Brook Cottage, Gillingham

Brook Cottage is a characterful old stone cottage in Gillingham, in the Blackmore Vale countryside of north Dorset, and it is a comfortable, good-value base for a walking holiday with a dog. It sits beside a quiet lane with a little brook running past, and guests travelling with dogs highlight the same things: it is spacious, well-equipped and genuinely peaceful, with excellent walking and open fields close by.

The surrounding countryside is the real draw for dog owners. Footpaths and fields start more or less on the doorstep, and the owner keeps a large field within about fifty yards of the door that guests use for letting a dog off the lead. There are dog-friendly pubs and pretty market towns such as Shaftesbury within easy reach, and the cottage itself is warm, clean and homely, with a welcoming owner.

One point deserves emphasis, because it matters for dogs: this is not a cottage with a lawned garden. There is a small paved courtyard at the front, enclosed by railings, and dog owners are split on how well it works - secure enough for a larger dog, but a small dog can slip between the bars, and a dog used to grass underfoot can be reluctant to use paving for a toilet break. For anything more than a quick step outside you cross the lane to a patch of grass or head into the fields. The other thing to know is the setting: access to a caravan storage area runs past the cottage through the yard, so there can be towing traffic and noise on the courtyard side.

With that in mind, Brook Cottage suits owners who plan to be out walking and want an affordable, cosy, well-located base rather than a self-contained garden retreat. One well-behaved dog is welcome at a charge of £10 for the week, a modest addition to an already low nightly rate. For a countryside walking break in the Blackmore Vale, with fields, footpaths and dog-friendly pubs close by, it is hard to fault.