Broom Leisure Camping Pods, Annan

Broom Leisure sits on the Broom Farm Estate a few minutes outside Annan, on the Solway Firth side of Dumfries and Galloway, with camping pods and static caravans arranged around a set of fishing lakes. It is a simple, outdoors sort of place, and dogs are part of the point: there are open grassy spaces, paths around the water and Powfoot Beach a short drive away.

Guests travelling with dogs are consistently positive about the setting. The lakes give you a proper circuit for a morning walk without leaving the site, the pitches are spread out enough that dogs are not on top of each other, and the site is kept tidy. The upgraded caravans get noticeably better reviews than the basic pods, and dog owners staying in those describe them as well equipped and quick to warm up.

The caveats are real and worth reading before you book. Accounts of the dog enclosure conflict: some guests describe a securely enclosed area their dog could run in, while others found the perimeter fence had gaps a dog could get under, and at least one dog did. Insects in the pods, including a tick, come up in the same accounts. The site rule is that dogs stay on a lead at all times around the fishery, which is worth taking seriously given both the fencing reports and the open water. The basic pods have bench-style sleeping platforms rather than beds and no bedding, no water supply inside, and share a toilet block that can be a couple of hundred metres away and is unlit at night. None of that is concealed, but it does mean this is camping with a roof rather than a cottage.

Only one pet is allowed per booking, which rules the site out for anyone travelling with a pair. Best suited to a single dog and owners who want a cheap, quiet, outdoorsy base near the Solway coast, and who will bring their own bedding, check the fencing on arrival and keep a lead to hand. It earns a 4.1/5 paw rating.