Top picnic spots with your four-legged friend

Nothing quite beats a family picnic when the sun is out, especially when the dog joins in too. To celebrate National Picnic Week we’ve teamed up with our stylish friends at Sophie Allport to share a handful of their favourite picnic spots for you to enjoy. Whether you fancy a relaxing bite at the beach, a lazy lunch on manicured lawns or a scrumptious spread at an inner-city park; pack that hamper with goodies and enjoy a new adventure with friends, especially your four-legged ones!

Burghley Park, Stamford - Burghley Park is Sophie’s local stomping ground and makes the perfect spot for a summer picnic. With acres of greenery, Burghley Park is home to beautiful sculpture gardens, tranquil deer gardens and even a ‘garden of surprises’, as well as the magnificent Elizabeth manor house, of course! Visitors are made welcome all year round, but we particularly like setting up camp on a golden summer’s evening, plating up our picnic under a tree and sitting back to enjoy the sight of Stamford’s spires in the far-off distance. It’s absolutely beautiful. Dogs aren’t allowed in the gardens but are welcome in the parkland on-lead to ensure the safety of livestock.

The Norfolk Coast - If you are closer to the north, the Norfolk coast has so much to offer humans and dogs! This part of the UK is picturesque and punctuated with ancient woodland, sandy shores, and pebbled beaches. Consider taking a trip to Sheringham before walking through the woodland to the sand dunes at Holkham. Dogs are welcome to get their paws as sandy as they like on Holkham beach – just don’t forget to pack a towel!

Wastwater, Cumbria – For those based a little further north, consider a picnic on the shores of England’s deepest lake – Wastwater. Winner of Britain’s Best View, Wastwater is the centrepiece of some of the most awe-inspiring views in all of Cumbria and surrounded by peaks (including England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike). On a clear day, the lake becomes a mirror to reflect its neighbouring majestic mountains, and a picnic spot best enjoyed at dawn or dusk if you’re hoping to conjure up a sense of romance! A wonderful place for a picnic based adventure with your pup.

Stowe Gardens, Buckinghamshire - Further south into England is the rolling green gardens at Stowe, peppered with tranquil patches of water and belts of handsome trees. With over 250 acres to choose from you’re bound to find a quiet spot to settle down for a picnic, and best of all, dogs are welcome to explore the gardens and parkland too. You may need to book in advance at the moment, so check out their website before you visit. There are dog bins throughout the gardens, plus great places for a drink and good sniff around!

Hyde Park, London

For some inner-city serenity, you'll find it hard to beat Hyde Park, arguably one of London’s most impressive parks. Due to its vast size, it’s not visibly surrounded by offices so offers a mix of different areas to explore and relax in - from hiring a rowing boat, exploring the gardens, to enjoying a traditional game of bowls and dogs have so much to sniff and explore too. If you're coming in near Hyde Park Corner be sure to check out the beautiful rose gardens at the south-east corner - an ideal picnic spot and dogs are welcomed with open paws.

A hamper full of delights

Check out Sophie Allport’s wonderful selection of picnicware to help make the occasion extra special and if you’re hoping to keep your sausages and sandwiches safe from your dog, pack a selection of our delicious natural meals and treats. Choose from nutritious wet meals packed with high quality ingredients, tasty cold pressed natural dry dog food, or a selection of tempting grain free treats; guaranteed to set tails wagging at any picnic and all free from junk or fillers.