Croft End Cottage

Croft End Cottage is a small whole-house let in Near Sawrey, the quiet Lake District village between the western shore of Windermere and Hawkshead, with Beatrix Potter's Hill Top at the end of the lane. For a dog owner the draw is the walking: paths head off in every direction from the front door, Esthwaite Water and the woods of Claife Heights are close by, and the bigger fells are a short drive away when you want a longer day out.

Dogs are accepted, and the cottage itself suits a family travelling with a dog. Inside it is cosy without feeling cramped, the beds are comfortable, the bedrooms are properly dark at night and the kitchen is well enough equipped to cook most meals in. A shelf of local history books is a nice touch on a wet afternoon, and the Tower Bank Arms is about a minute's walk away, so an evening out needs no car.

The thing to know before booking is that there is no garden. Outside the back door there is only a very small patio, unenclosed and right by the lane, so every toilet break is a lead walk, and dog owners who booked expecting a garden have been disappointed. Parking is the other recurring complaint: a tight turn means the garage behind the cottage only takes the smallest cars, so most guests end up parking in the village or on the road out, and the Hill Top car park fills with booked visitors during the day.

Recent reviews are more mixed than older ones. Complaints have included cobwebs and dust, a dirty cooker and garage freezer, tired mattresses, a sofa with a lingering smell, and a shower with weak pressure and very hot water. Earlier guests describe the cottage as clean and comfortable, so it is worth looking it over on arrival and raising anything straight away.

Croft End earns a 4.4/5 paw rating. It suits a couple or small family with a calm, lead-happy dog who want to walk from the door in Beatrix Potter country and are arriving in a small car, and it is the wrong choice for anyone who needs secure outdoor space.