87 Elm Walk, Whitley Bay

87 Elm Walk is a privately owned static caravan on a holiday park at Old Hartley, on the coast road between Whitley Bay and Seaton Sluice, and its selling point for dog owners is where it sits on the park rather than anything inside it.

The caravan is pitched close to the site's dog-walking field, which is the difference between a five-minute round trip first thing and getting the car out. Guests travelling with dogs pick that out as the reason the stay worked for them. The other thing they agree on is how clean it is: spotless comes up in review after review, along with comfortable beds and more storage than a caravan this size usually manages. The owner is described as helpful and quick to sort things out.

The honest caveat is about that dog field. It has been found littered with mess other owners had not picked up, with the bins overflowing alongside it. That is park housekeeping rather than anything the caravan's owner controls, but it is the single thing a dog owner would most want to know before booking. Take your own bags and have a second walking route in mind. The caravan itself is basic in places and has no microwave, which comes up more than once.

The wider location does a lot of the work. St Mary's Island and its lighthouse are along the coast one way, Seaton Sluice and the beach the other, and the whole stretch is open walking on sand and clifftop path, though parts of the beach carry seasonal dog restrictions over the summer, so check before you set off. The park publishes its own dog rules, but nothing is set out about a pet fee, a dog count or a weight limit, so settle those with the owner when you book. With a 4.6/5 paw rating this suits owners after a cheap, clean coastal base who will forgive a park that needs a tidy.