He's a Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer... so is she
A lovely pub/restaurant in a stunning location, the Cow and Calf is part of a large chain - in fact when we visited you could sign up on the spot via a QR code and qualify for a free dessert - unexpected bonus!
In the summer it gets very busy and booking is advised - we found that to make sure to get seating in the dog-friendly area of the bar you need to phone up rather than book online. Once that was done, they were really accommodating - jars of dog treats at the door and bowls of water available for the pups. There is plenty of seating outside as well if that suits better; we felt the scent of the sheep on the moor right there was too distracting for the pointers, so we retreated indoors for our evening meal.
The food was good, service was excellent and it's a quick hop across the road to a range of walking routes over Ilkley Moor, where sheep are plentiful and roam free, so ... there it is.
We had the beach to ourselves when we walked there in the early evening so Dog had the run of the place. Especially as you walk to the north, away from the town. The views are magnificent in both directions and the light entrancing.
It's possible to cross the golf course (carefully and respectfully of course!) and follow the storyboarded history trail as well into and around Dornoch.
Park in the large free car park beneath the castle and stroll through the dunes to the beach. No dog restrictions on the beach, so perfect on a clear breezy evening for a run to blow the cobwebs away!
A great stop-off from the northbound A9. The car park is well signed from the road - parking is £3 (cash only, no change) but if you find yourself short people will pass on their ticket as they leave...
There are a number of choices for a walk, ranging from a 20-min there-and-back to a couple of hours. We took the 45 minute option, which was well signed, and followed the river to an amazing hall/folly with a viewing platform over the falls and some inspirational poetry depicted on the walls. A great, easy but varied walk to break up a long journey.
A well-marked walk, worth the climb for the magnificent views and the path back to the start across the peaty landscape. We walked in August and were able to have dog off lead for most of the walk. Also wonderful heather in season and beautiful woodland. One of our all-time favourite walks ever.
This is a lovely walk, can be a quick circuit around the nature reserve adjacent to the back of the service station, or made into a proper long walk along the track and around or through the fields on the network of footpaths. If it's a hot day and dog needs cooling down there's a ford over a shallow brook perfect for a paddle or a swim.
Absolutely wonderful walk - what a find! Thank you for sharing.
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Busy, but big enough to not feel crowded
Whether or not the dogs appreciated the amazing sculptures around the park is up for debate but this location is a fantastic stop off on the way up or down the M1, being a stone's throw from junction 38 and clearly signposted.
There is an entry fee and booking ahead is advised on days which are likely to be busy - we didn't book ahead for a Wednesday during school term time, and it was fine.
I'd recommend allowing a good 90 minutes minimum, but 2 hours would be better and there are loads of picnic tables if you're more organised than we were, and bring lunch!
Note: sheep roam free in the field leading away from the visitor centre, but they are benign and not the skittish kind.
Highly recommended!