Dog friendly holiday Yorkshire coast: Is Sunnyside Cottage in Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire's most dog friendly holiday let?
I realise our family holidays are potentially entering a new dimension when the first two questions I’m asked after booking our Easter break are ‘what’s your dog’s name?’ and ‘does he have any allergies?’ As a family with a one-year-old working cocker spaniel, we’re still fairly new to holidays with our newest member, Pablo, so when we were invited to visit ‘Yorkshire’s most dog-friendly cottage’, we knew we should take a look.
Sunnyside Cottage in Robin Hood’s Bay is all about the pets.
Don’t get me wrong, the humans are incredibly well looked after too but it’s the dogs who are kings and queens here.
As soon as we walk through the door there’s a heart-shaped basket of treats for Pablo, including venison bites, a bandana, a dog collar flower accessory, an eco-friendly dog toy and several rolls of all-important dog waste bags.
Owner Rachel Spencer has made it her mission to make the cottage the most dog-friendly in Yorkshire - an effort, which recently earned her a Small Business Sunday award from Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis.
It certainly stands out. Sunnyside is a small-but-perfectly-formed two-bed cottage in the lower bay, just one minute walk from the beach on the Heritage Coast of the North York Moors.
Unlike many other beaches along the coast, Robin Hood's Bay doesn’t have any seasonal dog restrictions, making it the perfect mini-break for individuals, couples and families with a pooch in tow.
We arrive in the picturesque old fishing village during the second week of the Easter holidays for a four-night stay.
As well as the dog treats, there is a welcome bottle of prosecco and some biscuits for the humans.
One of the key things features that makes Sunnyside Cottage stand out from the pack as a pet haven is that dogs are allowed on the furniture - on both the sofa and beds. Having recently stayed at a ‘dog-friendly’ cottage that had a strict no- dogs-on-furniture policy it’s a small detail that makes a huge difference when looking for a home-from-home.
The front door to Sunnyside cottage leads straight into a small open-plan kitchen and living area with a log burner.
The kitchen is small but well-stocked with bits you might have forgotten, like washing up liquid and spices. There is a raised feeding station for the dog, a tin of dog biscuits and a large wicker hamper of toys and accessories with everything that might come in handy during your seaside stay.
The living area comprises a comfortable two-seater sofa and an armchair plus a coffee table and a log fire. A dining table and four chairs means we can all eat together.
A winding staircase leads to a light and airy first floor twin bedroom next to the bathroom which has a shower over the bath.
A second staircase to the top floor leads to a double bedroom. Both bedrooms have rooftop views looking out to sea.
The cottage is very cosy for two adults, a nine-year-old, an 11-year-old and a dog who still sleeps in a crate, but it’s fine as long as someone doesn’t mind sitting on the floor or a kitchen chair if you’re all downstairs in the evening. If you’re a couple with a dog or a family with one child there will be a little more room.
What makes Sunnyside extra special, aside from its attention to detail when welcoming furry friends, is its location. Walk to the bottom of the steps outside the cottage and you reach the shops, bars and restaurants that lead to the beach. Thankfully most of them are dog-friendly and we enjoy a friendly welcome and delicious burgers and steaks at Brambles Bistro one evening.
For many Yorkshire folk, ourselves included, Robin Hood’s Bay is often considered a day trip to go rock pooling on the beach, eat fish and chips, and enjoy an ice cream before heading home. In fact, I was a little worried that four days might be too long.
How wrong I was. We only leave the Bay once during our stay and we’d have happily extended our holiday.
Thankfully we’re blessed with sunshine and very little rain. We spend a pleasant morning rock pooling and crabbing on the beach and throwing balls for Pablo who is ecstatic that he can run and dig in the sand.
Later that afternoon, my 11-year-old and I walk along the Cleveland Way footpath to Boggle Hole, one mile south of Robin Hood’s Bay. Back in the day, some people believed that boggles - small mischievous goblins with magical healing powers - lived in caves along the North Yorkshire coastline.
It’s a fascinating place to explore and has a rocky foreshore where many fossils can be found. Later, we walk back along the beach to Robin Hood’s Bay just before the tide comes in.
Consuming fish and chips is the law when visiting the seaside so we head up to Angel Fisheries in Whitby and eat them in the traditional way - on a bench in the rain next to the road.
On a previous weekend visit to Robin Hood’s Bay, we walked the seven miles to Whitby along the Cinder Track disused railway line and back along the coastal path. The Cinder Track is perfect for walking and cycling and I make a mental note to bring our bikes for our next visit.
The history of Robin Hood’s Bay is a fascinating one. For 150 years, the rugged, remote Yorkshire coastline was associated with the activities of smuggling gangs.
These days you’re more likely to see daytrippers and dog walkers than contrabandists in Robin Hood’s Bay but Sunnyside Cottage and this picturesque seaside village are a charming combination for tourists and their canine friends.