Our family have been holidaying with Hendra Holiday Park nearing on 30 years – and we’ve been taking our dogs for around 15 of those. The site caters for the whole family – four-legged members included – that’s why it’s the number one destination for dog friendly holidays in Cornwall.
Phoebe and Frank love Hendra so much, that they recognise the entry sign and get as excited as I do for the break away from home.
Hendra Holiday Park has three caravan ranges that will allow pets – including, Mawgan, Porthminster and Whipsiderry. For the past couple of years, we have stayed in the Whipsiderry Premium accommodation and love it.
The pet-friendly accomodation
The Whipsiderry is a 13’ wide caravan offering a super spacious living area that our two big dogs can happily lounge around in. It very much feels like a home away from home and comes fully equipped so you can move straight in for your stay.
Inside the caravan, there are a number of features ideal for your furry companions stay. First of all, they get their own bed, to save you packing theirs. It’s a large plastic kidney bed which fits one of our large breed dogs in – but be sure to bring your own blankets. The caravan also has a metal bowl, which is ideal for keeping water down for your pooch during the day.
Throughout the main living area and kitchen is a rustic look grey lino flooring, making it really easy to clean up water spillages, drool and dog hair. There’s also a doormat to wipe muddy paws on so that they don’t spread dirt through the caravan.
To the right of the fridge, by the front door, there is a slim, tall cupboard which stores a mop and bucket to help with spillages. But there is also a row of coat hooks which are perfect for hanging up your dog walking jacket, leads and harnesses.
The caravan has its own mini radio/speaker which is a touch we love. It means that when we pop out to the supermarket, we can leave the radio on for the dogs as the music helps to reduce stress and relax them.
The Whipsiderry Premiums are located in their own field, set back from the rest of the park in a more private and secluded area – which we personally find is a bonus. It’s right next to the dedicated dog walking field, over which there’s a gorgeous sunset in the evening.
Dogs at Hendra
Hendra have some strict rules on dogs on site, which responsible owners will find pretty easy to follow. Standard requests include keeping dogs on a lead and always cleaning up after them, using the dog waste bins on site. Excessive barking isn’t tolerated to prevent disturbing other guests’ holidays, and owners of aggressive dogs will be asked to leave without a refund.
These are rules that certainly make us feel safer on site, giving us peace of mind to enjoy our stay. Other dog related rules include no dogs to be locked in cars, motorhomes or tents in hot weather, and no spiked or pronged collars allowed – dogs must always wear a collar or harness.
Places to eat on site with your dog
If you’re looking to grab a bite to eat on site, there are a couple of options. There is outdoor seating at Mario’s Pizza and the Fish and Chip shop where dogs are allowed to sit. At The Terrace Bar, the undercover conservatory area allows dogs, and also has heaters if the weather is cooler. Having breakfast in the conservatory on our last day, we were offered a seat near the door for easy exit, and the dogs were provided with a bowl of water, too.
We are always made to feel very welcome on site, and the dogs enjoyed the break just as much as we did! There are tonnes of dog-friendly things to do nearby, including a visit to Trenance gardens, The Lost Gardens of Heligan and Chapel Farm Secure Dog Paddock.
