Conwy runs from the Great Orme’s wild goats down through the Conwy Valley into the edge of Snowdonia — plenty of walking, and the council’s own 2023 dog-control maps spell out the rules for most of it in real detail. Here are eleven we could verify against an official source. Our Conwy swimming spots guide covers the places built for a proper dip, if that’s more what you’re after.
Verified walks
Bodnant Garden, Tal-y-Cafn
Near Tal-y-Cafn in the Conwy Valley (National Trust’s own page), dogs are welcome on short, non-extending leads throughout the garden, including the Old Park and woodland — short leads are available at Visitor Reception if you forget one. Open to dogs Thursday to Sunday April to September and every day October to March, but not on Bank Holiday Mondays between April and September. If cattle approach, the Trust’s advice is to let your dog off the lead and recall once it’s safe.
Conwy Mountain (Mynydd y Dref)
Between Conwy and Llanfairfechan (Conwy County Borough Council), the council’s own walk page asks dogs to be kept on a lead throughout. This is also the Great Orme’s wild-goat territory if you’re starting from the Conwy end — keep a lead handy and give the goats plenty of space.
Great Orme, Llandudno
The headland above Llandudno, part country park, part open access land. Dogs should stay on a lead, especially in fields with grazing livestock — there’s no fenced or secure area and stiles are common underfoot. It’s also home to the wild Kashmiri goats mentioned on our Conwy hub page.
Bryn Euryn Local Nature Reserve, Rhos-on-Sea
At Rhos-on-Sea (Conwy County Borough Council), dogs are welcome and should be kept under close control — part of the site is a limestone SSSI, though there’s no specific on-lead rule stated for it.
Riverside Walk, Llanrwst
Running from the bridge to Plas y Dre car park in Llanrwst (Conwy County Borough Council), the council’s dog-control order requires dogs on leads at all times here. It runs beside the River Conwy, so keep a lead handy near the water as well as for the PSPO itself.
Bodlondeb Park, Conwy town
In Conwy town (Conwy County Borough Council), dogs must be on leads throughout the park under the council’s dog-control order — the football pitch, cricket pitch, tennis courts and children’s play area are a full dog-exclusion zone within it, so keep clear of those specifically.
Cae Derw / Clwyd Park fenced dog exercise areas, Llandudno Junction / Kinmel Bay
These are council-designated fenced off-lead dog exercise areas, specifically exempted from the general lead requirement on the rest of those recreation grounds — a genuinely secure off-lead option rather than a scenic walk, worth knowing about if you want somewhere your dog can run free without a booking.
Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant, near Betws-y-Coed
Birthplace of Bishop William Morgan, near Betws-y-Coed (National Trust), dogs on leads are welcome within the grounds. There are no bins on site, so you’ll need to take waste home with you.
Marl Hall Woods, Llandudno Junction
Opposite Conwy town, near Llandudno Junction (Woodland Trust), dogs are welcome, though the Trust’s own page doesn’t state a specific on or off-lead rule. The upper paths are steep and slippery with cliffs in the south-east corner, so take care regardless.
Sand Dunes, Kinmel Bay
At Kinmel Bay (Conwy County Borough Council), dogs are required on leads at all times under the council’s dog-control order.
Footpaths around Betws-y-Coed Golf Club
Near Betws-y-Coed (Conwy County Borough Council), dogs must be on leads at all times here under the council’s order.
Where dogs aren’t allowed
Two well-known Conwy beauty spots deliberately don’t make this list because dogs genuinely aren’t permitted. Pensychnant Nature Reserve on Sychnant Pass Road allows assistance dogs only. The RSPB’s Conwy reserve doesn’t allow pet dogs onto the reserve itself either — only into the shop, on a lead — though the RSPB does flag a popular dog walk running north along the estuary from its car park, which is the estuary path rather than the reserve proper.
Beaches, briefly
Conwy’s beaches follow the usual Welsh pattern: several, including Pensarn, Llandudno North Shore, Llandudno West Shore, Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan, exclude dogs from 1 May to 30 September; Colwyn Bay Beach and Sandy Beach Rhos-on-Sea exclude dogs year-round; Kinmel Bay Beach requires leads from 1 May to 30 September. Full beach-by-beach detail belongs in a dedicated beaches guide rather than repeated here.
Fairy Glen and Swallow Falls, both near Betws-y-Coed, are popular fee-charging beauty spots, but we couldn’t find an official page stating either site’s dog policy, so we’ve left them off rather than guess — check with the operator before visiting if either is on your list.
If you’re planning a longer day out, our Conwy vets guide is worth having to hand, and a dog that’s walked properly tends to settle better at home — we like the Calmdogs probiotic chews at Calmshops as part of that routine, though it’s always worth a word with your vet first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best dog walks in Conwy?
Bodnant Garden and Conwy Mountain are the best known, but Great Orme, Bryn Euryn, the Llanrwst riverside walk, Bodlondeb Park and Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant near Betws-y-Coed are all verified too, spread right across the county.
Are dogs allowed on the Great Orme among the wild goats?
Yes, on a lead — keep well clear of the wild Kashmiri goats, give them space and never let your dog chase them.
Can I take my dog to the RSPB Conwy reserve?
No, not onto the reserve itself — only assistance dogs, or a pet dog on a lead into the shop. The estuary path running north from the car park is a separate, dog-walkable route.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
