1 / 8The Blue Lion
East Witton, North Yorkshire
Yes. Dogs can stay in 11 dog friendly rooms.
A former coaching inn in East Witton in the Yorkshire Dales, where dogs find bowls, beds and treats and join you at mealtimes in the real-ale bar.
Built as a shooting lodge and running as a coaching inn by around 1840, The Blue Lion in the village of East Witton takes its name from the emblem on the coat of arms of the Earls of Ailesbury. It is now a restaurant with rooms in the Yorkshire Dales, surrounded by the national park. With miles of walks and trails on its doorstep, from the riverbanks to rugged fells, this is a dog friendly inn built for walking days.
Well behaved dogs are welcome, and they're greeted with bowls, beds and doggie treats. The inn has 15 bedrooms, 11 of them dog friendly, split between the main house and the converted courtyard stables that once housed horses for travelling traders, where your dog is most welcome too. Call to chat through the dog friendly rooms, and mention the dog when you book, by phone or in the notes online. The inn's pages don't say whether there's a cap on dogs per room or whether one can be left alone there; ask on the phone.
At mealtimes dogs and owners stay together in dedicated dining areas such as the real-ale bar, with its roaring log fire, large sweeping settles and sturdy oak tables. The inn has won the Dining Pub of the Year Award three times, and the menus run to a twice-baked Wensleydale cheese soufflé with a chive cream sauce and smoked haddock with a poached egg and gruyere, with real ales from the Black Sheep Brewery and Theakston Brewery in Masham.
The team can help with fishing on The Blue Lion beat on the River Ure, and six walking maps can be collected at reception. Middleham Castle and River Cover Loop, a Wildpack walk to try with the dog, is 1.6 miles from the inn.
Facts checked October 2026 from the hotel's own website. Details can change, so please confirm anything important, especially the dog rules, with the hotel before you book.
At a Glance: Dogs
- Rooms for dogs
- 11 dog friendly rooms
- Dogs per room
- The hotel doesn't say
- Size or breed limits
- The hotel doesn't say
- Dog fee
- £10 per night
- Left alone in the room
- The hotel doesn't say
- In the bar
- Welcome
- In the lounge
- The hotel doesn't say
- Eating with your dog
- In a dog friendly dining area
- In the grounds
- The hotel doesn't say
- Dog extras
- Bowls, dog beds and treats
- Walks from the door
- Yes
- Nearest dog friendly beach
- None within 20 miles
Where the hotel doesn't say, check with the hotel when you book.
Book your stay
The Blue Lion is booked through Booking.com. Tell the hotel you are bringing your dog when you book.
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For You
- Rooms
- Rooms with garden access and roll top baths
- Things to do
- Fishing, walking routes and shooting
- Awards
- Dining Pub of the Year Award
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Blue Lion dog friendly?
Yes. Dogs can stay in 11 dog friendly rooms. This comes from The Blue Lion's own website. Details can change, so check with the hotel when you book.
How many dogs can I bring to The Blue Lion?
The hotel doesn't say how many dogs you can bring, so check with the hotel when you book.
Is there a charge for dogs at The Blue Lion?
£10 per night.
Can I eat with my dog at The Blue Lion?
You can eat with your dog in a dog friendly dining area. Dogs are welcome in the bar.
Can I leave my dog in the room at The Blue Lion?
The hotel doesn't say whether dogs can be left alone in the room, so check with the hotel when you book.
Are there dog walks near The Blue Lion?
The hotel says there are walks straight from the door. Dog friendly walks on Wildpack within 5 miles include Middleham Castle and River Cover Loop (1.6 miles), Leyburn Shawl, Preston-under-Scar and Wensley Circular (3.5 miles) and Coverdale: West Scrafton and Arkleside Moor (4.4 miles).
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Book now with Booking.comWhat’s Nearby?
Attraction1.5 mi awayMiddleham Castle
North Yorkshire
Richard III's northern power base in Wensleydale, and one of the sites where your dog is welcome throughout the castle, not just the grounds.
Walk1.6 mi awayMiddleham Castle and River Cover Loop
North Yorkshire
A dog friendly riverside loop from Richard III's childhood castle along the River Cover, with racehorse gallops and Wensleydale views.
Walk3.5 mi awayLeyburn Shawl, Preston-under-Scar and Wensley Circular
North Yorkshire
Leyburn's signature walk for dogs: the full length of the Shawl escarpment above Wensleydale, then field paths to Preston-under-Scar and the old church at Wensley.
Walk4.4 mi awayCoverdale: West Scrafton and Arkleside Moor
North Yorkshire
A moderate off-the-beaten-track Coverdale circuit over Arkleside Moor, with old lead mining relics and huge views across the quietest Dales valley.
Walk5.7 mi awayDruid's Temple and Ilton from Swinton Park
North Yorkshire
A moorland and woodland circuit for dogs from Swinton Park to the Druid's Temple, a 19th century folly styled like Stonehenge above Colsterdale.
Walk7 mi awayRedmire Force and Bolton Castle Circular
North Yorkshire
A circuit from Redmire village for dogs to the cascades of Redmire Force on the River Ure, with views to Bolton Castle across Wensleydale.
Dog Friendly Hotels Nearby
The closest dog friendly hotels to The Blue Lion. Every dog fact comes from the hotel's own website.
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All dog friendly hotels in North Yorkshire