walkydog

How about trying the beach area at Carrington just over the bridge by the rowing club? It's not the cleanest piece of sand, and little boats launch at one end, but the water is nice and calm and it never seems to be too crowded even at weekends. You can also walk along the path past the beach and all the way up by the river to a big off-leash grassy area too

Have you looked at local pet care companies? My neighbour uses "Sandy Paws", he found it with an online search but it turns out the local vet recommends them too. If you're only away for a little while you could leave your dog home rather than worrying about how happy he would be in unfamiliar kennels. I think they do dog walking and daily visits for pet minding and they send though photos too. It's really hard leaving a family member even for a holiday isn't it! Good luck, hope you find some place you feel comfortable with.