Miles of empty shoreline, rolling dunes to roam and cosy cafés where sandy paws are welcome. As dog walker Jess from Smith & Snout knows well, Hayle is a Secret Season haven for dogs and their owners.
“You can have the entire three-mile stretch of beach to yourself, with just no one else around. It’s really, really nice. And I also prefer the colours at this time of year – they’re just so rich and deep. It’s absolutely beautiful,” says Jess, who set up her dog walking and training service about two and a half years ago. “I’ve lived here my whole life and I still look out, and can’t believe its beauty.”
What makes Hayle unique is the sheer variety of terrain packed into the area. “It’s great for dogs because of all the different environments we’ve got within a five-mile radius,” says Jess. “If the dogs are keen swimmers, we’ve obviously got the beach, they can catch some waves in, which some of my dogs do.”
As well as the miles of Atlantic shoreline and the South West Coast Path, Hayle is also home to one of the UK’s most extensive sand dune systems – known as the towans. “Dogs absolutely love sniffing around the towans, where they can run to their heart’s content.”
Beyond the coast, “there are woodland areas like Tehidy, which is great for smells and stick chasing. And we’ve got Trencrom Hill with sweeping views.”
“We’ve just got a new sauna right on the beach in Hayle, so it’s really handy to warm up afterwards. And there’s a little horse box on the beach where they do awesome hot chocolates with marshmallows and the works.”
WALK ANY WAY
With a deep understanding of canine behaviour, Jess tailors her walks for each animal in her care. “I take group walks of up to six dogs for friendly, social dogs. I do solo walks for dogs that aren’t so friendly. I also work with reactive dogs and nervous dogs,” she explains.
Her approach is rooted in a lifelong passion. “I’ve always loved animals since I was a kid. I’ve wanted to work with them my whole life,” says Jess, who’s spent years caring for and training all manner of four-legged animals, and owns a pair of Romanian rescue dogs.
Whether they’re wave-chasers or woodland sniffers, every dog in her care gets exactly the adventure, and attention, they need.
COLD WATER AND HOT CHOCOLATES
When she’s not walking dogs, Jess makes time for a cold-water dip when she’s feeling brave enough. “We’ve just got a new sauna right on the beach in Hayle, so it’s really handy to warm up afterwards. And there’s a little horse box on the beach where they do awesome hot chocolates with marshmallows and the works.”
For post- or mid-walk hot chocolates, Hayle’s three-mile stretch is bookended by two dog-friendly cafés – Godrevy Café at one end, Gilbert’s at the other – with little hideaways like The Jam Pot and the Cove Cafe tucked among the sweeping sand and dunes between.
For even more solitude, head west – just across Hayle river mouth – to Porthkidney Sands. Dubbed ‘Happy Dog Beach’ by locals, this wild, wave-lashed mile of shore, reached by a track from St Uny Church, is frequently the domain of just a handful of frolicking dogs and their happy owners. It’s often quieter than the Hayle to Godrevy stretch, with the dog-friendly Birdie’s Bistro nearby too.
Secret season is made for four paws. Find your perfect dog-friendly stay in Hayle.
