Doggies at Monastery Barn ....

A basket of doggie toys & a bowl of water will be ready to greet your doggies on arrival. The garden is safe, secure and totally enclosed with solid fencing that is over 6ft high. In front of the fencing are trees & bushes.

In our welcome pack we also have maps of the local dog walks both short & long - and we also have an outdoor doggie shower, towels & doggie hairdryer available for some on the spot grooming after a muddy walk. The majority of the local pubs are very dog friendly with bowls of water & doggie biscuits behind the bar.

Our previous four legged guests have included St Bernards, Irish Wolfhounds, Red Setters, German & Belgian Shepherds, Labradors, Springer Spaniels, Poodles, Terriers, Cockerpoo's, Beagles, Pugs

Just some of the local walks include:

Shutford Circular Walk & Village Trail (Starts in the Village)

The Shutford Circular Walk follows footpaths & bridleways to the south & west of the village, including a section of ancient road past Madmarston Hill. It offers fine views over the surrounding countryside & neighbouring villages. This 4.5 mile/7 km walk starts from the village pub (George & Dragon). The circular walk is clearly waymarked but it helps to follow the information in this leaflet as you go.

The Shutford Village Trail offers a short 1 mile/1.6 km walk around this once world renowned village (for the weaving of plush), pinpointing some of its more interesting features & giving an insight into its history. The route is steep in places & so would be difficult for pushchairs & wheelchairs. Many of the buildings described are private dwellings.

Shenington & Alkerton Walk (2.3 miles - 5 mins)

The Anglo-Saxon villages of Shenington & Alkerton are mentioned in the Doomsday Book & both have Norman churches. Alkerton has always been part of Oxfordshire but Shenington was an isolated part of Gloucestershire until 1844. The two parishes were merged in 1970. On the western edge of the Parish, Shenlow Hill, at 227 metres above sea level, is the highest point on Edgehill & commands fine views to the Malvern Hills in the west & to Northamptonshire in the east. This Circular Historic Trail is approx 1.5 miles

Broughton Castle (3.8 miles - 8 mins)

Broughton Castle is a moated & fortified manor house near Banbury in North Oxfordshire. Set in parkland and built of the rich local Hornton ironstone, it was selected by Simon Jenkins as one of only twenty to be awarded five stars in his book England's Thousand Best Houses. Dogs are welcome in the park and gardens. Please make sure that your dog is on a lead and is under your control at all times.

Compton Verney (10 miles - 19 mins)

For many of our visitors their dogs are part of the family & with 120 acres of parkland, many of you would love to bring your dogs to explore Compton Verney with you. Whilst filming Antiques Roadshow in 2019, dogs were allowed on site & we were impressed by how respectful their owners were; Compton Verney has an abundance of wildlife & a range of visitors of all ages/backgrounds, we are keen to ensure that we are truly a place for everyone. We are also aware that many people have a dog & would love to walk their pet in the grounds. With this in mind, well behaved dogs will be welcomed to Compton Verney to the grounds. Assistance dogs will be permitted both inside the House and Galleries.

We also know that some of our visitors may be wary of dogs, and we want to ensure that everyone feels welcome and safe when they visit. For these reasons, we've put together a well behaved Dog Walking Code ( contained in the link) .We are delighted that we have found new ways for you to enjoy Compton Verney and very much look forward to welcoming you and your pets to the site.

Blenheim Palace Parkland, Woodstock (18 miles - 32 mins)

Although dogs are not allowed within the palace grounds or pleasure gardens, the parkland surrounding Blenheim Palace is beautiful, open & utterly dog friendly. It's also free to use. There are many walks to experience at Blenheim Palace, here are a few recommended ones.

The Queen Pool: A 1.5-mile circular walk around the lake taking 45 minutes. A dog-friendly route & suitable for wheelchair & buggy users. The Park Perimeter: A 4.6-mile walk taking 2 hours with some steep slopes. A dog-friendly route & suitable for wheelchair and buggy users. The Formal Gardens: A 1.5-mile walk taking 1 hour suitable for wheelchair and buggy users. The Lake: A 0.75-mile circular walk taking 35 minutes. Wheelchair and buggy users are recommended to return via the Rose Garden after reaching the Cascade.