About us
Made for muddy paws
Lead & Hearth is an independent guide to dog-friendly pubs with fires, cottages and walks, made on the edge of the South Downs.
Plenty of places call themselves dog-friendly, then turn out to mean dogs in the garden only, in the rain. Lead & Hearth sets out to answer the questions dog owners actually ask: can the dog come inside, is the fire lit, how many dogs will the cottage take, and what's the walk like?
We're based near Brighton, on the edge of the South Downs, which is where the guide is most detailed. We also cover the Lake District, the Cotswolds and the New Forest, and add more places regularly.
Dog details first
Not just "dog-friendly": where dogs can actually go, how many a cottage takes, and whether there are stiles or sheep on the walk.
Honest about what we know
Our listings start from public sources such as pub guides, CAMRA and venues' own websites. When we've confirmed a dog policy ourselves, the listing says so.
Walk, then pub
Our walk guides end at a pub that welcomes dogs, with links to the full published route so you never rely on us alone.
Independent, and open about money
The guide is free to use. Some links earn us a commission, and venues can pay for a clearly labelled Featured listing, but nobody can pay to change what we say about their dog policy. Read our affiliate disclosure.
Say hello
Spotted something out of date, or know a pub with a fire that deserves a place? Email hello@leadandhearth.co.uk. Run a venue? Get listed here.