The Crown Inn Pooley Bridge

The Crown Inn sits at the top of Ullswater in Pooley Bridge, and it is one of the more polished places on the lake to bring a dog. The inn has been done up to a standard closer to a small hotel than a village pub, and the dog policy is about as simple as it gets: every area is dog friendly, so there is no working out which door you can take your dog through or which corner of the bar you are allowed to sit in.

That extends to the restaurant at dinner, the bar and the terraces. The garden terracing at the back looks over the river towards the fells and is a genuinely pleasant place to spend an afternoon with a dog at your feet. Guests travelling with pets are consistent about the welcome - staff are practised with dogs, rooms come back cleaned and re-towelled after a muddy morning out, and a good number of people book again on the strength of it. The Barn rooms are worth asking about if you want more space and your own outside door rather than a walk through the bar.

Pooley Bridge itself is a strong dog base. The lakeshore, the steamer pier and the paths up towards Barton Fell and Askham are all walkable from the door, and the village has enough dog-friendly cafes and pubs that you are not planning the day around where the dog can go.

A few things to budget for. There is a charge for dogs, reported by recent guests at around 25 pounds, so confirm the current rate when you book. Drinks are Lake District prices and the inn is not cheap generally. Early bin collections have woken people in the rooms at the front, and one or two rooms run warm in summer without windows that open. And because dogs really are allowed everywhere, including at dinner, this is not the place for anyone who wants a dog-free dining room.

Best suited to couples and small families with one or two well-mannered dogs who want a smart, comfortable Ullswater base where the dog comes with them everywhere rather than being left upstairs.