Dog friendly trail launched at Devon gardens as canine pilot scheme continues

A new shady ‘paw friendly’ summer dog walking trail has been launched at RHS Garden Rosemoor in Great Torrington as it continues to trial a pilot scheme for canine companions.

The famous gardens are currently trialling a ‘paws on paths’ pilot to assess the level of demand for increased access for dog owners until September 17.

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Because RHS Rosemoor needs to preserve the horticultural integrity of its planting and safeguard the visitor experience for families, dog owners are asked to keep to paths and off lawns as they explore the 65-acre site.

But with hot summer weather approaching and as dogs can struggle in the heat, the garden has launched a new guide to help visitors keep their dogs comfortable during walks on their dog friendly days every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays.

The new leaflet provided on entry now highlights the areas of the gardens that offer plenty of shade to ensure paws are protected when temperatures rise.

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The map also shows another shorter and fully accessible route suitable for visitors with less time to spare or looking for easier dog walks.

Extra watering points have also gone into the garden and visitors with dogs can now enjoy increased access to catering facilities, so that everyone can keep well hydrated.

Additional tables have been added to the main restaurant terrace so walkers can enjoy lunch with garden views and the outside tables at the Wisteria Tea Room are also now dog friendly.

The garden has teamed up with Devon-based natural pet food manufacturer Forthglade, which has supplied the new dog watering points and are also providing visitors with free treats for their pets on arrival.

Site manager Emma Thompson said: “We have faced a bit of a conundrum balancing the needs of dog walkers with protecting the beauty and quality of gardens.

“The ‘paw on paths’ restriction is the best way for us to ensure the impact of the pilot on our team and the plants is minimised, but we also understand that sensitive pads need to be safeguarded on sunny days.

“We are confident that given the additional information, responsible dog owners can continue to enjoy long walks in our gardens this summer.”

Before the ‘paw’s on paths’ pilot this year, RHS Rosemoor ran popular evening-only ‘Walkies’ events in the summer.

The trial was introduced in response to an increase in requests for more dog friendly access by both RHS members and the public - it continues every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday until September 17 when the scheme will be reviewed.

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