The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland’s only World Heritage Site and the country’s most popular attraction, proves a huge hit with four-legged visitors and their owners following the introduction of a new dog-friendly policy within the Visitor Centre.

The Giant’s Causeway, which is cared for by conservation charity the National Trust, recently trialled a dog-friendly policy within the Visitor Centre and, following 100% positive feedback, has announced it is now fully dog-friendly.

Ciara McClements, Visitor Experience Manager at the site, explained: “We always welcomed dogs on leads in the outdoor spaces but since reopening in July we had a lot of requests to bring dogs into the Visitor Centre, where we previously only allowed assistance dogs.

“We responded to the requests by allowing dogs into the centre for a trial period and found it was incredibly popular with all visitors, not just dog owners themselves. As a result, we’ve taken the decision to allow dogs on leads into the Visitor Centre.”

Four-legged visitors can be sure of a five-star welcome with water bowls, tie-up spots and even home-made doggy treats on sale in the café.

To ensure the new policy doesn’t impact on the visitor experience of dog and non-dog lovers alike, the Trust is asking that all dogs are kept on leads at all times and that dog owners clean up any dog poo and dispose of waste responsibly.

“We want to ensure the Giant’s Causeway is a safe and clean space indoors and out for everyone to enjoy,” adds Ciara.

“Our staff and visitors have loved seeing the dogs coming inside and with the Visitor Centre having such wide, open spaces, it has worked really well.

“Dog owners can now bring their dogs with them on every step of the Visitor Experience, if they want to browse the exhibition space, or grab a coffee from the café, or join a guided tour. The trial showed us that letting people bring their dogs with them allowed them to make the most of their visit and gave them the time they needed to fully explore the site and appreciate why it’s so special.

“As a conservation charity we look after places like the Giant’s Causeway to ensure access and enjoyment for everyone, so we are delighted that we are now fully dog-friendly and we look forward to seeing more wagging tails and happy visitors across the site in full.”