A Dog Owner's Day Out in Bridgwater: Canal, Town, and Where to Find a Pint After

Bridgwater doesn't get much tourist press. It's not Bath — there's no Roman history here, and nobody's booking a spa weekend in Sedgemoor. But for a dog owner in Somerset looking for a genuinely good day out, that's actually the point.

The canal towpath is flat, well-surfaced, and almost entirely free of the kind of tourists who spend the whole walk staring at their phones. The pubs are proper locals, not gastropub-with-a-view performances. And your dog, frankly, won't care about either of those things — they'll just be extremely happy.

The Walk: Bridgwater and Taunton Canal

The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal is your starting point. Built in stages between 1827 and 1841 to link Taunton with Bridgwater's docks — and now, mercifully, free of the commercial barge traffic that made it genuinely useful in the 1800s — the towpath runs for 14.5 miles in total. You don't need to do all of it to have a brilliant day with a dog.

The same towpath carries on all the way to Taunton at the other end, so if you're based there instead, our Taunton dog walks guide covers that stretch, plus three more walks around the town.

The most practical starting point is Bridgwater town centre, where the canal begins near the docks. From here, head south towards Huntworth: an easy, flat two miles along a well-maintained gravel towpath, canal on one side, Somerset farmland on the other. Dogs can be off the lead for much of the route, though it's worth keeping them close near the water if they're the enthusiastic-jumping-in type. The canal is calm, but it's cold — and you will be the one drying them off in the pub afterwards.

The Huntworth end of this stretch is where it gets particularly good. The towpath opens up, fields stretch out on both sides, and you arrive at The Boat and Anchor Inn — a pub that sits genuinely canal-side, with outdoor seating and a beer garden looking back across the water. It's one of the few Somerset pubs that actually earns the description "canal-side," rather than just being vaguely near one.

Want more distance? Two options from here:

• Extend south towards Creech St Michael, staying on the towpath the whole way.
• Loop back into town along the River Parrett instead — rougher underfoot, but rewarding, passing the old docks and giving you a completely different angle on where you started.

Practical details: the towpath is accessible from the town centre near Bridgwater Docks, or from the Huntworth end off the A38. There are several pay-and-display car parks in the town centre within easy walking distance of the docks if you're doing a shorter out-and-back from that end. The surface is good enough for most dogs year-round, though it gets muddy after heavy rain in winter — bring a towel regardless, because this is Somerset.

Where to Get That Pint

This is where The Pub Hound's verified data actually earns its keep. Bridgwater has 11 verified dog-friendly pubs — here's how a few of them break down for a post-walk visit.

Just finished the canal walk? The Boat and Anchor Inn at Huntworth is the obvious choice — canal-side seating, dogs welcome, and you've practically walked to its front door already.

In the town centre? The Lime Kiln on Salmon Parade sits right by the river, a natural stop after the River Parrett path. The Old Market on Penel Orlieu is the better bet if you want somewhere central and walkable from the high street — dogs welcome in the main bar.

Want somewhere quieter? The Bower Inn, out on Bower Lane in East Bower, is worth the short drive — a proper village-pub feel, with dogs welcome throughout, including the dining spaces.

Got a group? The Malt Shovel on Wembdon Road has a beer garden alongside the bar, which works well when you've got multiple dogs — or children — to manage at once.

Making a Full Day of It

Bridgwater's town centre is compact enough to wander without a plan.

The Blake Museum on Blake Street is free entry and worth twenty minutes. It's named after Admiral Robert Blake — Bridgwater's most famous son, and the man generally credited with establishing England's naval dominance in the 17th century — and the building itself (his believed birthplace) is a handsome 16th-century merchant's house. Dogs aren't permitted inside, but it's a short stop while someone in the group pops in.

The Cornhill Indoor Market, right in the town centre, is open most days of the week including Saturdays, and it's a proper working market rather than a tourist one. Which means it's busier, slightly noisier, and considerably more interesting to a dog. Most traders are relaxed about dogs, though keep them on a short lead in the crowds.

The River Parrett runs through the town and is worth a look even if you're not walking along it — the old docks area gives a real sense of what Bridgwater was in its trading heyday, when it was one of Somerset's most significant ports.

Good to Know

Getting there: Bridgwater is on the M5 (Junction 23 or 24), roughly 35 minutes from Bristol and 15 minutes from Taunton by car. Several pay-and-display car parks serve the town centre.

By train: direct services run from Bristol Temple Meads, typically taking under an hour. The station is a short walk from the canal starting point near the docks.

Best time to go: spring and early autumn hit the sweet spot — the towpath isn't muddy, the weather is manageable, and the pubs aren't busy enough to make finding a dog-friendly table a competitive sport.

The Carnival: if you're visiting in early November, the Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival — widely regarded as the largest illuminated carnival procession in Europe — transforms the town completely. It's loud, crowded, and spectacular, regularly drawing crowds well over 100,000. Most dogs find it genuinely overwhelming, so check the date before you book anything and plan accordingly.