Tan dog on sea wall at dog-friendly Hope Cove

Bodie’s Guide to Dog-Friendly Hope Cove

May 5, 2016

HOPE COVE…. Already an alluring name but then you learn this South Hams gem comprises two villages – Inner Hope and Outer Hope – and you just know a visit is going to be a tonic for your spirit as well as a shiny-happy stroll for your dog!

Bodie on wet sand dog-friendly Hope Cove

First things first, we have to acknowledge the message from the local Harbour Master: Dogs are to be kept on a lead and under control at all times. Everyone is very respectful of this, keen to maintain harmony on these family-friendly beaches.

Harbour Master hut at Hope Cove with Dog Control message

And so Bodie dutifully began our visit like this…

bodie-purple-leash-dog-friendly-hope-cove

But as there was not a single soul around (we visited mid-week and off-season) he had a quick run around the rocks…

Tan Dog runs around beach at Dog-friendly Hope Cove

Which come in a stunning array of colours. First the black and tan…

Tan dog beside black rock on dog-friendly Hope Cove beach

Then these ones of a purple hue, mingling with pale onyx green…

bodie-dog-friendly-hope-cove-coloured-rocks-tongue

Bodie was part mountain goat, part stumbling, but all joy!

Green rocks at Hope Cove

This waterfall may be on the beach just across from the Hope & Anchor Inn but it puts me in mind of a Mayan temple! (Dogs allowed here October-April).

dog-friendly-hope-cove-waterfall

WHERE TO STAY IN DOG-FRIENDLY HOPE COVE:

Hope and Anchor exterior Hope Cove

The 11-room Hope & Anchor Inn has undergone a £1million refurbishment giving it a minty-fresh exterior and  stylish ‘contemporary coastal’ interior.

Tan dog Bodie sat outside the Hope & Anchor Hope Cove

Bodie was greeted with starfish-shaped dog treats then we followed the creaky staircases and narrow corridors to Room 7…

room-sign-hope-and-anchor-dog-friendly-hope-cove

Here our sunlit twin awaited – aqua and honeyed tones with a soft, light, super-snug duvet and tea/coffee/hot chocolate facilities and human biscuits!

Twin room Hope & Anchor Hope Cove

The faucet design in the ensuite bathroom is one of the most confounding I have encountered but is more than compensated for by the room’s sea view!

sea view from hope and anchor

You always feel close to the water here, whether you are out on the expansive deck, clustered on the front benches or inside the view-centric breakfast area…

breakfast-room-hope-anchor-dog-friendly-hope-cove

Downstairs there’s an extra-long bar and an eating area popular with dog-owners – at one point I stepped outside to take a snap of Bodie and had to join a queue of three Labs in the front porch to get back in! The banquettes are a lovely weathered brown leather accented with crustacean-themed cushions…

crustacean-cushions-hope-and-anchor-hope-cove

Then there’s the Brewer & Bean cafe with a striking light design featuring swarthy fisherman’s rope from days of yore! (Perhaps lattes come frothed with sea foam?)

brewer-and-bean-dog-friendly-hope-cove

With dogs allowed ‘Everywhere except the kitchen!’ we happily conclude that the Hope & Anchor makes for an exceedingly relaxed and dog-friendly seaside stay!

HOPE & ANCHOR INN WEBSITEwww.hopeandanchor.co.uk

ADDRESS: Hope Cove, Kingsbridge, TQ7 3HQ

PHONE NUMBER:  01548 561294

PET POLICY: All rooms are dog-friendly, no additional fee.

hope-anchor-panorama-dog-friendly-hope-cove

Next door at The Cove Cafe Bar, abundant treats await your pup!

Dog Menu at The Cove dog-friendly Hope Cove

For a Miss Marple-esque Afternoon Tea, head up to the Cottage Hotel...

Exterior shot of Cottage Inn from the beach at Hope Cove

For once I forwent the cream tea in favour of a juicy slab of fruit cake (£4.40 including large pot of tea) and we settled into a velvet nook beside this brass-set fireplace.

Brick Fireplace at the Cottage Inn in dog-friendly Hope Cove

From here you can take the Coast Path (also essential when the tide is in!) and follow a woodsy route up by the side of the old lifeboat building. The first bench you see says IN LOVING MEMORY OF DEREK JOHNSON – that’s my uncle! Take a pew and gaze out across the water – over to the left you can even see Burgh Island (look for the white art deco hotel that inspired Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.)

Coast Path sign meeting cliff edge at dog-friendly Hope Cove

Weaving back around you’ll see some delightful cottages…

cute-cottages-dog-friendly-hope-cove

By now your dog should be yawning. (Or laughing at a lobster joke, one of the two.)

bodie-lobster-pots-yawn-laugh

We experienced all four seasons while visiting dog-friendly Hope Cove – at sunset I was in my pom-pom hat and Puffa with Bodie’s fleecy dog blanket clasped around my shoulders and I was still wincing at the chill, but the next morning we woke to glorious blue skies and discovered an idyllic sun trap at the end of the sea wall. This was my favourite spot of all – offering a double vantage point of the exquisite green waters and eliciting a big ole smile of approval from Bodie… We shall return!

bodie-hope-cove-sea-wall-walkway

Do you have any favourite dining experiences/dishes in dog-friendly Hope Cove?

2 comments

  1. Comment by Seville at Nerissa's Life

    Seville at Nerissa's Life May 12, 2016 at 9:19 am

    Oh how beautiful! What a lovely place to visit.

    Purrs,
    Seville.

    • Comment by Belinda

      Belinda May 12, 2016 at 10:25 am

      It really is! Meanwhile just having a lovely purr-use of Nerissa’s Life! Congrats on your BlogPaws nomination! xx

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