The Insider’s Guide to The National Lottery Open Week - Pawsome Days Out
They’re called man’s best friend for a reason and for many, taking a dog along for a day out is essential. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to visit with your four-legged friend during The National Lottery Open Week, with lots of options to see the great outdoors and even enjoy a doggy ice cream.
1. Seaton Delaval
Location: Seaton Delaval, Northumberland
Open Week offer: Free entry 19th – 20th and 23rd – 27th March
Insider’s fact: Seaton Delaval was designed by renowned English architect John Vanbrugh for the Delaval family, otherwise known as the ‘Gay Delavals’. The family were known for their love of practical jokes and guests staying at the house could wake up to find the furniture stuck to the ceiling!
Insider’s tip: Enjoy a day out with your pooch as four-legged friends are allowed on the grounds (on a lead). While you’re visiting, don’t miss some of the new art installations that can be found across the site.
2. National Waterways Museum
Location: Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Open Week offer: Free entry and free gift – 22nd to 26th March
Insider’s fact: Gloucester Docks is no stranger to the limelight and was actually the backdrop for scenes from Disney’s blockbuster ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’. Plus, if you take a wander (or a paddle!) along the wonderful Gloucester & Sharpness Canal waterway, you may also recognise it as being the setting for much of the first series of fantasy television drama, His Dark Materials.
Insider’s tip: Did you know that the entire museum is dog-friendly? There are even doggy ice creams on sale for man’s best friend to enjoy.
3. Chirk Casle (National Trust)
Location: Chirk, Wrexham County
Open Week offer: Free entry 19th – 27th March
Insider’s fact: The history of Chirk Castle spans over 700 years and, in that time, five of its owners have been executed for treason. Built during the medieval age, it’s the only one of Edward I's Marcher fortresses still inhabited today and offers not just stunning views of the surrounding countryside but of opportunities to see original features from the time.
Insider’s tip: The history of dogs on the estate dates all the way back to medieval times, when the family used to kennel wolf-hounds beneath the entrance bridge. Enjoy one of three trails across the Castle’s grounds with your pooch.
4. The Argory (National Trust)
Location: Strangford, County Down
Open Week offer: Free entry 19th – 27th March
Insider’s fact: The Blackwater River which runs next to The Argory is actually one of the best places in the North to see the elusive Kingfisher. There’s normally at least one pair nesting on the riverbanks, but to spot one, patience and the ability to stay quiet and hidden is required.
Insider’s tip: Dogs are welcome on a lead at Castle Ward, plus there’s also a dedicated exercise area where they can be let off the lead to enjoy a run.
5. Crich Tramway Village
Location: Crich, Derbyshire
Open Week offer: Two for the price of one - 21st- 23rd March 2022
Insider’s fact: Many of the buildings along the street in the Tramway Village have actually been rescued from towns and cities across the UK. These include the Red Lion Pub and Restaurant which could originally be found in Stoke-on-Trent, and which now serves a selection of snacks, hot drinks, and real ales after being rebuilt brick by brick on site. There’s also the Exhibition Hall windows which have come from Doncaster tram depot and the Derby Assembly Rooms façade which arrived in Crich after a fire at the original location.
Insider’s tip: Don’t leave the dogs behind when you step back in time. They’re allowed across much of the site, apart from the tearooms and children’s play area.
Explore the full list National Lottery Open Week offers at www.NationalLotteryOpenWeek.com.
