Dog Friendly

Dog Friendly Cottages at The Dovecote Barns

An Escape for You and Four-legged Friends.

At The Dovecote Barns, we cater for every member of the family. Welcoming up to 3 well behaved dogs onsite to enjoy the freedom of the countryside.

Whether you are visiting for a quiet couple’s break or hosting a grand family gathering, we’ve made provision for your stay to be as seamless as possible for you and your pooch.

Our barns are 18th century historic barn conversions so we are limited with outdoor secure spaces to let your dog off lead. However, we are surrounded by plenty of countryside space to explore and walk from the door.

Our Dog-Friendly Barns

We offer three beautifully renovated barns that welcome well-behaved dogs:

The Irishman’s Cottage: Romantic retreat with no stairs and open back patio (Sleeps 2).
The Dovecote: A cosy historic setting with enclosed patio garden (Sleeps 4).
The Hay Barn: For larger families with open back garden with open plan living up one flight of oak stairs (Sleeps 6).

If you have 2 dogs belonging to one family, please contact us, we can consider allowing more than one dog per barn.

Travelling as a Group?

When booking Exclusive Use of the entire site for up to 22 guests, we are happy to welcome up to three dogs into The Long Hall venue—the perfect way to keep the whole pack together during group dinners and celebrations. Please note – The Grand Barn remains unaccessible to dogs and young children.

Tail-Wagging Amenities

We aim to make your packing list a little lighter so we provide:

Freshly laundered blankets to cover furniture.
Comfortable dog mat bed and blanket.
Dog Bowl.
Access to cold water hose for washing off dirty paws.
Fresh towel for drying off after country walks.
Stairgate for Hay Barn (subject to availability – as living area is open plan on first floor with open access to stairs).

Pricing

Pricing

Short Breaks: £30 per dog.
Weekly Stays: £50 per dog.

One dog can be added during your online booking process, if you wish to have two dogs stay in one barn with you please contact us to discuss your needs.

Dog Chaperone

If you have a furry family member staying with you and want them to be part of your wedding day, there are dog chaperone services available, for example Jemma from ‘Paws and Promises‘

Explore the Surroundings

From the moment you arrive, we’ll walk you through:

Walks from the Door: Step straight out onto our family farm fields towards the local wood, walk the riverbank to cafes and pubs and there are wet weather walks nearby too.
The Grass Paddock: Located right onsite for quick relief and a breath of fresh air for your dog.
Local Dining: We’ll share our favourite dog-friendly restaurants and pubs in the surrounding area so you don’t leave your companion behind.
Dog Poo Bin: Say no more!

House Rules

To ensure the farm remains a peaceful environment for all our guests, we have a few house rule requests:

On-Lead Policy: Please keep your dogs on a lead whilst onsite to ensure they don’t disturb other guests.
Bedrooms – Allergy Free Zone: We ask that dogs stay in the living areas and kitchens only. Please do not let them into bedrooms or on furniture.
Number of Dogs Policy: We generally welcome one well-behaved dog per barn. However, if you have two dogs from the same family, please get in touch—we are often happy to make an exception!
Dogs Not Left Alone: Dogs must not be left alone in any barn, please contact us to discuss your individual circumstances.

Groups – The Long Hall

When you book Exclusive Use of the whole site for up to 22 guests, we allow up to 3 dogs into The Long Hall venue so that the whole group can come together. Please respect our rules regarding access to The Grand Barn.
Grand Barn Access: Strictly no dogs are allowed into the Grand Barn at any time. Groups taking ‘exclusive use‘ of the whole site have access externally to the Long Hall to allow the whole group to come together however the door that leads to the Grand Barn must be kept shut at all times.

Plenty of Countryside Walks

We are on-hand to guide you to both wet weather and dry weather walks from the door as well as local walks a short drive away.

‘We hired all the barns to celebrate 🥳 my partners 60th Birthday. There was 20 of us, staying in all the barns with a couple of Dogs. We took advantage of the recommended private chef based in the nearby village of Kelfield- they provided a fantastic meal for the Saturday evening. Brigita was a fantastic host- nothing was too much trouble. All the barns have been extremely tastefully renovated with high quality tasteful furnishings. We also took advantage of the BBQs on the Sunday. The location is a 20 minute walk from the pubs in Cawood and 10 mins from the Outlet and park & ride which takes you into York. Everyone has has had a brilliant weekend- what a fantastic place, a true hidden gem 💎 we will return.’

Helen M.

‘My husband and I would like to thank Brigita for a lovely stay at the Irishman’s Cottage. It was extremely well presented and equipped to a high standard. Excellent hot water in the delightful shower. Slept sound and comfortable so peaceful. We took our little dog who had a good first experience of riding on a bus to York and back which was very punctual and the driver extremely helpful. There were nice walks in the village too. We found some lovely places to eat, the best being The Rythre Arms which was on the information provided in the barn. The weather was good too with only 1 afternoon and evening of heavy rain but we made the most of the lovely little log burner and kept snug. What a delight to stay there, highly recommended.’

‘Stayed in some beautiful places, Dovecote is one, a great find 5 star accommodation spotlessly clean whilst visiting sunny Yorkshire, beautiful countryside very peaceful and lovely people and dog friendly which is a bonus.
A huge thank you to Brigita and her family for making us feel most welcome.
Love the history and admire this working farm which has been preserved to the highest of standards a truly beautiful place.’

Mel K.