Cambridge, United Kingdom
Dog Friendly Cambridge
Where To Walk, Eat And Stay With Your Dog In Cambridge
The colleges may keep their gates shut to dogs, but the rest of Cambridge is a green, flat, walkable city made for them, laced with commons and the slow River Cam. You can let them run on Jesus Green, follow the towpath out to Grantchester Meadows, then settle in at a riverside pub on Midsummer Common with a bowl of water waiting. This is our working guide to the city with a dog: where to walk, where to eat and drink, and the certified hotels that genuinely welcome them.
Where to walk
Dog Friendly Parks, Trails and Walks in Cambridge
The riverside commons, meadows and country parks Cantabrigians actually walk their dogs on. Tap any one to open it in Google Maps.
Jesus Green
Riverside common, City Centre, easy to reach and good for a leg-stretch before or after the day's plans.
Midsummer Common
Riverside grazing common, out in City Centre, with room for a proper dog walk and a welcome for well-behaved dogs.
Grantchester Meadows
River meadow walk, Grantchester. Bring the lead and give the dog a good stretch in the Cambridge air.
Coe Fen
City-centre water meadow over in Newnham, a dependable choice when the dog needs a proper walk outdoors.
Cherry Hinton Hall
Park & grounds, Cherry Hinton, and a favourite with Cambridge dog owners for an hour out on four legs.
Wandlebury Country Park
Woods & hillfort, Gog Magog Hills, and a favourite with Cambridge dog owners for an hour out on four legs.
Where to eat and drink
Dog Friendly Pubs, Cafes and Restaurants in Cambridge
Not just tolerated under the table, genuinely welcome: a water bowl, a spot by the fire, and no eyebrow raised when you walk in with a dog.
The Fort St George
Pub in Midsummer Common, and reliably dog friendly, a go-to in Cambridge when you have the dog with you.
The Pickerel Inn
Pub in Magdalene Street, and reliably dog friendly, a go-to in Cambridge when you have the dog with you.
The Free Press
One of Cambridge's dependable dog friendly pubs, in Prospect Row and glad to see a dog through the door.
BrewDog Cambridge
A dog friendly bar in City Centre where the dog is part of the plan, not left outside during a drink.
Hot Numbers Coffee
A dog friendly cafe in Gwydir Street where the dog is part of the plan, not left outside during a coffee.
The Granta
A dog friendly pub in Newnham where the dog is part of the plan, not left outside during a drink.
The Locker Cafe
A cafe in Cambridge where the dog is part of the plan, not left outside while you have a coffee.
Alexandra Arms
One of Cambridge's dependable dog friendly pubs, glad to see a dog come through the door.
Architect
A genuinely dog friendly pub, a handy Cambridge stop for a drink when the dog is with you.
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Where to stay
The Best Dog Friendly Hotels In Cambridge
Every hotel here has been inspected and ranked against the Dog Friendly Standard. No pay to play, no vague pet friendly badge, just the ones that earned their place, best first.
Dog Friendly Cambridge · Good To Know
Is Cambridge a good city to visit with a dog?
Cambridge is a lovely, flat, walkable city for a dog, ringed by riverside commons and open meadows. The one real limit is the colleges, which apart from assistance dogs keep their courts and gardens closed to dogs, so you admire those from the street. Everywhere else is easy: Jesus Green, Grantchester Meadows and the Cam towpath give miles of walking, and a great many pubs and cafes welcome dogs inside.
Can I take my dog on public transport in Cambridge?
Yes, and without fuss. Dogs travel free on local buses at the driver's discretion, kept on a lead and off the seats, which is rarely a problem for a well behaved dog. On the trains into and out of Cambridge you can bring up to two dogs free of charge under the national rail conditions, on a lead or in a carrier. That makes car-free days out to the villages and the coast very doable.
Where can dogs go off the lead in Cambridge?
There is plenty of open space for it. Jesus Green has large stretches where dogs can run off the lead, and Coe Fen and Sheep's Green nearby are much the same. Midsummer Common is grazed by cattle at times, so a lead is sensible there, and Grantchester Meadows runs beside the river with livestock in the fields. Out of town, Wandlebury Country Park gives woods and open grass to roam.
Where are the best dog walks in Cambridge?
The classic is the riverside route from Jesus Green along the Cam, past Midsummer Common and out to Grantchester Meadows, a proper afternoon's walk with a village pub at the end. Coe Fen brings water meadows right into the city centre, Cherry Hinton Hall has parkland and grounds, and Wandlebury Country Park in the Gog Magog Hills offers woodland trails and an old hillfort a short drive south.
Are dogs allowed in Cambridge restaurants, pubs and bars?
Very much so. Unlike the United States, pubs here welcome dogs inside at the landlord's discretion, and Cambridge is full of them, from the riverside Fort St George on Midsummer Common to the ancient Pickerel Inn. Many cafes are happy to seat dogs too, with Hot Numbers a reliable favourite. Food-led restaurants can be stricter, so a quick check on the way in never hurts, but you will rarely struggle to find a welcome.
What dog friendly things can I do in Cambridge?
Walk the Backs along the river for the college views, wander the commons, and follow the towpath out to Grantchester for tea in the Orchard garden. The open-air market and many independent shops are relaxed about dogs, and a riverside walk pairs perfectly with a dog friendly pub lunch. The colleges themselves and the big indoor museums admit assistance dogs only, so keep those for a dog-free day.
Are there dog friendly day trips near Cambridge?
Yes. Wandlebury Country Park and Milton Country Park are both a short hop out and welcome dogs on their trails and lakes. For something bigger, Anglesey Abbey has parkland walks, and the Norfolk coast, with its wide dog friendly beaches out of season, is within a couple of hours by car or train. The flat Fenland droves and the Cam towpath also give long, quiet lead-free walking close to the city.
What are the rules for dogs in Cambridge?
Under UK law your dog must be microchipped and wear a collar with your name and address on it in any public place. You must clean up after your dog, and the city runs a Public Spaces Protection Order requiring you to put your dog on a lead if an officer asks and to keep dogs out of marked play areas, with a fixed penalty for breaches. Off-lead is otherwise fine in most open spaces.