Pound Farm Holidays - Orchard Lodge

Orchard Lodge sits on Pound Farm, a working farm at Butterleigh in the folded countryside near Cullompton, and the setting is most of the appeal for anyone bringing a dog. It is self-catering, so the day is yours to arrange, and there is a secure outdoor area where a dog can be off the lead without you watching the gate.

Up to two dogs can stay, by prior arrangement, at 30 pounds per pet per stay. That is a per-stay charge rather than a nightly one, which makes a longer booking considerably better value than the nightly supplements common elsewhere in Devon. Arrange it when you book rather than on arrival.

The cottage itself is well equipped for self-catering, with a cot and high chair available for families with a baby, and the hosts are generous with local knowledge: which lanes are worth walking, and that the Butterleigh Inn is the place to eat. Guests are welcome to help themselves to apples from the orchard. Sheep and chickens are visible from a comfortable distance, which most dogs find absorbing rather than provoking, and the views across mid Devon come up in almost every guest report. It rates 9.9 out of 10 across guest reviews.

One caveat matters, and it is specific. The welcome here is written for dogs, and it does not extend cleanly to other pets. Guests travelling with a cat have been told shortly before arrival that the animal would have to be shut in an outbuilding whenever the cottage was empty, which meant making other arrangements at short notice. The published policy names dogs only. If you are bringing a cat or a small mammal, get the arrangements confirmed in writing before you pay rather than relying on a general pet-friendly label.

With a 4.4 out of 5 paw rating, Orchard Lodge is a strong choice for a family or couple with one or two dogs who want secure outdoor space, farmland walks and a quiet week. Owners of anything other than a dog should ring ahead first.