Bryn Howell Stables, Llangollen

Bryn Howell Stables is a converted stone cottage tucked into the Dee Valley a few miles from Llangollen in North Wales, and it is the kind of place dog owners come back to year after year. The whole cottage is yours, set in a completely enclosed garden with open views up the valley, and the Llangollen Canal towpath runs within yards of the door. That combination of a secure garden and flat, traffic-free canal walks straight from the property is what makes it work so well for a holiday with a dog.

The setting is quiet and secluded without being remote. Level towpath walks lead in one direction toward Llangollen town, roughly two and a half miles away, and in the other toward the Horseshoe Falls and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, so there is plenty of gentle walking without needing to drive. When the neighbouring field is not being grazed, guests have been able to use it too.

The owners clearly think about visiting dogs. Guests travelling with pets mention dog towels, a mat and bowls left ready in the cottage, alongside homemade cake on arrival for their humans. Inside, the cottage is warm, spacious and immaculately kept, with comfortable beds and a well-equipped kitchen, and it comfortably suits families as well as couples.

A few practical notes are worth knowing. The policy is one well-behaved dog per booking, so this is not the right base for a multi-dog household. The lane up to the cottage is narrow and unmade, and one guest found the garden gate needed a firm push to close securely, though the garden itself is genuinely enclosed once it is shut.

Bryn Howell Stables suits couples and families with a single dog who want a peaceful countryside base with excellent walking on the doorstep and a properly secure garden. Walkers and anyone drawn to the canal, the aqueduct and the wider Vale of Llangollen will get the most from it.