Land’s End to Polperro with the Pup

A lot of people hate to leave their dogs at home when it comes time for vacation. You spend so many hours away from your pet while at work and running errands, so wouldn’t it be great if you could take a holiday with your furry loved one? One option for a pet friendly holiday is The South West Coast Path in England.

There are four official guidebooks and it is highly recommended that you purchase one before starting your trek.   One route that you could take, if you have two weeks for a walking vacation with your dog, is Land’s End to Polperro. There are pet friendly Polperro holiday homes, so you can have a good night’s sleep after your journey before heading back.

PolperroThe distance between Land’s End and Polperro is 209km. The average walking speed of a healthy adult is 4.5 km/hr. If you allow for ten days of travel, that is about five hours of walking a day which leaves you plenty of time for exploring the many exciting things along the path.

You can hire a company to carry your baggage from town to town. So the only things you will need to carry on your back are your guidebook, snacks for you and your dog, a bowl for water, a cell phone, a basic first aid kit, and anything else you might want. You can also get backpacks for dogs so your dog can help carry a few things too. Your dog will need to be kept on a leash most of the time for its own safety, so make sure you have a leash. Some beaches will allow dogs as long as they are on a leash, but some have special hours in which your pup can run as free as a bird. Make sure to check up on the beach before heading out as some don’t allow dogs at all.

Land’s End is at the most western tip of England as the name would suggest. Make sure you take a walk along the cliffs before starting out on your journey. You can stock up on supplies here if you need to as well.

There are almost fifty small towns between Land’s End and Polperro. Each one has its own unique things to offer. There are miles of beaches that have paths down from the trail, pubs to reenergize yourself at, and different historical venues in each town. Or you can just avoid the towns and stick to the trail that winds along beautiful scenery with different kinds of rocks, plunging cliffs, and spectacular ocean views. You can plan your trip out in detail, or go with the wind. You might fancy a town and want to stay a bit longer.

Polperro is a great destination for the active walker and their walking companion. The town doesn’t allow any cars as the streets are quite narrow. There are a few interesting things to do there as well such as The Shell House, The War Memorial and the Polperro Heritage Museum of Fishing and Smuggling, or you can just spend your day relaxing on the beach after your long walk.