Glastonbury Town for Dog Lovers

Updated September 2020

Jill from Middlewick Cottages suggested I write about Glastonbury for dog lovers. To be honest it’s not something I’ve thought about much, not having had a canine companion since I was a kid. To fill in the gaps in my knowledge I thought I’d conduct a thorough journalistic enquiry, in other words, I put up a post on the Normal For Glastonbury Facebook page asking “Dog lovers – how dog-friendly would you say Glastonbury is? Are there any places you go to because you can take your dog?”

I accompanied the post with a photograph I took of the lovely Golden Retriever Bailey, who lives in the hardware shop A.W.G Curtis and Son in Benedict Street. This may have been a mistake as most of the posts waxed lyrical about how lovely Bailey was, some even submitted their own photographs of him, which confirmed that Glastonbury people do love dogs or at least Bailey in particular, but didn’t do much to answer my question.

Tor Webster, Glastonbury Tor Guide, commented “(Glastonbury is) extremely dog-friendly. Nettle My High Beastess of the Glastonbury Doggess Chapel is welcomed and fed biscuits in many cafes and shops.”

One Normal For Glastonbury reader commented: “One of the reasons I felt I could take on a rescue dog was that Glasto is so dog-friendly. Wolfie and I had tons of help to make him feel safe, and he went from being the most anxious dog I have ever seen when I got him and now he charms his way through the High Street and knows exactly where water bowls are and treats to be had”.

Several people mentioned that they find Glastonbury very welcoming in general to dogs, with most of the pubs allowing dogs in, if only to certain areas.

Through that question on Facebook and a bit more research I did learn that the following places welcome dogs.

Pubs that welcome dogs:

• King Arthur
• King William
• Who’d A Thought It
• Riflemans Arms
• Hawthorns Hotel
• The George and Pilgrim Inn

Cafes that Welcome Dogs:

• The Winking Turtle Cafe
• Knight’s Fish Restaurant Est. 1909 are happy for behaved dogs to sit in the restaurant or the outside courtyard if the weather allows.
• The Blue Note Cafe
• The Mocha Berry often has dogs outside.
• Cafe Sol in Monarch Way off the High Street

Shops that Welcome Dogs:

• Steve & Jans Mini Emporium in the Gauntlet love to have doggy visitors.
• Shaw Trust Charity Shop welcome dogs and always have a water bowl outside.
• The Cancer Research Shop also has a dog bowl, and biscuits.
• Stoneage in the Glastonbury Experience Courtyard welcome dogs and always have a bowl of fresh water outside
• Facets of Avalon are very dog friendly
• Wildwood enjoy their doggie visitors, always have fresh water and doggie treats available
• All the doggie accessories you could ever want at A Place 2 Paws. Unit 8 Abbey Mews just off Glastonbury High Street

Good Places for Doggy Snacks

• Tor Pets at 68 High Street for everything you could need for your pet
• Steve the Butchers on the Market Place for beefy snacks
• Burns the Bread mini pasties are a popular doggie treat

Attractions that welcome dogs

Glastonbury Abbey’s website informs us that “Dogs are welcomed provided they are kept on short leads at all times. We request this as we have badgers, squirrels and ducks on site. Two ‘dog loos’ can be found within the grounds and plastic bags can be obtained from the ticket office if needed. In summer a water bowl is provided by St. Patricks Chapel”.

Lisa says “The White Spring welcome dogs on leads with a human on the other end of course … you have to specify sometimes …. we welcome horses too and have had one right inside the building drinking from the central pool”

You can, of course, walk your dog up Glastonbury Tor, probably best not to take the advice on this website too seriously.

There are places on the Avalon Marshes where you can walk your dog, there’s a handy map and guide to download here.

Accommodation for dogs and their humans

A number of B&B’s and campsites welcome dogs, Abbot’s Leigh Bed and Breakfast are very dog friendly, provide luxurious accommodation and have a resident pug called Butters.

You’ll get a particularly warm welcome from Middlewick Holiday Cottages. You can read a review from a doggie perspective here.

More posh camping for pampered pooches is available at Old Oaks Touring and Glamping Park, where they even have doggie showers. I believe the Isle of Avalon Touring park also welcome pets, as does Glastonbury Travelodge and the Moon in the Apple Tree B&B too.

If you are in Glastonbury and you need help walking your dog talk to the nice people at Glastonbury Dog Walkers.

Do you welcome dogs in your Glastonbury cafe, shop, pub, whatever? Or have you had an experience you want to share about bringing your dog to town? Please comment below or on the  Normal for Glastonbury facebook page.