Are you looking for the best pub grub where you can take your dog? We’ve listed the best places to eat with your pup in Poole below…

Located just a stone’s throw from Poole, our own Wareham Forest Lodge Retreat offers luxurious pet friendly holidays in Dorset, making it ideal to base yourself while exploring the local area with your pup!

Is there anything better than discovering new places with an excited dog? How about stopping off for a spot of lunch and a refreshing drink with said pooch at a dog friendly pub? Yup, we thought as much, so we put together the top 5 dog friendly pubs in Poole, where you can enjoy a nice meal on a dog date day out!

The Crown

Where: Market Street, BH15 1NF
This place is so dog friendly, they even have dog themed wallpaper! Take your delicious lunch in the secluded Courtyard Garden, or during the colder weather opt for indoors. This is a hidden gem in the heart of Poole, offering mouth-watering burgers and steaks, as well as a fully stocked bar. Dog treats and water bowls are available for your fur-baby.

The Blue Boar

Where: Market Close, BH15 1NE
A wonderful dog friendly pub, which has two log fires to keep you and your pupper warm during the winter months. Dog treats are ready for all the well behaved puppies who enter and the humans can enjoy the hearty portions of mouth-watering, homemade classic dishes, with the steak and grill options being a local legend!

The Antelope

Where: High Street, BH15 1BP
A traditional dog friendly pub located very close to the Poole harbour, offering wonderful views. Dogs are welcome in the cosy bar area, where a full menu of delicious pub grub is served.

The Angel

Where: Market Street, BH15 1DF
Enjoy daily fresh cooked meals from talented and professional chefs. Choose a delicious dish from a fabulous family friendly menu in this very dog friendly pub, which offers treats and water bowls inside and out in the beer garden.

Rope & Anchor

Where: Sarum Street, BH15 1JW
A true little gem of Poole, located just near the Poole quay front. Visit this dog friendly pub with beautiful décor and mouth-watering meals. Owners James and Daniel are popular fixtures and offer a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere to all! What more could you want for a date with your pupper?

Since opening its doors in January 2017, Wareham Forest Lodge Retreat has fast become a popular holiday destination for those looking for a peaceful holiday in Dorset. We offer luxurious pet friendly accommodation in all sizes, being able to cater to romantic getaways and larger family gatherings in our sumptuous lodges.

So why not book your pet friendly holiday at Wareham Forest and explore our list of dog friendly pubs in Poole?

The Darwin Escapes family is growing again and this time we’ve headed north to Norfolk! Development has started on the brand new Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa destination, due to open late 2018. For those who have visited our 5 star, luxurious Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa location in Somerset you’ll be pleasantly comforted by the expected facilities at Norfolk Woods! We’ve recently broken ground and started on the main complex building, so we thought you’d like to have a sneak peek at the construction and the surroundings of our brand new destination.

Norfolk Woods is sure to be a popular holiday destination, and if you didn’t want to leave, you wouldn’t have to as it will also be a brand new Ownership destination too!

Keep checking back for more development images and information about Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa!

Did you know local residents are free to use our 5 star facilities? Well, now that you know, why not come and take a look? Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat offers a peaceful escape along the coastline, just a stone’s throw from the beach and is a popular holiday destination on the Isle of Wight. This luxurious holiday destination is home to 5 star facilities including spa lodge, state of the art gymnasium and Bistro restaurant and these facilities are all open to the public, including a fantastic Lifestyle Membership which offers discount rates!

bistro restaurant & bar

Our Bistro Restaurant serves decadent dishes for all the family to enjoy, including our delicious burgers with endless toppings and a mouth-watering sweet potato fries.

Pop in for a light lunch after a walk on the beach or make a night of it and enjoy a wonderful evening meal. When the weather is on your side opt to dine ‘al fresco’ on our outdoor decking area with breath-taking views of the Solent. You can also enjoy a refreshing drink from our fully stocked bar and keep an eye out for any events we may have coming up!

woodside bay spa lodge

Our fully trained therapists offer luxurious Aromatherapy Associates treatments, including full body massages, Jessica Nails hand treatments and a wide range of rejuvenating facials. Leave the stress and strains of everyday life behind with an Intensive Muscle Release treatment. This 60 minute treatment is designed to help tight, stressed and aching muscles, using Swedish and cross-muscle fibre techniques, as well as essential oils known to help circulation, sounds like heaven!

If you’re looking for a quick relaxing treatment, opt for our Intensely Nourishing Hair Treatment, which helps to restore shine and health in your hair. As well as, offering a truly relaxing Ayurvedic head massage, using essential oils to work at muscles and specific pressure zones. It’s recommended for those suffering with anxiety to receive a treatment like this once a month to help restore a balanced, de-stressed mind.

The spa lodge is also home to a private decking area with beautiful views overlooking the ocean.

woodside bay gym

Woodside Bay boasts a peaceful gym environment, which includes all the equipment you could need for a workout. Including a range of cardio machines, such as treadmills, exercise bikes, cross-trainers and rowing machines. We also have range of weight machines and a free weight area, including dumbbells and medicine balls, we really do have everything you could need for a full body workout.

lifestyle membership

If you live locally and love our 5 star facilities as much as we do, you can enjoy a fabulous Lifestyle Membership, from only £25 a month!

Your membership allows you access to our gym facilities during opening hours, which are 8am – 9pm, Monday to Saturday and 9am – 9pm on a Sunday. The membership also grants a 10% discount at both Bistro and treatments at the Woodside Bay Spa Lodge *

booking your events

Woodside Bay is also able to hold a variety of events and occasions to fit all needs, including corporate meetings and indoor team building days, as well as private functions such as birthday parties, anniversary get-together’s and all other celebrations. To book your event or occasion with us please pop in and ask at reception.

So don’t be shy, our friendly staff are looking forward to meeting you! Pop in to have a chat with our team and a look at our 5 star facilities and take advantage of them with our Lifestyle Membership today!

Bath Mill Lodge Retreat has loved helping the ‘Eel in the Classroom’ project with a release of the baby eels into our very own, beloved Newton Brook on 18th May.

Students from 13 schools across Somerset and the South West, were joined by some eager Bath Mill team members, to release some elvers (baby eels) in our Newton Brook on 18th May, where they will live and help the ecosystem and have a chance to help increase the endangered species population.

The population of European Eels dropped by 90% by the 1970’s due to a number of human induced factors, including tidal gates and dams, which are barriers to the eels natural migration up river. There has also been habitation loss and pollution factors to the eels natural habitats.

The ‘Eel in the Classroom’ project aims to inspire and educate children about all sorts of wildlife not only eels, in our local rivers and marine environments. The children from the 13 different schools spent 5 weeks nurturing, feeding and even naming the baby eels in their classrooms. They learned all about the history, habitats and natural behaviours of the (surprisingly) adorable elvers.

The eels will spend up to 20 years in the Newton Brook and surrounding river headwaters and ditches, after which they will embark on a 5000km migration to Sargasso Sea to spawn (a romantic journey worthy of Hollywood if I ever heard one!).

This really is such an important project to the European Eel Conservation work, as Eupropean Eels are currently critically endangered, as they lead a long and complicated life, with numerous hazards before them, it can be a difficult life (collective ‘awe’). Hopefully, our own batch of Bath Mill eels will fare well and enjoy the next 20 years yumming up all the goodies in our Newton Brook, and leading fairly relaxed lives in our luxurious park.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Bristol Avon Rivers Trust for including us in such a fun and important project to protect this species, as well as a big thank you to The Greggs Foundation who provided this years’ funding to the ‘Eel in the Classroom’ project.

As well as a huge thank you to Will and the team at Bath who are so willing to get involved and help a species in-need!

Cheddar Watersports offers unbeatable family fun at the beautiful and picturesque Cheddar Reservoir. Nestled between Axbridge and Cheddar, the 265 acre Cheddar Reservoir is busting with fantastic activities and events for the whole family to enjoy. The Cheddar Reservoir is home to the Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club, which helps people of all ages learn and enjoy sailing, windsurfing and paddle sports. Recognised as a RYA Training Centre, the picturesque reservoir offers a friendly and informal environment at one of the leading sailing clubs in the South West of England.

In Partnership with Cheddar Woods

Cheddar Watersports has partnered with our own Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa to offer some fantastic paddleboard activities to our lovely guests as we are located only a short drive away from the reservoir. Cheddar Woods delivers a 5 Star experience to both owners and holiday guests, with stunning lodges to own, as well as beautiful views of the Mendip Hills and excellent facilities on your doorstep, including an archery range, fabulous climbing wall and indoor tropically heated swimming pool! But on a Thursday afternoon you could book in for a brilliant paddleboard activity at the nearby reservoir.

Paddleboard Taste Session

Enjoy an introductory session of 1 hour and 15 minutes for only £20! You must be 8 years old and over, and if you’re looking to book a group, the maximum number is 6. All equipment will be provided for the session, including a board, paddle, leash, buoyancy aid and a wetsuit, however, you must take shoes with suitable grip that you don’t mind getting wet, and your own towel. There will be changing rooms and hot showers available at the centre for after your session.

There will be a land demonstration to start the lesson, where everyone will be taught the 3 key stages, which are prone, kneeling and standing. You’ll then head out on to the lake for a water demonstration and where all members of the group will master the key stages before taking a trip around the lake using all your new skills.

Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga

As with the Paddleboard Taster Session, all equipment will be provided, with the exception of shoes and a towel. Changing rooms and hot showers will also be available. The1 hour and 15 minute session is only £30 per person!

The session is suitable for both beginners and experienced yoga enthusiasts, everyone will enjoy this peaceful and challenging session! The yoga sessions take place on the paddleboard and will last around 50 minutes to an hour, depending on how long it takes the group to master the key stages to be out on the water.

How Do You Book?

Tickets can be bought online and sessions must be booked 24 hours in advance. If you have any questions or are looking to for a group booking please call the instructors direct on 07971558715.

Try something different with the taster session, or opt for a serene yoga experience and book your session today! You won’t believe the views from the stunning Cheddar Reservoir.

Hawkchurch Resort & Spa are giving you the chance to name a one-of-a-kind lodge and win a weekend break in Devon!

You may remember a previous post in February, we posted about our fabulous partnership with Charlotte from The Home That Made Me brand, as well as Prestige & Homeseeker (if not, why not? Check out the post here). Self-made interior design goddess, Charlotte Valentine has helped create a one-of-a-kind lodge at our stunning, 5 Star Hawkchurch Resort & Spa location. The limited edition lodge will be available to purchase once completed, and the lucky owner will have a stunning holiday home in the breathtaking Devonshire countryside.

The lodge is almost complete, we just need a little bit of help for the finishing touch!

*Competition now CLOSED. Scroll down for the winning name!

Take a look at Charlotte’s blog post, over at The Home That Made Me for a good look inside the lodge, and see little bits of sheer interior beauty! Then scroll down to fill in the form below to name Charlotte’s lodge and be within a chance to win a weekend holiday break* at Hawkchurch Resort & Spa!

Charlotte has kindly let us have a few images for a little sneak peek here for you, gaze your eyes on this stunner…

*off peak weekend break (Friday – Monday) at Hawkchurch Resort & Spa. Hot tub and pet units subject to availability.

*Competition now CLOSED

we have a winner!

The people voted and the winning name of our stunning lodge is: The Baylyn Lodge , named by our chosen winner Lucy Murphy! Huge congratulations Lucy! This one-of-a-kind lodge has now been sold, but that’s no reason not to take a closer look at the beautiful images and spectacular video of The Baylyn Lodge. And you can also browse our selection of lodges for sale at Hawkchurch to see if you fancy owning your own holiday home in Devon.

about owning a holiday home at hawkchurch

Owning a holiday home at our 5 star destination offers a lifestyle of luxury and your very own slice of peace and tranquillity in Devon.

Our beautiful facilities include a state of the art gym, with a range of cardio and weight machines, as well as a separate room for Pilates and Yoga enthusiasts. Enjoy a light lunch or delicious evening meal at The Beeches Restaurant, where there is a fully stocked bar for you to take advantage of too.

Indulge in a luxurious Aromatherapy Associates treatments, from our fully trained therapists at our onsite Ezina Spa. Try one of our wrap & scrub treatments to feel rejuvenated, or relax with one of our range of full body massages, alternatively you could opt for a refreshing Jessica Nails hand treatment. After your treatment, take full advantage of our Hammam – style sauna and beautiful steam room. Our spectacular Hydrotherapy Pool, which is scientifically proven to increase blood circulation and decrease muscle tension and soreness, from soothing currents created by our water jets.

The local area is bursting with culture, history and variety. With endless historical sites to explore, from churches to castles, as well as the beautiful village of Axminster only a short walk away. A short drive away is the popular seaside town of Lyme Regis, where there are endless restaurants, galleries and fossils to be found along the Cliffside.

how do I buy a holiday home in devon?

Becoming an owner at Hawkchurch Resort & Spa is easier than you think, with our friendly sales team being able to introduce you to financial advisers who can help to spread the cost of your very own slice of heaven.

If you’d like some more information about ownership at Hawkchurch, call our dedicated Ownership Team on 01745 858050, or talk to an adviser via our Live Chat service. If you’d like to visit and see our beautiful destination through your very own eyes, you can book a park tour today!

Get the whole family involved with Sandymouth Holiday Resort’s fantastic Go Active programme

If you’re looking for a family fun filled holiday, with endless activities on your doorstep, the Sandymouth Holiday Resort is the perfect escape for you! Located near the seaside town of Bude, the local region of North Cornwall is teeming with events and destinations to explore, but for the best activities programme you won’t need to travel far from the front door of you luxurious holiday home.

Offering a full Go Active programme at Sandymouth, means there are activities for all ages to get stuck into. Our friendly Go Active team are fully trained and always on hand to help out and get stuck in!

water facilities

Our programme includes a variety of water activities to join in with, all located in our wonderful indoor, tropically heated swimming pool, which turns into a sea full of fun! Our water activities include, racing pool canoes, sea scooters or amazing mini jet skis, and you’ll get to test your DIY skills with some raft building sessions, you can also explore the depths of the pool in the snorkelling sessions, before having a blast in our water walkerz.

kidz workshops

The little ones love the fabulous workshops on offer every week, including the Robin Hood Juniors, you’ll know the Legendary Robin Hood was a master of the arrow, so join our instructors to refine your skills and learn about his adventures with his Merry-Men through Sherwood forest. And make sure to don your best eye patch for Pirate’s Paradise and brave the fearsome Seven Seas as our Pirate Captain instructors lead you on a hunt for the secret treasure and help you practice your pirate skills through fun. Work on your swagger with the Wild, Wild West workshop, where you can join our instructors on an adventure across the plains of native America, as you learn new cowboy skills, including lassoing, Yee-Haw!. Join the Junior Musketeers and let our skilled instructors introduce you to the skilful sport of Fencing. Learn the basics through fun games and duels. (All workshops are for ages between 3 and 7.)

outdoor activities

We have a wide variety of popular outdoor activities, where you can test your skills and learn new ones, while having the most fun with our team! Run around, bumping into each other in our Body Zorbs, try your hand at Disc Golf and test your best trick skills with Panna Soccer. Learn a new skill with our Fencing lessons. And test your aim with our Laser Clay shooting challenges, and make sure to see if you’ve got what it takes to be the next Robin Hood in our fun Archery lessons.

children party packages

If you’re little one has a special occasion coming up, why not book a fabulous party at Sandymouth Holiday Resort?
We offer a variety of party packages and they can be tailored to your needs, each party is held in our function room and includes a cold or hot buffet, with a selection of sweet or savoury snacks. Parties must take place between 12noon and 4pm, with a minimum of 6 people.
You’ll also be given access to the fabulous outdoor Splash Zone, as well as a day pass to the brand new, indoor soft play area and opt for endless fun on the Black Pearl, our full sized, pirate’s ship.

facilities at Sandymouth

Our five-star facilities are second to none, with an indoor tropically heated swimming pool to dip your toes in, a brand new indoor soft play area for the children to run wild in, as well as a wonderful Bistro Bar & Restaurant serving mouth-watering main meals and delicious light lunches, as well a fully stocked bar.
Step outside the main complex and follow the outdoor fitness trail, where you can test your core strength while admiring the truly breathtaking views of the Cornish countryside.
The little ones will love the Black Pearl Pirate Ship, where their imaginations can run wild! And during the summer, the whole family can have a blast with the Outdoor Splash Zone!

There really is something for everyone at Sandymouth Holiday Resort, so what are you waiting for? Book your holiday, explore the local area and see for yourself why Sandymouth is one of the UK’s most popular family holiday destinations!

Enjoy a fun day of golf with one of our fantastic sporting legends in aid of charity at The Springs Golf Club!

As one of the most popular golf clubs in Oxfordshire, The Springs is set within a 133 acres of a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with a beautifully built golf course to test and challenge all skill sets. And on the 7th June, you could be challenging your skill with a sporting legend in aid of Reach Out, a mentoring charity for children and young adults. There will also be a charity auction all in aid of Reach Out.

The teams will undertake a Texas Scramble over the 18 hole golf course, in teams of 4, with either 3 players and 1 legend for £1200, or 4 players (no legend) for £600 entry fee. The legends will be placed in a team via a live draw, which will featured a live Facebook event for you to see how it all unfolds and who is placed on what team!

the sporting legends

Keep an eye on the website for more detailed information about our cast of sporting legends*, but below is to roll call and where you will know them from:

• Will Greenwood – a former Rugby Union player, who was part of the 2003 England World Cup winning squad!
• Matthew Hoggard – a former English cricketer who played for the national team between 2000 and 2008. Was captain of Leicestershire from 2010 to 2013.
• Monty Panesar – a current English international cricketer, a popular fixture in the cricketing world.
• Scott Quinnell – a Welsh former Rugby Union and Rugby League player, gained 52 caps for Wales and 7 of them were as Captain.
• Nick Gubbins – an up and coming England player, who currently plays for Middlesex.
• Zinzan Brooke – a former New Zealand Rugby Union player. He once held the record for most tries scored by a forward in International games.

Don’t forget to like our page on Facebook to see our live Facebook event of the drawing of the teams!

To learn more about the event and how you can book your team into the tournament, check out our official Sporting Legends Golf Day page.

Join in on the fun this August 9th, with the prestigious Trilby Tour coming to The Springs Golf Club this Summer!

As one of the most popular golf clubs in Oxfordshire, The Springs has a stunning golf course to explore, with a programme of events all year round, including Turkey Trots and Texas Scrambles days. As well as a fabulous Sporting Legends Golf Day on June 7th, where amateurs can join a team with a sporting legend and raise money for Reach Out, a mentoring charity for children and young adults, there will also be a charity auction of a fantastic Aston Martin!

With so many events, it’s even more exciting to announce that the famous and hugely popular Trilby tour will be coming to The Springs on Thursday 9th August!

about the trilby tour

In its 11th year, this prestigious tournament gives amateur golfers a chance to experience Pro conditions, with a completely unique format. Consisting of a series of Regional Championship games all over the UK, the tournament then takes the top 10 players of each to take part in the International Grand Final, where the Trilby Tour World Champion is crowned. This popular tournament has fans returning year after year due to the unique competitive format, which sees the top 4 players of the day embark on a 3 hole shootout to decide who the champion is. The Region Championship are broadcast on Sky Sports, with the series starting around late September and being shown at 7pm on a Monday night. The televised event is officially the largest amateur golf television series in the UK and Europe, with annual viewer numbers raising to 3.5 million people.

william hunt’s trilby tour

William Hunt is the creator of the Trilby Tour, as well as being a top designer for Savile Row and a true golf aficionado. He came up with an idea of a more competitive amateur tournament in 2007, he wanted to give amateur players, from all walks of life, a chance to compete in Pro conditions, with the pressure of a nationally televised event, plus fans watching your every move. His love of the game pushed him to challenge and redefine the game, creating the ‘winner takes all’ format. The Trilby Tour is the only amateur event that offers a truly professional experience, giving them a platform to get their names out in the golfing world, to literally millions of people, via the Sky Sports broadcasts.

about the springs golf club

The Trilby Tour comes to The Springs on Thursday 9th August 2018, and will be taking advantage of one of the best courses in Oxfordshire. Spread over 133 acres of beautiful parkland and set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, our challenging course was designed by the former Ryder Cup Captain, and golfing legend, Brian Huggett MBE. Mr Huggett created a course to test all skill levels, including wetlands, lakes, sleeper edges bunkers and mature trees into his design.

The Springs offers an 18 hole course to play, as well as a short game area, practice ground and putting green to perfect all aspects of the game in one place. The onsite Golf Shop will stock everything you need, whether you’re a beginner or an expert, our friendly staff are always happy to help. And enjoy a delicious meal at the bar and restaurant in the clubhouse.

For more information about entry fees, how to enter and any other dates around the UK, please see the Trilby Tour Official Website.

Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat guests receive a fabulous 10% off at the popular Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway

Nestled in the heart of the newly announced UNESCO World Heritage Site, the stunning Lake District, Keswick Reach enjoys beautiful scenery, outstanding accommodation and five-star facilities. Our award-winning destination is a popular place to base yourself while exploring Cumbria, and one of the best ways to see the Lake District is by old-fashioned steam engine! And our guests get an exclusive 10% off tickets until 31st December 2018

Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway

The popular railway is one of the oldest and longest narrow gauge railway in England, with unrivalled views of the stunning Lake District. Known in the old Cumbrian dialect as La’al Ratty, which means “little railway”, Ravenglass & Eskdale was opened over 100 years ago in 1915, to the delight of many!

The current train journey takes passengers from Ravenglass through the World Heritage Site, to Dalegarth for Boot, which is around 210ft above sea level and offers breathtaking views. There are a few request stops during the 40 minute journey, the stops are ideally located for experienced walkers (only attempt these trails if you’ve has experience extreme rambling or in similar situations – you could get stuck out there!). You can choose between cosy covered carriages or open top carriages for your trip, where you can soak up the weather and beautiful views around you, while keeping an eye open for the local wildlife, including Greylog Geese and Buzzards, as well as Curlew’s, Shelduck’s and even Red Squirrels. When you get back to Ravenglass & Eskdale station, make sure to treat yourself to some delicious homemade snacks and warming hot drink from the café. There are also plenty of gifts to browse and mementoes to purchase in the gift shop, as well as information about fantastic trails and walks to explore this corner of the Lake District.

Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway also offers a full programme of events and themed journeys all year round. From a fish and chip supper trip and teddy bears ride free journeys, to magical station gardens, which includes fancy dress and magical crafts! Along with annual seasonal events, including the spooky Ghost Train and the ever-popular Santa Express!

10% off vouchers available at reception

Here at Keswick Reach, we are lucky enough to have 10% off vouchers available in our reception area!
The voucher applies to a full line return for adult and child tickets, as well as full family fares, each ticket has a maximum of 4 adults and 4 children per vouchers, this fabulous offer is valid until 31st December 2018!

So on your next trip to Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat make sure to visit our reception and pick up your 10% off voucher and explore the Lake District and all its wonders in a completely unique way!