Harbour Cottage, Fore Street, Ilfracombe

Harbour Cottage is a whole cottage on Fore Street in Ilfracombe, a couple of minutes above the harbour in the part of town where the restaurants and the fishing boats are. Taking the whole place means the run of the house with no shared corridors, and the position means the day can start with a walk down to the water rather than a drive. It earns a 4.4 out of 5 paw rating.

One small, well behaved dog is welcome. Guests bringing a dog describe the cottage as well equipped and roomy for its size, with the location the thing they rate most highly.

There is one practical point to check on arrival. A wooden gate on the boundary of the outdoor area has been reported as insecure, with enough of a gap for a dog to push through into the neighbouring garden. It is an easy thing to look at when you first walk round, and worth flagging to the owner if it has not been dealt with by the time you stay. Until you are satisfied it is sound, keep the garden a supervised space rather than somewhere the dog goes out alone.

Ilfracombe suits a dog that likes a varied week. The harbour, the seafront and the town are all on foot from the door, Hillsborough Nature Reserve rises straight out of the east side of town for a proper climb with a view over the Bristol Channel, and the South West Coast Path runs both ways towards Hele Bay and Lee Bay. Tunnels Beaches and Wildersmouth take dogs outside the summer restrictions.

The finish inside is honest rather than smart, and the carpets have been flagged as dated and stained. Best suited to dog owners who want a central, harbour-walkable cottage and care more about the position than a polished interior.