Apple Barn, Keswick

Apple Barn is a barn conversion a mile or so north of Keswick, tucked under Skiddaw, and it is set up for one dog rather than a pack. As a whole-house let there are no shared corridors and no neighbours through the wall, and the enclosed courtyard garden gives a dog somewhere to potter while the boots get sorted.

The rules here are unusually specific, which is a good sign as long as they suit your dog. One small, well-behaved dog is welcome, at £30 for the stay. Dogs stay off the beds and the furniture, and they are not to be left alone in the house - so this is not the right base if you were planning a long dinner in town without them. The courtyard is enclosed but opens onto a walkway from the parking area, so a bolter needs the lead on, and there is a hook by the window to clip it to.

The setting is what people come back for: a quiet, high spot with fell views and walks that begin at the door, with Keswick close enough for supplies and a meal. Dog owners who have stayed describe it as having everything a family needed, and rate the location as highly as anything else about it.

Go in with clear eyes on the fit-out, though. Guests repeatedly flag the internet as unreliable or absent for days at a time, the kitchen equipment as cheap and tired, and the upstairs living space as cramped for a party of four. The property's overall guest rating of 8.2 reflects those points rather than anything to do with dogs. For one settled small dog and owners who care more about fell views, quiet and a proper courtyard than about a smart kitchen, Apple Barn earns a 4.5/5 paw rating.