Short answer: Yes, on leads. But Lydford Gorge is steep, rocky and slate underfoot, and some sections are genuinely unsafe for dogs. Think about your dog's age and footing before committing to the full walk.
Dogs on leads are welcome at Lydford Gorge. It is a National Trust property on the western edge of Dartmoor, and dogs are part of the normal visitor mix.
The honest caveat is the terrain rather than the rules. This is the deepest gorge in the south west, and parts of it are properly difficult underfoot.
Two separate car parks, each with a loop of about forty-five minutes. Walking between the two ends adds roughly another hour and a half. The paths are steep and rocky, slate underfoot, and slippery when wet — which on Dartmoor is often.
Visitors report that some sections are unsafe for dogs. Narrow ledges above fast water, uneven steps and wet slate are the issues. A sure-footed young dog on a short lead will cope; an elderly dog or a nervous one may not.
The Devil's Cauldron, a whirlpool at the bottom of a narrow cleft, and the White Lady, a thirty-metre waterfall. Both are genuinely spectacular, and both involve exactly the terrain described above.
Okehampton Castle, fifteen minutes north, is an English Heritage ruin in woodland where dogs are welcome and the ground is easier. Tavistock's Meadows is a large free park beside the River Tavy. Bellever Forest on the high moor has forestry tracks and a shallow river, and is far kinder to older legs.
Checked against the attraction's own published policy in September 2026. Dog rules change — ring ahead if you are driving any distance.
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