Bay Tree Cottage

Bay Tree Cottage is a small stone holiday cottage on Blue Hill Road, about five minutes on foot above the centre of Ambleside, and the thing that makes it work with a dog is the outdoor space. It has an enclosed patio and garden area looking out towards the fells, secure enough that a small dog can be let out without any risk of it wandering off, which is rarer in Ambleside than you might expect.

The whole house is yours, so there are no shared corridors or lobbies to cross with a wet dog, and there is a proper kitchen for feeding and cleaning up. Guests travelling with dogs pick out the garden and the welcome package as the highlights, and the position as the reason to book: the Main Street shops, pubs and restaurants are a short walk down, and the paths towards Loughrigg and Rydal start close by. One dog per booking is the limit, and no pet supplement is published, so ask about it when you confirm.

Two practical points to weigh. The walk back up from town is genuinely steep, which is nothing to a dog but tells on the legs after a long day and makes carrying shopping up a chore. And the cottage is an older stone building that has drawn mixed reports on upkeep: hot water and heating have failed on at least a couple of stays, and guests have flagged that it could do with a clean and some minor repairs. The location, layout and outside space come through consistently well, but set expectations for character rather than a recent refurbishment.

Best suited to a couple or small family with one small or medium dog who want a self-catering Ambleside base with secure outdoor space, and who do not mind an old cottage and a hill to climb. It earns a 4.5 out of 5 paw rating.