Bills Barn, Oxen Park

Bills Barn is a converted barn at Oxen Park Farm, in the quiet Rusland Valley a few miles south of the foot of Coniston Water. It is a whole-house let, which is the format that tends to suit dogs best - no shared corridors, no other guests to negotiate, and you can leave the doors open on a warm afternoon without worrying about who is coming past.

The owners clearly want dog bookings rather than merely allowing them. Guests arriving with a dog have found a welcome already laid out: a blanket, a towel for muddy paws, bowls and treats. The barn itself is comfortable and properly equipped for self-catering, and it is clean to a standard that gets mentioned every time. The outside shots undersell it - the interior is a good deal nicer than the listing photos suggest.

Oxen Park is genuinely rural. There is a good pub about five minutes' walk away that does proper food, and the lanes and woodland tracks around the Rusland Valley make for quiet, low-traffic walking straight from the door. Coniston Water, Hawkshead and Grizedale Forest are all a short drive, so it works as a southern Lakes base without putting you in the middle of the crowds.

Worth knowing before you book: this is a small property with only a handful of guest reviews so far, so there is less to go on than at a busy inn, and nothing is published about a pet charge or a limit on numbers - ask the owners directly when you enquire. The setting is peaceful rather than lively, which suits a dog that is happy with quiet days and long walks over pub bustle.

Best suited to a couple or small family with one or two well-mannered dogs who want a peaceful southern-Lakes base with walking from the door and a pub within strolling distance.