Springwood is a pet-friendly holiday park, so your four-legged friends are welcome in your accommodation and around the park. Luckily, in our scenic part of the Scottish Borders, there are a host of wonderful places to explore where dogs can visit with you, so you don’t need to leave them behind when you go out on your adventures.
Check out the below selection of castles that are all within just a 50-minute drive from our tranquil park.
Floors Castle
Distance from Springwood: 11-minute drive or 50-minute walk
We have to start with Floors as it’s so close to Springwood. It’s Scotland’s largest inhabited castle, built for the 1st Duke of Roxburghe in 1721. Although dogs aren’t permitted inside the castle itself, dogs on leads are welcome throughout the extensive gardens and wider grounds. There’s so much to take in, from the Victorian kitchen garden to the formal Millennium Garden and a walled garden too. The Estate Grounds offer both a woodland and a riverside walk that dogs will love.
If you’ve worked up an appetite from all that walking, there is outdoor seating and water points for pooches at the Terrace and Courtyard Cafes.
A Note on Kelso Abbey
Distance from Springwood: 20-minute walk
Ordinarily, we’d include Kelso Abbey on our list of dog-friendly days out in the Scottish Borders, especially as it’s within walking distance, but the abbey is temporarily closed for safety checks. You can stroll past the perimeter and have a peek, but the grounds are currently off-limits.
However, Kelso is just one of the four great abbeys established in the Scottish Borders in the 1100s, and fortunately, the other three are not just open, they’re dog-friendly, and in easy reach of Springwood!
Jedburgh Abbey
Distance from Springwood: 21-minute drive
David I founded a priory here in 1138 and raised it to abbey status in 1154 – it’s a fascinating mix of Gothic and Romanesque architecture. Wander the remains of where the monks once lived and stroll the cloister garden that’s been recreated to reflect the same plants once used by the abbey. Dogs on leads are permitted everywhere but in the roofed areas.
Melrose Abbey
Distance from Springwood: 22-minute drive
Now partially ruined, Melrose Abbey was also founded by David I – it was the first ever Cistercian monastery in Scotland, built in 1136. Dogs will love rambling round the ruins with you, and there are some lovely walks you can embark on setting out from the abbey if you want to stretch your legs a little more.
As with Jedburgh, dogs are welcome provided they are kept on a lead – everywhere excluding roofed areas.
Dryburgh Abbey
Distance from Springwood: 24-minute drive
Nestled within secluded woodland by the River Tweed, the ruins of Dryburgh are well worth a visit. Established in 1150 and never as wealthy as the three other abbeys of the Borders, Jedburgh was the perfect place for a monastic retreat. Though the monks might be long gone, the site still exudes a sense of peace and tranquillity that you can experience as you stroll around.
Dogs on leads are welcome except in roofed areas.
Hume Castle
Distance from Springwood: 18-minute drive
For views described as the best in the Scottish Borders, take a trip to the remains of medieval Hume Castle in Greenlaw. Reportedly one of the most defensive castles in the Scottish Borders, it was originally built in the 12th or 13th century though heavily modified over the years. Held by the powerful Hume or Home family for many years, it re-opened to the public in 1992 following a period of restoration. There’s a small car park and what’s left of the castle can be roamed around with dogs but there are a lot of sheep around so follow best practice and keep them on a lead.
The views of the Eastern part of the Borders (‘the Merse’), sweeping down to the Tweed Valley with the Cheviots to the South, past the Eildon Hills to the West and North to the Lammermuirs will take your breath away.
Abbotsford
Distance from Springwood: 25-minute drive
The historic home of Sir Walter Scott in Melrose is extremely dog-friendly. They are welcome on a lead throughout the grounds and gardens as well as in their café. Water is available for them on request. The Abbotsford Estate is free for all to access. Follow the way-marked paths through Scott’s woodlands or along the banks of the River Tweed, and watch out for abundant wildlife.
Paxton House
Distance from Springwood: 37-minute drive
This romantic Georgian House by the River Tweed makes a great day out with dogs in tow. Explore the estate grounds and gardens, and marvel at the still-working waterwheel – Scotland’s only surviving 18th-century domestic waterwheel! Paxton House’s tearoom has a separate pet-friendly area so you enjoy lunch with your four-legged friends. An annual pass for the grounds will set you back just £20 – a very worthwhile investment if you have a holiday home with us at Springwood.
The Berwickshire Coast
Distance from Springwood: 50-minute drive
If you’ve a longing for a spot of sea air, head east to the coast. If you like a long walk, tackle as much of the stunning 28.5-mile Berwickshire Coastal Path as you fancy. It runs from Cockburnspath in the north down to Berwick-upon-Tweed, just across the English border. Eyemouth, Coldingham and St Abbs make a great day out in their own right and there are unspoilt beaches where dogs are welcome, including Pease Bay and Coldingham Sands. Leads may be required at certain times of the year.
Walkies!
If you’re looking for great dog-friendly walks in the Scottish Borders you’re spoilt for choice. For a simple mile-long loop, try the Harestanes Circular in the Teviot Valley or for a longer loop, there’s the Ettrick Water Circular further afield. The Tweed Valley has many picturesque forests with trails to follow, or head over the border to Kielder Forest and the Northumberland National Park, which are so vast you can enjoy a different walk every time!
Our Holiday Park, Springwood
Springwood Holiday Park makes the perfect dog-friendly UK holiday. Take your pick from all these pet-friendly days out in the Scottish Borders then relax with your four-legged friend in our self-catering holiday accommodation by evening. Choose from beautiful brand-new caravans, lodges, hot tub lodges and glamping pods to suit the size of your group – and dog!
