The Mortal Man Inn

The Mortal Man Inn is an old coaching inn in Troutbeck, a quiet valley village a few miles north of Windermere, and it is about as dog-friendly as Lake District pubs get. Dogs are welcome in every room and every part of the building, and guests travelling with dogs keep mentioning the same things: a goodie bag on arrival with biscuits, blankets and towels, staff who make a fuss of the dog, and being able to eat with the dog beside you.

The fee is £15 per dog per night, and breakfast is charged separately, so it is worth budgeting for both. Dogs need to be on a lead in the public areas and the car park, because the inn looks after a small colony of rescue cats and keeps ducks on site. Owners of dogs with a strong chase instinct should take that seriously; calmer dogs tend to treat the cats as background.

Walking is the other big draw. Routes up Wansfell Pike, over the Garburn Pass into Kentmere and onto the High Street ridge start from the village, and the beer garden, with its view down the valley, is a fine place to finish. The Duck studio, with its hard floors, has been praised as easy to keep clean after a wet walk.

There are trade-offs. Rooms above the pub or overlooking the beer garden can be loud until late, and in at least one such room the low window barrier made it hard to leave the window open safely with dogs. Beds are on the soft side, parking can fill up, and some rooms need refurbishment. Guests without dogs have complained about barking and dogs at breakfast and dinner, so expect a busy, dog-heavy dining room.

Best suited to walkers and couples with one or more sociable dogs who want a proper Lakeland inn with fells from the door and do not mind a lively pub atmosphere. It earns a 4.5/5 paw rating.