Parwin, Tintagel

Parwin is a characterful old cottage in Treknow, a small village on Cornwall's north coast a mile or so from Tintagel, and it is let as a whole house with an interior that feels properly Cornish rather than styled for the brochure. Families come back to it year after year, often with dogs in the party.

The walking is the reason to bring a dog here. Trebarwith Strand and the cliffs above it are a short walk down, the coast path runs close by, and Tintagel itself is around half an hour on foot. Two pubs are near enough to walk to, and the log burner earns its keep after a long day out on the cliffs.

One thing needs saying plainly before you book: Parwin has no grass or garden of its own. The green space that appears alongside the property in listing photographs belongs to the house next door, so there is nowhere on site to let a dog out for two minutes last thing at night, and every trip outside is a walk. Owners who arrived expecting a patch of lawn have been disappointed by that, and it is the single biggest thing to weigh up.

The second caveat is a consequence of how genuinely dog-friendly the cottage is. Dogs are clearly allowed on the soft furnishings and use them, and the sofa throws and the living-room rug have carried a lingering dog smell for some visitors. If anyone in your party is sensitive to that, it is worth knowing in advance.

Parking is tight too, with the allocated space at the rear garage awkward to use and no guarantee of a spot for a second car. Parwin is best for dog owners who want an authentic coastal cottage with serious walking on the doorstep, and who are happy to rely on those walks rather than a private garden.