Short answer: Yes, outside. Dogs are welcome in the gardens and grounds at Castle Drogo but not inside the house. It sits above the Teign Gorge on the edge of Dartmoor, which makes it one of the better National Trust dog walks in Devon.
Yes — dogs are welcome across the gardens and grounds. The exception is the house itself, which is assistance dogs only, as at every National Trust property with a historic interior.
Castle Drogo is the last castle built in England, designed by Lutyens and finished in 1930, standing above the Teign Gorge near Chagford. The gardens are immaculate and extensive, and the estate paths run down into the gorge itself.
The Hunter's Path from Fingle Bridge up to the castle is the classic route and one of the best walks on Dartmoor's eastern edge. Doing it with a dog from the bottom rather than driving to the top makes a proper morning of it.
The lanes in are narrow. The 173 bus stops outside, which is worth knowing if you would rather not drive them. Parking is free for National Trust members.
Killerton near Exeter is a three-pawprint property with dogs allowed on short leads everywhere outside and welcome in the Stables Coffee Shop. Buckland Abbey near Tavistock has gardens and woodland walks. Saltram at Plymouth now allows dogs into parts of the garden as well as the parkland.
Bellever Forest has forestry tracks, a shallow river and wild ponies. Stone Lane Gardens near Chagford is dog friendly, very quiet, and has a summer sculpture trail — closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Dog policies change, and the consequence of getting it wrong is being turned away at the gate. This was checked in September 2026 — ring ahead if you are driving any distance.
Pick a town and plan the day around who's with you.
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