely take your four legged friend if you’re visiting the town. Ross on Wye Tourism Association, in conjunction with Ross-on-Wye Town Council, has launched its first digital dog-friendly guide which gives you all the information you need to enjoy your stay.
In and around the town, many retailers have signed up for the Ross Tourism Association’s ‘We Welcome Dogs‘ campaign and are displaying the purple stickers in their shop front windows showing that they are happy for you to bring your pooch with you onto their premises. To date, over 34 shops and services have signed up to the scheme, 14 pubs and bars and nearly a dozen cafés.
Shops & businesses
From women’s boutiques to estate agents, hairdressers to galleries & gift shops, many local businesses are very happy for you to bring your dog with you if you’re having a browse around their shop or even having a haircut. Urchin’s Gallery and Hair Perfection in Crofts Lane are the latest businesses to sign up to the scheme and the latter is very happy for you to bring your furry friend along whilst you enjoy a cut and blow dry.
Sue Williams, below, Chair of the Ross Business Association, is always very happy to welcome you and your four legged friend into her Gallery 54 on the High Street (although expect to be checked over by chief security officer Lulu)!
Eating out
Most cafés and pubs are dog-friendly and many have outdoor spaces where you can relax in a dog-friendly environment. Try Truffles Delicatessen‘s Secret Garden behind the shop which is a lovely little area to enjoy a sandwich and coffee in peace, or Thorn’s Coffee Lounge in Croft Court, where there is plenty of space on their outdoor terrace.
All of the pubs and bars listed in the new digital dog-friendly guide have outside spaces, perfect for enjoying a post-walkie pint. The Royal Hotel has a wonderful large terrace and gardens overlooking the River Wye with plenty of space to stretch out, or the Man of Ross Inn at the top of Wye Street is perfect for watching the sun set on one of their outside tables.
On the riverside, a stone’s throw away from town, the pub and restaurant at The Hope and Anchor is entirely dog-friendly. In winter, the cosy wood burner is perfect after a long muddy walk and in the summer, there are plenty of seats and benches outside to enjoy the view over the Wye. Just across the bridge at Wilton, you’ll find the lovely dog-friendly White Lion pub (below), where you can enjoy dinner or lunch inside the pub or outside in its beautiful beer garden, surrounded by pretty hanging baskets and views of Wilton Bridge and wildlife.
Walkies
The local Walking in Ross group has identified five dog-friendly walks in and around Ross (or at a short drive away), which are mostly flat and without any stiles to navigate, and these can be found on their website here (look for the ‘Dog Friendly’ symbol). Walk #1, Beside the Wye, is a lovely mostly flat 6 mile walk following the River Wye through riverside meadows with views over Ross and towards May Hill, returning via Brampton Abbotts. As well as the popular accessible town centre Buggy Route, other dog-friendly walks will take you to Bridstow, Symonds Yat and Peterstow, all stile-free and with pubs before or after if you fancy a break. The Yew Tree Inn at Peterstow, below, has a very large outside space, perfect for children and dogs.
And whilst we’re on the subject of walkies, Natural England has published The Countryside Code which provides useful guidance for visitors and has highlighted a few rules that you should follow to enjoy parks, waterways, coast and countryside. It is important that dogs are kept on leads around farmland and livestock or wildlife and are always kept in sight, under control and most importantly, dog owners should always pick up dog litter and dispose of in one of the many public dog poo bins or take it home with you.
Accommodation
Whether you’re looking for an hotel or B&B or prefer the freedom of self-catering, camping, glamping or caravanning, there’s plenty of dog-friendly accommodation in and around Ross-on-Wye. The two main hotels in the centre of town, The Royal and The King’s Head Hotel, have dog-friendly rooms – just ask when booking. There are also lots of self-catering cottages and houses nearby as well as the main touring park, Broadmeadow, located in a picturesque area next to a lake just 5 minutes’ walk from the town centre – check out the ‘Stay‘ section in the guide for more ideas.
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