Lychgate Cottage, Weymouth

Lychgate Cottage is a thatched period cottage beside the church in Osmington, a small village a few miles east of Weymouth on Dorset's Jurassic Coast. It is a whole-house rental with its own enclosed garden and no neighbours through the wall, which is a large part of why it works so well for dogs.

Up to two pets are welcome per booking, and no pet charge is stated on the listing, so confirm the current terms with the owners when you book. The garden is what guests with dogs single out: it is a good size, wraps from the front around to a patio at the back, and is enclosed enough that most dogs can be let out safely. It is not completely escape-proof, though, and owners of diggers and climbers have found gaps along the boundary worth checking on arrival.

The walking is the other reason to book. Paths lead straight out of the village across the fields and up to the coast, so short outings do not mean loading everyone into the car, and two pubs are within walking distance, one across the fields beneath the Osmington White Horse and one out towards the sea. Weymouth's beach and esplanade, Durdle Door and Portland are all a short drive, and there is a dairy farm shop five minutes away on foot. Inside, the cool stone kitchen floor is easy to wipe down after a muddy walk.

Parking is the most common complaint by some margin. Church Lane is quiet but narrow, the space outside the cottage is regularly taken by a neighbouring resident's van, and a second car is difficult in busy periods. The cottage is characterful rather than modern, and reports vary on how well it is kept between guests: most describe it as spotless, but there have been arrivals that found it needed a better clean, including a dishwasher left unemptied and litter left in the courtyard. Other recurring notes are patchy wifi, a confusing television, steep stairs that would not suit anyone unsteady on their feet, and early traffic on the lane.

Lychgate Cottage suits dog owners who want a quiet village base with walking from the door and the coast close by, and who can manage with one car.