Dog Walks in Cheddar With a Pub at the End

Cheddar has two great claims to dog-friendly fame: the cliff-top drama of the Gorge, and a village pub culture that feels as if it was built around wet paws and muddy boots. These routes are designed for people who want the best of both, with a walk first and a pub second — and no guesswork about whether the pub will actually welcome your dog.

Why Cheddar? The Mendip Hills are one of the closest seriously wild landscapes to Bristol and Bath, and Cheddar Gorge is one of the South West’s most atmospheric walkers’ playgrounds. The official Cheddar Gorge website and the National Trust Cheddar Gorge page are both useful for checking parking, cave tickets, and the current conditions before you go.

Cheddar Gorge is one of the South West’s most visited natural attractions, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. That makes it a great place for a pub finish, but it also means the obvious routes can get busy, so this guide mixes dramatic scenery with quieter village and farmland options.

Route	Distance	Main terrain	Best for	Pub
Gorge clifftop loop	2.5–3 miles	Limestone path, steps, scree	Dramatic views	Riverside Inn Cheddar
Strawberry Line	4 miles	Flat former railway path	Easier walking, quiet	White Hart Cheddar
Cheddar village loop	1.5–2 miles	Paved village paths	Gentle stroll	Gardener’s Arms Cheddar
Mendip farmland loop	4–5.5 miles	Country lanes, fields	Longer countryside route	King’s Head Cheddar

Pub	Dogs inside	Water	Best for
Riverside Inn Cheddar	Yes	Bring your own	Cliff-top finish
White Hart Cheddar	Yes	Confirmed	Flat railway-path walk
Gardener’s Arms Cheddar	Yes	Confirmed	Village loop
King’s Head Cheddar	Yes	Bring your own	Longer Mendip loop

Need a quick decision? If you want drama and a proper Gorge feel, choose the clifftop loop. If you want easy walking with a strong pub finish, the Strawberry Line is the best bet.

Want a gentle day? The village loop is the easiest route and still ends at a properly verified dog-friendly pub.

After a longer countryside day, the Mendip farmland loop is the most remote option and finishes inside at King’s Head Cheddar.

Cheddar guide tip: If you’re not sure how much your dog wants to tackle the Gorge, start with the village loop or the Strawberry Line. Both are easier underfoot and still give you a proper Cheddar pub finish.

What to pack for Cheddar dog walks

• Good boots — the Gorge route has steps, chalk paths and loose scree.
• Water for you and your dog — even though the pubs have bowls, the routes themselves do not.
• A lead and poo bags — narrow sections and farm fields mean you’ll need them.
• Layered waterproofs — Cheddar weather can turn quickly, especially on the ridge.
• A phone with maps — signal can be patchy on the higher Mendip lanes, so download a route or save a map offline.

Route	Start point	Map note
Gorge clifftop loop	Cheddar Gorge main car park	Follow the clifftop path above Cox’s Cave and return via Cathedral Cave
Strawberry Line	Axbridge trailhead	Use the old railway path toward Cheddar and watch for the river crossing
Cheddar village loop	Cheddar village car park	Follow the River Yeo to the weir, then cross Mill Lane back into the village
Mendip farmland loop	A371 west of Cheddar	Head past Cheddar Reservoir and loop toward Priddy/Shipham

We’ve chosen four routes that are easy to navigate, no-nonsense to follow, and end at pubs whose owners or local researchers have confirmed dogs are welcome, water bowls are available, and the atmosphere is relaxed rather than “we tolerate dogs if they’re small.”

Cheddar Gorge clifftop loop + Riverside Inn Cheddar

This is the most dramatic walk here, and the one most visitors picture when they think of Cheddar.

Start from the main Cheddar Gorge car park and head up the path above the Gorge for the cliff-top loop. There are several ways to do it; the simplest is the Penn Hill path to the north, the clifftop trail above Cox’s Cave, then down the Cathedral Cave side and back through the gorge floor.

Distance: 2.5–3 miles.

Terrain: stone steps, chalk path, stoney track and a few short stretches of loose scree.

It is worth keeping a lead on hand, especially around the viewing points and narrow sections, because dogs can be easily startled by walkers coming the other way.

The reward is physical: towering limestone walls, down-to-earth wildflowers in summer, and a feeling of being somewhere properly rugged without leaving Somerset. The route is also conveniently close to two of Cheddar’s best post-walk pubs.

The Riverside Inn Cheddar sits on Cliff Street in the gorge itself and is one of our strongest Cheddar pub picks. It has a big beer garden by the river and a cozy lounge with a warm welcome for dogs inside. If you want a pint with your walk view still fresh in your mind, this one is the most obvious finish.

Strawberry Line to the White Hart + a railway-path pint

The Strawberry Line is the old railway route between Yatton and Cheddar, and it makes a brilliant dog walk because it stays flat, avoids traffic, and runs through fields, hedgerows and quiet villages.

Park at Axbridge and follow the path into Cheddar — it is about 4 miles, so allow 80–90 minutes at an easy pace.

Why it works: the route is especially good for dogs that are less keen on steep cliff edges. It crosses farmland and a handful of small bridges, and the surface is largely compacted gravel, so it works on muddy days much better than a gorge trail.

The White Hart Cheddar is a great finish for this walk. It is nailed to the village edge and is one of the most atmospheric pubs in Cheddar, with stone walls, a traditional feel, and a friendly dog welcome confirmed in our research. The White Hart keeps water bowls ready and is a good choice if you want to sit somewhere that feels proper after a country walk.

If you want to make the most of the route, stop at the Cheddar Toy Museum on the way back and let your dog stretch while you browse the shop at the museum’s entrance. It is not strictly dog-friendly inside, but the village centre is compact enough that you can alternate a short carry with a stroll by the river.

Cheddar village loop + The Gardener’s Arms

This is the most relaxed route on the list, and the one to choose if you want to keep things simple and still see the heart of Cheddar.

Start at the village car park, walk along the River Yeo to the weir, head past the Cheddar Gorge Information Centre, then turn inland on the old Mill Lane and return via the green fields around Somerset Farm.

Distance: 1.5–2 miles.

Terrain: paved village paths, quiet road, grassy field edge.

This is the least exposed walk here and the best option if you want to stretch your dog’s legs without dealing with steep drops.

Finish at The Gardener’s Arms Cheddar, a proper village pub with a warm welcome and enough room for muddy dogs. The interior is classic stone-and-beam Somerset, the beer list is decent, and water bowls are confirmed. This route is ideal for anyone who wants a gentle walk with a traditional pub lunch rather than a full-on hiking day.

Mendip farmland loop + King’s Head Cheddar

If you want a longer loop that still finishes in the village, take the lanes west of Cheddar towards Priddy and Shipham.

Head out along the A371 for a few hundred metres, then take the quiet lane up past Cheddar Reservoir and into the lower Mendip fields. The route can be tailored to your dog’s mood: a 4-mile circuit uses the reservoir track and returns beside the river, while a 5.5-mile version continues up to the ridge above Burrington Combe before dropping back into Cheddar.

Distance: 4–5.5 miles.

Terrain: country lane, hard-packed mud track, grassy verge.

There are a couple of short road sections, but the traffic is usually light. Take a lead for the reservoir path and the cattle fields, and remember that the ridge section can be exposed on windier days.

This route is the best option for a walk that feels a little more remote without leaving the Cheddar area. The reward is open Mendip sky, far-reaching views over the Somerset Levels, and a finish in the village at The King’s Head Cheddar, a pub that still feels like a local after a long walk. Dogs are welcome inside, and the pub’s traditional interior makes it a cosy place to warm up with a pint.

What to do around Cheddar Gorge before or after your walk

What	Why it matters
Cheddar Gorge Visitor Centre	Check parking, cave tickets, and current road conditions before you arrive
National Trust Cheddar Gorge & Caves	See whether the cliffs and paths are open, especially after bad weather
Gough’s Cave	Good for an alternate indoor activity if the weather turns, but dogs are not allowed inside
Cheddar Village	A compact high street with cheese shops and cafés for a gentle after-walk wander

Map note: The main Cheddar Gorge car park is on the A371, the Strawberry Line trailhead is at Axbridge station, and the village loop is easiest to start from the Cheddar Information Centre.

For printable route planning, use OpenStreetMap’s Cheddar area map: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/51.2800/-2.7400

• Cheddar Gorge Visitor Centre is a good place to check before you go; it has up-to-date information on parking, cave access, and the Gorge Tram if you want a rest day.
• The National Trust’s Cheddar Gorge page is the place to check for walking routes and whether the limestone cliffs are open.
• If the weather is poor, the caves are still a good day out — Gough’s Cave is nearby, though dogs are not allowed inside.
• Cheddar village itself has a small high street, cheese shops, and ice cream stands that make a nice end to a walk if your dog skips the cave visit.