Looking for a furry-friendly city with lots going on? Head to this North East gem
There’s dog friendly and then there’s Durham – a seriously pooch-friendly destination for any owner who hates the thought of leaving their bestie at home. First stop for me and the humans was Hotel Indigo, based in the magnificent former Old Shire Hall building of the city, where we made a beeline for the hotel’s Neighbourhood Coffee House.
Immediately, the lovely staff pointed me in the direction of the special doggie menu. It’s £1 for a sausage and only 50p for a puppuccino. Can you believe it? I’d never ever had one of those but now I’m team puppuccino all the way. Oh! I almost forgot. The humans indulged in toasties and coffee from a menu of café faves. Not only are dogs made welcome here, but they are positively celebrated – there was even a wall filled with pictures of pooch guests, labelled the ‘pupperazzi’!
Next, we stepped onto the Prince Bishop, a delightful old boat, for a river cruise down the Wear. Apparently when students arrive at Durham (there are about 20,000 of them), half of them join the sailing club, and once on the river, it does have an Oxford and Cambridge vibe.
Jamie, the narrator and captain of the boat, entertained us with stories such as why the students are no longer allowed to hold Rag Week in the city. Apparently, the last Rag Week they held, they thought it would be a jolly idea to break into Durham Jail, home of notorious criminals such as Rose West, the Yorkshire Ripper and Harold Shipman, to deliver a box of chocolates to the governor’s desk. Which they did – and the authorities were far from happy. Hence the ban.
We chug along admiring the magnificence of Durham’s cathedral, castle and bridges, which are the main attractions of this incredible location, before stepping back onto land and heading for our hotel, the Kingslodge Inn.
Our room was a good size and comfortably equipped with an iron and ironing board along with tea and coffee-making facilities. But what I liked most about the hotel was the location. It’s a few minutes’ walk from the railway station and Durham City, yet it’s surrounded by a forest, so it’s the perfect place in the city for a pet pooch and her humans.
That evening, amid the cheery tartan-clad environs of the bar, the humans dined on broad bean hummus followed by hearty fish and chips and a delicious salad of radicchio, avocado, radish, pomegranate, lettuce and tomato served with hot, crispy fries. The food was clearly freshly made with love and skill.
I was also allowed into the bar-restaurant for breakfast with the humans and was treated like a proper guest. Although there were no puppuccinos on the menu, there were plenty of doggie treats on the bar to make me very happy indeed.
So, if you’ve never been here, do come! Durham is a delight and not only for dogs. It’s a terrific city with enough attractions to keep you amused for a long weekend. I’ll definitely be back to enjoy more of its furry-friendly hospitality.
Peppa was a guest of Visit County Durham and more information can be found at thisisdurham.com
Neighbourhood Coffee House, Hotel Indigo: durham.hotelindigo.com
Kingslodge Inn: inncollectiongroup.com
By Janet Reeder | Images Paul Morgans
