Badger Retreat, Shilbottle

Badger Retreat is a static holiday home on a wooded country park in Northumberland, and the setting is what makes it work for a dog. The park sits among mature trees a few miles south of Alnwick, the pitches are spaced out, and the woodland walks start at the door rather than a drive away. For anyone who would rather begin the day with a proper walk than a car journey to find one, that counts for a lot.

Dogs are welcome, and guests who bring them describe an easy, unfussy stay - a comfortable base, an owner who answers quickly when something needs sorting, and enough space around the accommodation that a dog is not walking past every other holidaymaker on the park. The park keeps an enclosed dog exercise area, which is the one place on site a dog can be off the lead; everywhere else, the woodland paths included, needs a short lead. Beyond the trees, the Northumberland coast and the castles around Alnwick and Warkworth are all within a short drive, and there is a bar and restaurant on the park itself, roughly ten minutes on foot.

There are a few practical things worth knowing. Guests travelling with dogs have pointed out that the sofas come without throws or covers, which is a surprise in a place that takes pets, so bring your own if your dog is used to getting on the furniture. The sitting area is on the dark side, the kitchen equipment is functional rather than generous, and the path back from the bar is poorly lit after dark - a torch is worth packing for the last walk of the night. No pet charge or dog limit is published, so confirm both when you book, and note that only accommodation designated as pet friendly can take a dog at all, which is worth checking against the unit you are booking. Dogs cannot be left unattended in the accommodation or in a car.

At 4.4 out of 5 for pets, Badger Retreat suits a couple or a small family with a dog who want a quiet, affordable base for exploring Northumberland, and who care more about what is outside the door than about polish inside it.