Christmas is the most magical time of the year. It’s the time to make plenty of memories, but we all know, it’s not without its stresses. Our busy lifestyle and Christmas activities can sometimes compromise the attention your pooch deserves during the festive season.
Your tail-wagging friend loves spending time with you and craves those special moments. By going taking a dog friendly Christmas holiday you have more time to create magic memories and continue building that special bond.
Christmas traditions with our extended family are always amazing, but this year, we were inspired to try something new. We made this Christmas all about the dogs with a week away in award-winning, dog friendly cottages, Old Lanwarnick, Cornwall.
This is a gifted holiday, but all our recommendations and opinions are honest and independent. We couldn’t have found a better place to spend our first Christmas away from home.
Arriving at Old Lanwarnick
It was late Christmas Eve’s, Eve when we arrived. Both bewildered after trying to find the hidden gem in the dark, and two tired travelled pooches. As soon as we opened the car door – a sigh of relief came over the two of us. We had finally arrived, and the site was a-glow with Christmas lights.
As we walked into our cosy Christmas cottage, the Honey Pot, we instantly felt festive, our dog friendly Christmas getaway had begun.
The real Christmas tree twinkled with lights and golden decorations. To our delight, a warming welcome pack and Christmas card were on the table. The pack was complete with fresh mince pies, mulled apple juice, Cornish clotted cream and disposable roasting trays. The icing on the cake for us? The Christmas selection box for the dogs complete with toys and treats.
The dogs welcome pack also had two towels, two dog bowls and a cosy blanket to snuggle. If that wasn’t enough, they also provided a comprehensive guide to the dog friendly places to visit nearby. Old Lanwarnick Cottages had gone above and beyond to give us the cosy Christmas break we had always dreamed of.
After we excitedly unpacked our things, we did nothing but relax with the provided entertainment. We signed into the WiFi, firestick and enjoyed the board games. A fantastic start to our first dog friendly Christmas holiday.
Unfortunately, dogs aren’t allowed in the sleeping areas of the cottage with a baby gate to block the dogs. Regardless of this, Charlie and Minnie were all cosy in their nice warm blanket and beds in the living room.
On-site Enclosed Field
After a well-rested evening on the comfortable King bed, we decided to explore the on-site facilities. This beautiful place has won several awards for being dog friendly, and it’s clear to see why.
Old Lanwarnick’s attention to detail for both dogs and their owners is very impressive. Natalie and Mark of Old Lanwarnick Cottages are dog owners themselves and understand that dogs are part of the family. They have gone above and beyond to make sure the dogs stay is as comforting for the dogs as it is for us humans.
Our pooches, Charlie and Minnie had a very waggy tail for the on-site, enclosed field. This place is perfect for the dogs to run around care-free. The dogs had the time of their life before the rain came down.
One of the on-site features we were thankful for was the heated dog wash area. Perfect for those muddy paws (and Minnie’s love of rolling in fox poo). After a quick spritz to wash Minnie’s favourite foxy perfume, we headed back to make plans for the rest of the day.
Skip to the Looe
For those who know us, know that a little rain won’t get in the way of us exploring. We checked out all the dog friendly guides and decided to pop to the Looe, a local seaside town.
As we arrived, the rain came down harder than ever. We dashed from the car to find the nearest dog friendly pub. Almost every pub was full with no room at the inn for two humans and soggy dogs.
After having what felt like a whirlwind pub crawl, we finally found one buzzing with wagging tails. The Ship Inn. After some tasty food, the rain had soon passed and we were able to head out and enjoy the sights. We’ll be writing a full dog friendly guide of Looe to share an extensive review of our adventures.
Night Before Christmas
Soon after we were back in the home-comforts of the Honey Pot cottage on Christmas Eve.
We hung all four stockings at the back of the door ready for Santa Paws. We fired up the wood burner and settled down to Christmas films with home-made mince pies. The dogs were all snuggled up and content. It was the cosiest Christmas Eve we have ever had.
Christmas Day
The big day had arrived. Santa Paws had been and gone, filling the dog’s stockings with plenty of treats. We slipped into the luxury robes left for us at the back of the bathroom door and headed downstairs to give the dogs plenty of Christmas fuss.
After enjoying a big breakfast, we decided to treat the dogs to a Christmas morning walkies. Right on the door-step is a private, big woodland walk. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, the shimmer of sun and glittering frost. We came back and let them have a big run in the enclosed field once again. Together, playing in the sun, they had plenty of festive fun.
When they were all worn out, we brought them back to the cottage to tuck into their Christmas stockings. They had plenty of fun opening all their new treats.
Christmas Dinner Without The Fuss
Our little Turkey breast started cooking in the oven as we prepared for our very own Christmas dinner (dog’s included). The dogs had turkey, mashed potato, carrots, sprouts, salmon and a tsp of cranberry juice (lucky pooches). Of course, they guzzled it down before James and I clinked our glasses to say cheers!
The disposable trays left by Old Lanwarnick were so thoughtful providing us with stress-free cleaning after enjoying our tasty dinner. That’s not forgetting the easy-to-use dishwasher!
After devouring pigs in blankets, we became pigs in blankets as we all snuggled up by the sofa to open presents and enjoy Christmas telly.
Later that afternoon, we took advantage of the hot-tub barn, basking in the outstanding natural landscape. The dogs were cosy in their beds by the side of the hot tub, and we relaxed as the sun came down on yet another perfect day.
Perfect Location For Adventures
The perks of visiting places like Cornwall during the Christmas holidays is that you can explore without the usual tourist hustle and bustle. The following days were filled with plenty of Cornish dog friendly adventures which we’ll cover extensively in separate blogs.
These cottages are situated the perfect location, 10 minutes from beautiful quiet beaches, the old fishing towns of Fowey, Looe and Polperro, and historic town of Bodmin.
Our New Tradition
The Honey Pot at Old Lanwarnick Cottages was everything we could have dreamed of. The perfect place to tuck into turkey, presents and create memories we will cherish for a lifetime.
This was our very first Christmas holiday, and it couldn’t have been set in a more idyllic setting. Not only is it close to many popular towns, but the on-site facilities provided us with the comfort we needed to create the perfect holiday for the dogs. The enclosed dog field, private woodland walk, towels, blankets, guides and even providing a Christmas selection box for the pooch.
Old Lanwarnick Cottages gave us a dreamy Christmas, and above everything, Charlie and Minnie had the time of their life.
We hope that our blog has inspired you, or filled you with a wanderlust for your next adventure. Break the mould and treat your pooch to the holiday of their dreams at Old Lanwarnick.
Every year, we will now be visiting a new dog friendly place. Our new Christmas tradition.
Have you spent a dog friendly Christmas holiday away with the dog? Perhaps it’s been something you have been thinking of? Share your comments below.
