Belle Green Bed and Breakfast

Belle Green is a traditional bed and breakfast in Near Sawrey, the small Lake District village best known as Beatrix Potter's home, sitting between Hawkshead and the western shore of Windermere. It is a warm, old-fashioned sort of place, and dog owners tend to come away talking about the welcome more than anything else.

Pets stay free of charge, and the owners ask to be told at the time of booking so they can put you in the right room. Guests travelling with dogs describe hosts who treat them as part of the party rather than something to be tolerated, and there is a snug sitting room for guests to use. Breakfast is widely rated as the highlight of the stay.

For walking, the setting is hard to beat. A bridle path runs from just outside the house, Esthwaite Water is a short stroll, and the quiet lanes around the village lead up into Claife Heights and down to the ferry. Hawkshead is a couple of miles away for a pub lunch, and the village stays peaceful once the day visitors have gone.

Two things to plan for. The house is old and the staircase is steep and narrow, which is awkward for elderly dogs, larger breeds or anything unsteady on its feet, so it is worth raising when you book. Breakfast is the other: the dining room is not somewhere dogs join you, so you will need somewhere for yours to settle during the meal.

With a 4.6 out of 5 paw rating, Belle Green suits dog owners who want a properly friendly, traditional B&B in a quiet village with walks from the doorstep, and who have a dog that manages stairs comfortably.