Year round dog-friendly sandy beaches and restaurants, hotels and shops that welcome pooches with open arms and plenty of treats – is Wells-next-the-Sea the most dog-friendly town in the UK?
Eastlife’s hound, Fletcher, checks in for a super dog-friendly 24-hour getaway in North Norfolk.
Fletcher bounced through the doors of The Globe Inn, ready for his overnight escape in Norfolk’s seaside town of Wells-next-the-Sea.
I worried Fletcher’s enthusiastic screaming would get us kicked out before we’d even checked-in, however, instead, his squeals attracted loving affection from the kind staff. It was clear within moments that The Globe Inn treats dogs as a guest in their own right.
Set overlooking a pretty green, and a five minutes’ stroll from Wells Quay, the rustic gastropub is conveniently located for making the most of North Norfolk’s holiday hotspot.
The pub which has 19 rooms was acquired by The Chestnut Group and it recently underwent a major refurbishment firmly establishing itself as a go-to destination for locals and tourists, especially those with dogs in tow.
Wooden floors, exposed brick work and earthy colours set the tone and encourage visitors to kick back in plump armchairs with a drink in hand and dog by side. Artwork and decorative accessories give a nod to Norfolk’s fishing heritage. Staff welcome guests with a smile at the nooked check-in desk, a recent addition to the new interior layout.
Outside visitors can sit back at wooden tables in the sunshine and admire the grand Georgian houses or during summer months retire to the small roof terrace with festoon lighting.
I was eager to check out The Globe Inn’s dog-friendly credentials. Our room was spacious, painted dusky pink with Scandi-influenced furnishings, and included a wonderful welcome pack for Fletcher. A dog bed (great for space saving in the car), towel, ball, bowl, and treats were provided. Fletcher wasted no time tucking into the coconut, mango and fish treats.
Once unpacked, Fletcher, my husband and I headed to the beach for a long walk. It had been a while since Fletcher had his paws in the sand. He ran and jumped with pure excitement. A huge expansive white sand beach, Wells really is one of the best dog-friendly beaches in the UK.
Best enjoyed out of season if you want the extra space, but equally as beautiful in the height of summer, dogs and owners can enjoy long walks along the shoreline. Or if your pooch is like Fletcher, they can swim while you walk. Head towards Holkham beach and return via the pine forest for a six-mile circular walk.
The fresh sea air gave us an appetite and we stopped off at Bang Wells for a snack. The trendy bistro is dog-friendly, and they were happy to provide water for Fletcher.
For dinner, we booked a table at The Globe Inn. Dogs are welcome to dine with their owners in the restaurant. However, we left Fletcher in our room as he simply doesn’t have any restaurant etiquette. Dinner was delicious with hearty mains and fresh seafood dishes aplenty. I opted for the chefs special, a tasty sea bream with seasonal veg, but the highlight of the meal was the mussel chowder starter and insanely good chocolate bar dessert.
Feeling guilty that other doggy guests were accompanying their owners for dinner, we let Fletcher join us for dessert. Our waitress pawed over his cuteness and kept him entertained with his own bowl of treats. There is also the option of a dog menu which includes nutritional chews, low-calorie treats and alcohol-free doggy wine and beer. As expected, once he’d eaten his way through the treats, Fletcher decided to cause havoc; whining and trying to get the attention of other dogs. It was time to call it a night.
The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast in the restaurant, and returned to the room with leftovers for Fletcher. We picked up coffee from Ground in the town and browsed the cool interiors at BTOI, both dog friendly.
We finished our 24-hour getaway with another long beach walk and swim for Fletcher. We perched on the sand watching the seals bob up and down at low tide, while an oblivious Fletcher happily swam for over an hour.
We returned home with our belly and hearts full of Norfolk goodness.
Rooms at The Globe Inn start from £220 per night on a b&b basis in high season. Low season from £169. Dogs charged at £25 per dog.
