Lower Sheriff's Place

Lower Sheriff's Place is a modern ground-floor apartment sitting roughly halfway between Windermere village and Bowness, and its best dog-friendly feature is a thoroughly practical one: an outdoor hot water tap for rinsing muddy paws and legs before anyone comes back inside. In a part of the country where every good walk ends in bog, that single tap does more for a dog owner than most pet packages.

The apartment takes up to two pets and the owners specify small dogs only, so it suits terriers, spaniels and similar rather than a big wet lurcher. The enclosed outdoor space at the back gives a small dog somewhere to potter while you unpack, and guests travelling with dogs describe the flat as well kept and warmly decorated, with a guest book of local recommendations that saves a lot of searching.

Location does much of the work. You can walk into either Windermere or Bowness in about ten minutes, the hop-on bus stops outside, and the lake shore and lower fell paths are close enough that the car can stay parked for most of a short break.

Two honest caveats. This is a ground-floor flat and noise from the apartment above travels: stays have been disturbed by footsteps and late-night movement overhead, including from other guests' dogs, so a dog that reacts to noise above it will find the place unsettling. Changeover cleaning is the other weak point. The flat has been found uncleaned on arrival, with dog hair on the floors, a lingering smell and a bag of mess left in the outdoor area, and the managing agent was slow to put it right. A quick call before you travel to confirm the changeover is worth the two minutes.

Best suited to owners of one or two small, settled dogs who would rather walk into town than drive, and who will trade a bit of overhead noise for the hot tap, the back yard and the position between the two villages.