Our favourite dog walks around Barry

Oh Hi!

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to write any blogs, but since having our little boy last year, things have changed a little bit, and it’s meant that I’ve got a bit more time to get blogging! Before digging in, I had a little read back of all our blogs, and one thing struck me- I haven’t updated any local walkies blogs since 2019, a whole SIX years ago, WILD.

So, now that the beach ban is now in full swing, and I know lots of people can find it quite tricky to navigate summer dog walks with restrictions, tourists and the warm weather, I thought now might be the perfect time to update the local walk blogs. The Barry locations I’d originally written about are still my absolute favourite places to dog walk, but with six years passing, we needed a bit of an update of what’s in each area.

And with that in mind, let’s get stuck in shall we?!

Let's go to the beach!

We’re off to the beach first! Barry has some of the most amazing and accessible coast line, while Whitmore bay in the summer months is off limits to dogs, it’s a lovely time of year to get out of your comfort zone and explore the amazing dog friendly beaches that are a short walk away from Barry island.

While the main beach isn’t dog friendly in the summer, There are dog-friendly businesses aplenty on the island - We’ve got a lush little summer walking route nailed down, but dependent on your dog (and the weather!), this route can be shortened or made a day of.

As the beach ban comes in to effect (on May 1st each year), we like to make the Old Harbour (or Barry Harbour) our summer stomping ground. When the tide is out, this little beach comes in to its own. With rock pools galore for dogs to cool off and plenty of space to run free, this place is perfect for pups to enjoy the longer days. It’s a favourite with Maggie all year round, because when the tide is out, there’s plenty of room for zoomies!

Lots of pools to cool off in at the Old Harbour!

Friar’s Point connects the Old Harbour to Whitmore Bay, and is a pretty glorious walk in itself. We go there most days for a walk with the dogs, and the views make me feel so lucky to live in this amazing town. Even on a wet, blustery day, you can see a huge stretch of the Vale’s beautiful coast line whilst wandering along the walkways.

Friars Point even looks pretty on a very overcast day.

The great thing about these beaches is how easily they’re connected. On the Old Harbour but need a pit stop? No problem! It may not feel like it, but you’re a mere 10 minute walk away from the hustle and bustle of Barry Island, where you can sit and eat anything from a tray of cheesy chips, to toast and a cuppa

Even with the beach ban in place, the Island is a great place to stop off and there are so many great local businesses to take a break at, that are also dog friendly —Marcos, Scoop, Whitmore and Jackson are all lovely dog friendly spots. Bay 5 and Bro Coffee have great outdoor seating nearby and are perfect spots to grab something on the go!

Refreshed and not ready for home time just yet? Then let’s keep going! Even though dogs aren’t allowed on Whitmore Bay during the summer months, a stroll along the prom is always lovely — over on the eastern promanade are the beach huts, there are also some water stop offs here for your pooches — important for expeditions on hot days! These beach huts can be rented out via the Visit the Vale website and are dog friendly. We booked one for the day with family in December, and it was a great day out. The beach huts have electricity so you can bring everything you need for a day by the seaside!

After a stop off at the beach huts, you’re well on your way to Nell’s Point, which connects Whitmore and Jackson’s Bay. It’s worth a exploring for the beautiful views alone. Dogs love the grassy verges and there’s some great lookout points for us to explore. From there, you can follow the pathway that snakes under the Coast watch lookout station which leads you to Jackson’s Bay. It’s a small beach, hidden away from tourists (although it is getting more popular!) and is perfect for dogs who love a sea swim. We’ve spent many a summer evening roaming around this area watching the world go by.

Some of the amazing views from Nell's Point

If You’ve had your fill of beach walks, and Barry island is just that bit too crowded for you and your dog in the summer, there’s plenty of places around Barry for a change of scenery!  How about some green fields to picnic on with your favourite furry friend?

Porthkerry Park

Who doesn’t love Porthkerry Park? Barry’s largest green space has just about everything a lushpup could need . There’s a HUGE field for playing ball games (although you may have to dodge the crowds on busier days), plenty of shaded, woodland spots for hot days and streams for cooling off. There’s even Porthkerry beach if you fancied a sea view. The park stretches across wide area, so there’s plenty of variety for walking and it’s the perfect place to spend the day with your dog, a picnic and some friends. If you’re looking for a pit stop, Zoomeze has snacks for both humans and pups — it’s a great place to sit outside on nicer days and take in the views of the viaduct.

Look at that view!

Our favourite walk in Porthkerry park is Robins walk. It’s much quieter on busier days and nice and shady. You can access the fields and forest next to the viaduct from here as well, and their always really quiet, perfect if you’d rather not be disturbed!

While we visit the beach most days with Maggie and our almost 1 year old, I hadn’t been to Porthkerry since our little boy was born, and I will say, accessibility is a bit limited around Porthkerry – particularly if you have a pram or a wheelchair. Next time we go we’ll take our bub in a carrier, so we can take advantage of walking Mags off the paths. If you’ve got young children, it might be worth considering this too!

Robin's Walk is very accessible, but bring a carrier if you want to venture into the fields or woods with very small children!

Marine Drive

One of our favourite green spaces in Barry, I never know why it isn’t busier in the summer months! Tucked away just up the road from The Knap car park are steps to this space and there’s also access from the woods opposite Romilly park. This green space stretches above the cliffs of The Knap pebble beach and that can only mean one thing — spectacular views! On a clear day, you can not only see the whole of Barry from the top of Marine Drive, but also Cardiff Bay, Steep Holm, Flat Holm and even Weston-super-Mare. As a quieter green space, its great for reactive dogs looking for a more peaceful atmosphere. As you walk across the field towards the cliffs of Porthkerry, you and your dog will hit woodland and the ‘Golden Stairs’ that join Marine Drive to Porthkerry Park — perfect for a longer walk, Tom often takes groups of dogs on this route in the summer to take advantage of the shady woodland around the golden stairs.

Look at those views! a perfect relaxing summer walk for dogs who prefer quieter places.

Romilly Park

I have fond memories of this park. It was my stomping ground as a kid — me and my first dog, Fudge spent many an afternoon hanging out here. Not much has changed since I was 12, but that isn’t a bad thing for you or your pooch! It always feels a lot smaller than I remember, but there’s plenty of variety in this park — a lovely playing field that’s perfect for a game of catch, woodland with plenty of squirrels to chase. There are plenty of shelters, which are handy because we live in the UK and summer time means glorious sunshine turning in to major down pours within a matter of minutes. The park is also in good company, a five minute walk away from the Knap and the pebble beach which easily connects to the Old Harbour. Romilly park and the Knap are great walks if you’re taking a dog and little one out for an adventure. With the playground in Romilly park, lots of dog friendly cafes down the road and easily accessible routes, it’s a great day out when you’ve got to keep both kids and dogs happy!

Romilly Park - good fun whatever the weather with lots of shelters and coffee shops near by!

Parade Gardens

This little park is full of wild flowers and has the most amazing view over the Old Harbour and Barry Island. Its great as a stop off before the beach, but I often take dogs just to this spot. It’s always pretty quiet which means you can take your time and watch the world go by. In the early days when our little boy was teeny tiny, I’d take him and Maggie here to take advantage of the plentiful benches for feeding and pit stops. This park is about a 5 minute walk away from the Knap and all its amenities. On a nice Sunday morning it’s a great walk through before a brunch in Romilly’s!

Parade Gardens is a lovely quiet park close to the Knap and all it's dog friendly amenities!  

Victoria Park

This is a beautiful Victorian park, full of bandstands and super cute flower patches. There’s also a kids park and a small playing field. It’s a lovely little patch of calm and best for short strolls, but absolutely worth a visit!

Beautiful Victoria Park

And that’s that! I really hope there’s some new places on this list that more people can enjoy, or you discover something new in an area you go to regularly. Do you have a favourite space in Barry where you can walk your dog all year long? Let me know and I’ll add it to the list!

Next time, I’ll be looking at walking spots in the Vale – the Vale is a MUCH bigger space, but I’ll be covering some of our favourite walkies spots, and maybe some new ones (any excuse to get out and about!) so if you’ve got any firm favourites that you think we should explore get in touch!

Emma x