Wild Camping with Dogs - Paws and Tors

Woody, Hen and I recently returned from our first camping trip together. We stayed in a farmer’s field just outside Boscastle and had a fantastic time. Camping with dogs can seem daunting at first, in fact I’d been putting it off for months out of fear of something going wrong. Fortunately, we all survived to tell the tale and today I thought I’d share with you more about our first wild camping experience together!

We arrived in Boscastle on Friday night, just in time to collect dinner from Woody’s Pizza Cornwall, who do pop up events throughout north Cornwall. I first tried a Woody’s Pizza at DogFest West last year and have always wanted to return! We enjoyed our pizzas back in the field, as the sun set over the cliffs before setting up our tents for the night.

Woody and Hen were joined by their friend Shadow, a husky/whippet mix and our current foster dog Snoop. Squeezing three spaniels into a 2 man tent was a challenge but somehow we managed! The main challenge was convincing them to stay in the tent, as all they wanted was to play together out in the fields. Miraculously we all slept soundly and the dogs enjoyed sprinting around the fields before breakfast.

Then we hit the trail! A lovely walk along the south west coast path towards Boscastle. The fields we were camping in backed onto the path and we were all eager to explore. Unfortunately Hen had sliced his paw on a rock a few days prior, so was limping. I decided to pack him into my rucksack and carry him so he didn’t have to use it. Of course, Hen had other ideas and wriggled so much in the bag that it was far safer for him to walk on lead with the rest of the dogs. Funnily enough his limp didn’t return…

We walked across Beeny Cliff and over to Boscastle Farm Shop, where we stopped for lunch. Pasties were on the menu of course. I had to share mine 4 ways; I just can’t resist those spaniel eyes! It was a steep climb back to our tents, I highly recommend wearing proper walking shoes on this stretch of path. The north coast is much more rugged than the south and I was completely unprepared. I had to hike in flip flops!

We met up with Fran from North Cornwall Dog Walking in the afternoon. Fran had kindly organised our camping spot for us and was a great guide throughout the weekend. Fran’s friends own the fields and they kindly let us camp there. Trebyla Farm campsite is just up the road and is dog friendly if you’re looking to stay nearby. They have electric hookups, as well as toilets and shower blocks available. Their prices are very reasonable and I look forward to trying them out for ourselves soon!

We spent our final evening in Crackington Haven, eating dinner at the Coombe Barton Inn. The weather was stunning that weekend and we enjoyed eating outdoors. I also recommend visiting the Cabin Café for breakfast or lunch. We spent the rest of the evening watching the sunset from our tents, as the dogs played in the fields. It’s safe to say they were gutted when we left, they absolutely adored their newfound freedom. I can’t wait for our next wild camping trip with dogs, something tells me we’ll be out adventuring very soon!