If you’re planning a dog friendly half term getaway this October, the South West is hard to beat. The summer crowds have gone home, most beaches lift their seasonal dog bans on 1 October, and the weather still tends to hold up well enough for proper long walks. At Pawfect Stays, we reckon it’s genuinely one of the best weeks of the year to bring your dog to the South West, whether that’s the Cornish and Devon coast, the Dorset countryside, the Quantock Hills in Somerset, the Cotswolds or the rolling countryside of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. So here’s where we’d send you.

The best dog friendly beaches for October half term

Watergate Bay, Cornwall. Two miles of sand that never feels crowded, even in half term, with dogs welcome year-round on most of it. Watergate Bay Hotel sits right on the beach, so you can be on the sand within minutes of checking in.

Croyde Bay, North Devon. A proper surf beach, and one of our favourites for a bit of dog-friendly wave-watching if yours doesn’t mind the wind. Ruda Holiday Park sits right on the bay, while Combe Martin Beach Holiday Park a little further round the coast has a lovely woodland walk if the dog fancies a change from sand.

Studland Bay, Dorset. Restrictions here lift on 1 October, so it’s one of the first “properly back on the beach” spots of the month, with heathland walks close by if you want a change of scenery.

Dog walks beyond the beach

Half term isn’t only about the coast. Devon and Cornwall’s moorland is arguably at its best this time of year, once the bracken starts turning.

Dartmoor is the obvious pick. The ground’s usually still dry enough for good footing, and there’s plenty of open space for a well-recalled dog to properly stretch its legs. Two Bridges Hotel sits right in the middle of the National Park, and The Moorland Country Hotel & Inn, tucked beneath Haytor Rocks, is another good base if you’d rather explore from a fixed spot.

Over the border, Bodmin Moor has a similar feel, quieter than Dartmoor and with its own slightly moody charm. Jamaica Inn sits right on the moor itself, which makes it a fittingly atmospheric place to stay.

Exmoor is quieter again, and the valley walks around Watersmeet are some of the prettiest in the region. St Vincent Guest House in Lynton is a solid choice here, with handy on-site dog grooming too, for when the mud inevitably wins.

And in Dorset, Golden Cap is the highest point on the south coast. It’s a proper climb, but the view is worth every step.

Countryside escapes further afield

The South West is bigger than Devon and Cornwall, and October half term is a lovely time to explore the quieter corners too.

In Somerset, the Quantock Hills offer wide open moorland walks with the Bristol Channel and the Welsh coast visible on a clear day, while further south there’s the countryside around Wells and Glastonbury to explore too. The Crossways near Wells is a great base for either, with award-winning food if you fancy a treat after a day’s walking.

Over in Wiltshire, Riverbarn Bed & Breakfast on the Fonthill Estate near Salisbury puts you within easy reach of Stonehenge and some lovely, lesser-known countryside walking.

And if you fancy something a little different, the Cotswolds are at their golden best in October, all turning leaves and honey-coloured stone. The White Hart – Arlington & Row and Lords of the Manor in Upper Slaughter are both well worth a look for a countryside half term with a bit more polish.

Where to stay for a dog friendly half term break

If you’re choosing accommodation for this trip specifically, a proper garden or enclosed outdoor space earns its keep. It’s the difference between a calm morning and a stressed one when a full walk isn’t first on the agenda. Ladram Bay Holiday Park on Devon’s Jurassic Coast ticks that box nicely, with plenty of room to stretch and the coast path right on the doorstep.

If you’re set on Cornwall specifically, Cornish Stays is worth a look too — a handpicked collection of dog friendly holiday homes across the county, from coastal cottages near the beach to quieter countryside retreats.

A couple of other things worth thinking about at this time of year: somewhere to dry off muddy paws and wet coats (a boot room makes a real difference), how close you’ll be to a vet just in case, and whether the garden is properly fenced if your dog likes to explore a bit too freely.

A few October things to keep in mind

Ticks don’t disappear once summer ends. Activity slows down, but bracken and long grass on the moors still carry some risk into October, so it’s worth giving your dog a once-over after every walk.

Daylight is shorter too. Plan the bigger walks for morning or early afternoon rather than assuming you’ve got until 6pm the way you might in July.

And the weather can turn fast on the coast. A bright morning doesn’t always mean a bright afternoon, so keep a spare towel and dry clothes in the car.

After a wet, muddy walk, a proper pub lunch does wonders for morale. The Lamb Inn at Sandford is a genuinely dog friendly 16th-century pub not far from either Exmoor or Dartmoor, and a lovely spot to dry off over a Sunday roast.

Our pick for the week

If you’re torn between a coastal cottage and a moorland one, we’d go coastal. Since most beach restrictions lift on 1 October, half term is one of the only weeks all year when you get uncrowded beaches with full dog access at the same time. Moorland walks are wonderful, but they’re there for most of the year. This particular window on the coast isn’t.

Ready to book your dog friendly October half term? Browse Pawfect Stays’ full collection of dog friendly accommodation across the South West and find somewhere that makes the most of half term with your dog.