A few years ago, we went to live in England with Kitsune. This time, we wanted to return, but extending the trip all the way to Scotland to discover this very nature-oriented country. After a month of travel, we are sharing all our tips for exploring Scotland with a dog.
Entry requirements
To start, there is nothing special to note regarding entering Scotland with a dog. You simply need to gather the essential documents required for traveling to most European countries:
- Passport
- Rabies vaccine (administered at least 21 days before departure)
- Microchip (for identification)
- Minimum age of 15 weeks
- We also advise you to ask your veterinarian for a certificate of good health written in English.
Public transport
Dogs travel for free aboard trains in Scotland and do not need to be in a carrier bag. Generally speaking, other forms of public transport, such as buses and trams, are also free for dogs.
However, in the Highlands and on the Isle of Skye, the rules are slightly different. Indeed, buses from the Citylink company do not accept dogs unless they are in a carrier bag. Note that for larger dogs, the driver may refuse to let you board. For certain destinations, such as the Isle of Skye, there are no other companies operating these routes.
Finally, if you take the night train between London and Edinburgh, you will pay a cleaning surcharge.
Hotels
You will quite easily find hotels that accept dogs when traveling in Scotland, often for an extra charge. Note that this extra fee was sometimes announced to us, but ultimately not billed. Below is a list of the establishments where we stayed.
List of dog-friendly hotels where we stayed in Scotland
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Eden Locke, Edinburgh
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Services: Bowl available, Lily's Kitchen treats, poop bags, complimentary bandana and toy.
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Surcharge: £30 per stay.
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Seaside Home, Stonehaven
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Surcharge: Free.
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B&B HOTEL Inverness, Inverness
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Surcharge: £20 per stay (announced, but not billed).
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The Skye Inn, Portree (Skye)
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Surcharge: Free.
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Special feature: Dogs accepted everywhere, including the breakfast room.
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Monkstadt No 10 The Horse Walk, Skye
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Services: Bowl available and towels to wipe paws.
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Surcharge: £30 per stay.
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The Whispering Pine Lodge, Letterfinlay
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Surcharge: £25 per stay (announced, but not billed).
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Special feature: Dogs accepted everywhere except at the bar.
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Services: Complimentary welcome basket including a ball, treats, and poop bags.
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The Glencoe Inn, Glencoe
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Surcharge: £25 per night.
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Aparthotel Adagio Glasgow Central, Glasgow
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Surcharge: £6 per night.
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These accommodations all welcomed our dog Kitsune with kindness, which made our stay even more enjoyable.
Restaurants
In Scotland, we found that it was more difficult than in England to find dog-friendly restaurants, but overall, we managed well. Here are some useful observations:
On restaurant storefronts, you will often find precise indications:
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"Dog Friendly" for establishments that accept dogs.
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"Assistance Dog Only" for those that only allow assistance dogs.
This allows you to quickly know if the place accepts dogs. Despite this relative difficulty, we managed to find establishments that welcomed our dog Kitsune without any problems.
Going out with your dog
The Beach
All the beaches we visited were dog-friendly (at least, no counter-indications were found). Dogs are often off-leash. However, on certain beaches, you must keep them on a leash because there may be seals or other wildlife.
Parks
Depending on the cities, it was difficult to find green areas because everything is concreted over and parks were often private or closed at night. For Edinburgh, Alexandre had to look for a map of parks open at night, for example. It is best to locate parks and green spaces around the hotel before booking. In Glasgow, on the other hand, there were no issues at all.
If you are staying in the countryside, there are no problems there, but you probably already suspected that.
The Countryside
Watch out for cows, which can charge if they see your dog. Generally, a sign will indicate the presence of cows. Some hiking trails or tourist spots may cross pastures where cows are present.
Shops
Generally speaking, it's okay, but we faced more refusals than in England. Always check the storefront to see if it says "assistance dogs only" or "dogs welcome". Sometimes nothing is written, so you have to try your luck! We managed to enter most of the shops we wanted to without any issues, and there are often water bowls out in the streets.
Other places (museums, cultural activities...)
Just like in the Netherlands or Italy, certain historical sites allow dogs. For example, we visited Dunnottar Castle with Kitsune. I advise you to always check online if dogs are allowed before going. For example, Dunnottar Castle is dog-friendly, whereas Urquhart Castle is not.
Another unique activity Kitsune was able to do was a boat trip to see the seals! Yes, Kitsune was allowed on board as long as she was on a leash and well-behaved.
Poop bags
Poop bags are not provided for free. It is best to buy some before you leave. Some hotels offer them, but it's better to plan ahead with a backup supply to be on the safe side.
We hope this was able to help you, and if you have any questions about visiting Scotland with a dog, don't hesitate! In conclusion, England is more dog-friendly than Scotland, but it remains a very beautiful country to visit that loves dogs.
