Carlisle Castle

Carlisle Castle in Carlisle is one of the most besieged fortresses in England, guarding the wild western end of the Anglo-Scottish border for hundreds of years. Dogs on leads are welcome across the site, so you can explore the Tudor battery, the 12th-century gatehouse and the recently conserved keep together—though the new exhibition and the Military Museum are off-limits to paws (assistance dogs excepted).

After surviving seven sieges by the Scots between 1174 and 1461, the castle was adapted for artillery and, in 1568, held Mary Queen of Scots prisoner. The keep has intriguing 15th-century carvings on its second floor, and the castle remained operational well into the 20th century. Today it hosts Cumbria's Museum of Military Life, exploring the Border Regiment's 300-year history. English Heritage members get free entry to the museum.

It's a big-history, big-walls kind of day out, with plenty of lead-on exploring across the castle grounds and ramparts. Expect sniff stops, stone staircases and the kind of ancient atmosphere that makes even the most distracted dog look thoughtful.