Orrest Head Cottage

Orrest Head Cottage sits on the eastern edge of Windermere village, directly below the viewpoint it is named after - the modest hill where Alfred Wainwright first looked out over the Lakeland fells, and still one of the most rewarding half-hours in the national park. For a dog owner the appeal is structural: a four-bedroom whole-house rental with its own secure grounds and a public footpath gate opening onto the route up the hill, so the first and last walk of the day take no planning at all.

The grounds are what guests with dogs mention first. The plot is enclosed, which means a dog can be off-lead in safety while children play around it, and families arriving with two dogs and young children have found the house absorbed all of them without anyone being on top of anyone else. Inside it is set up for a group rather than a couple: four bedrooms, a full self-catering kitchen and a sitting room with enough seating for everyone, so coming back muddy means walking into your own hallway rather than through a lobby.

The location does the rest. Windermere village, its shops and its pubs are an easy walk, the lake is a little further on, and Ambleside, Hawkshead and the central fells are short drives for day trips. Guests describe the estate as genuinely quiet by day and by night, which is not a given this close to the village.

Up to two dogs are allowed per booking. No pet charge is published, so it is worth asking about a supplement when you book rather than assuming there is none. Best suited to a family or a group of friends with one or two dogs who want a Lakeland base with fell-walking from the gate and room to spread out. Less suited to larger multi-dog parties, or to anyone who would rather have hotel-style service than a house to run themselves.