The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel

The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel is about as dog-friendly as a Lake District base gets. Tucked at the head of Great Langdale beneath the Langdale Pikes, it has been a refuge for fell-walkers and climbers for generations, and that walking-first character is exactly why it suits dog owners so well. It is the sort of place you can come off the fells soaked, with muddy boots and a tired dog in tow, and still feel completely at ease in the old-fashioned, fire-warmed lounge.

The welcome is practical as well as friendly. Dog owners single out small, genuine touches, with sausages added to the cooked breakfast for the dog a particular favourite, and the hotel keeps treats and fresh drinking water on hand. The walkers' set-up brings useful extras too: packed lunches, a tumble dryer for wet kit, and a bar where dogs are welcome alongside their owners rather than shut out of the evening. Staff are repeatedly praised for being warm and helpful. Dogs are charged at £10 per night each, which is worth budgeting for across a full week's walking.

It is an old building in a remote valley, so set expectations accordingly: rooms are simple and cosy rather than luxurious, some bathrooms are compact or along the corridor, and the windows are single-glazed, so a room above the bar terrace can be noisy on a lively evening. Because it draws a walking and climbing crowd, other guests' dogs are part of the atmosphere. Most dog owners take that as a plus, but it does mean a neighbouring room's dogs can be heard at night, and that single glazing does nothing to soften it.

For anyone planning serious walking in Langdale with a dog, this is a near-ideal billet: an authentic mountain hotel that genuinely expects you to arrive muddy, four-legged companion and all.