Why did we start supplying dog buggies?
| Let's take you back a couple of years to Spring 2022 when we had a guest staying at Manor Barn who had left the front wheel of theirs at home. Usually we have most things within the East Ruston Cottages family, but this time we didn't! As luck would have it, Hidden Gem owners knew of one for sale, belonging to a friend who had recently lost their dog. So they bought it up from Kent and Tracey at Manor Barn snapped it up as a nice 'just in case' thing to have; it's now called Elsie's Buggy after their friend dogs.
In just a few weeks, it had been used 3 times - a big bouncy lab puppy with a shoulder injury, an OAP (old aged pooch) which meant the family could enjoy much longer walks than they had envisioned, and a collie who hurt her paw on the beach. As you can see - the buggies aren't just for senior dogs, there's a whole variety of reasons for using them. The lovely family with the Labrador said the buggy saved their holiday 😍 Caroline of Farthing Cottage made sure that the garage there was well stocked with different sized buggies after that. When she then bought the lovely Swallowdale, another set of buggies arrived!! She officially has the biggest buggy collection of all ERC cottages! Many of the others now have their own and there is an ERC buggy which can be taken to any properties that don't have them, for our guests to use. |
OUR BEST WALKS FOR DOG BUGGIES
Sometimes having a buggy means that you are limited as to where you can go - thankfully with the flatter landscape and easy footpaths, there are a multitude of places to explore in Norfolk with your dog buggy! Here are the ones I think are great:
One of the best would be along the Weavers Way - there are lots of online resources, this one gives a good breakdown of the sections. It’s near to Vineyard Cottage, The Lodge, Badger’s Retreat and Bristows Barn. Because it's an old railway line – it's very pleasant rural walking, easy and flat with plenty of nature to enjoy. You can go deep into the countryside or into the small town of Stalham.
The Grove is situated in an area of official “Quiet Lanes” so all the walking round there is easy and flat and unlikely to have much traffic.
Bacton Woods would be another ideal one – there are some easy, flat, well surfaced tracks that are signposted and other smaller tracks off of these that would be easy for a buggy. Easy to walk from The Grove to here and many of the other properties are a short drive.
Walcott sea front has a very good pavement overlooking the beach and a ramp down onto it. Rose Cottage is literally just across the road and Seaview Cottage is just along the way too.
Sea Palling has a very easy access ramp and lots of beach which can be easy to push a buggy on when it (the sand) is wet. With St Benets being SO very dog friendly in the village and having outside storage space, keeping a buggy there is easy.
Happisburgh Cliff top would be an easy walk between Happisburgh and Cart Gap, maybe put in a stop at Smallsticks Cafe half way. A great view for your walk and easy from Dormy, Manor Barn, The Crib and White Cottage.
Winterton has a lot of farm tracks inland that are very easy and well surfaced so you can make up walks that could also take in the dunes area. Although they sound sandy, they are actually very easy to walk along and firm and there is a network of joined up tracks so you can easily navigate the walking. Perfect if you are staying at Hidden Gem, Ruby Gem, Beachcomber, Skylark or Jack's Shack.
From Potter Heigham there is a very easy flat path that goes out from the village towards the access to Hickling Broad and most of the year the walkway round Hickling Broad is easy to access. Or you can come back into the village along the water, at the back of all the chalets and cabins, where there is any easy path.
Scratby Beach is very easily accessed with buggies – it's a sandy beach so okay for buggies if you don’t mind a bit of pushing. The walk from both Brig Cottage and Woodpecker Lodge to get to the beach is along the pavement and takes you past a lovely dog friendly cafe, chippy and, most impawtantly, the famous Scratby Bakery.
Further afield there is a similar path to Weavers Way called Marriots Way (both old railway lines) These both explore some very nice parts of Norfolk.
The nearby National Trust houses - Blicking Hall and Felbrigg Hall - have some really easy walking in their parks and up the coast, Sheringham Park is another easy one for a buggy. Lots to see and easy to access.
You can always pop on our lovely Facebook Group all about your East Ruston Holiday if you have any questions. I'm certain a lot of our guests will be able to help you with any information about walks suitable for buggies.
WHY OUR GUESTS HAVE LOVED THE BUGGIES
"We used ours for Jess, our oldie 16, to get to Weavers Way and to Salhouse broad. Then she would get out and potter with the other two dogs". Mandy C
WHICH COTTAGES HAVE BUGGIES?
The Innopet Stroller for up to 25kg
The Klarfit for up to 40kg
Innopet Sport for up to 50kg
Innopet Sporty Deluxe for up to 30kg
Innopet Sporty for up to 35kg
Doggy hut for up to 50kg
Innopet Mamut for up to 50kg
Large buggy for up to 40kg
Medium buggy for up to 35kg
Small buggy for up to 25kg
Small buggy for Westie sized dogs
Innopet Mamut XL
Bingopaws large - takes up to 55kgs
And we are adding more all the time! Don't worry if you have booked and your cottage is not on this list - we can try and supply you with a buggy as long as it's not already booked out by the cottages.
HOW DO I BOOK A BUGGY FOR MY HOLIDAY THEN?
You can tick the box on the booking form when you make your booking or you can just email us (sue@eastrustoncottages.co.uk) to ask us to add one. We will normally check which of your dogs it is for and make sure it is an appropriate size. We understand just how tricky and bulky they can be to pack so we are only too pleased to supply them free of charge for our guests to use.
