Holly Cottage, Cromford

Holly Cottage sits in the middle of Cromford, at the southern end of the Peak District, and it is a walker's base first and foremost. Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, and the welcome pack is one of the most consistently praised things about the place - alongside the milk, wine and biscuits there is reliably a jar of dog treats waiting on arrival.

What the cottage offers dogs is location rather than outdoor space. A footpath starts directly across the road, and the Cromford Canal towpath, Black Rock and Slinter Wood are all within an easy walk, with the meadows below the village and Matlock's parks a short drive on. The village itself is four or five minutes on foot, with pubs, a chip shop and a much-loved bookshop.

The garden is where you need to look carefully. It is terraced up steep stone steps behind the cottage, with no lawn at all, and for several years it was not enclosed - one party was ticked off by a neighbour after their dogs wandered next door. More recent guests report the boundary has since been fenced and that they could let a dog out without worrying, but older dogs that cannot manage steps will not get up there regardless, and there is nowhere on the plot for a dog to relieve itself on grass.

The bigger caveat is the road. The front door opens straight onto it, and it carries a steady stream of quarry lorries at speed. Guests travelling with dogs describe crossing it as genuinely stressful, and one party cut a week's stay to three nights partly because of it. The stairs inside are also famously steep and narrow, with a rope to haul yourself up, which rules out carrying an elderly dog to bed. Its 4.5/5 paw rating reflects that split: a warm and well-thought-out dog welcome indoors, and real hazards the moment you step out. Holly Cottage suits confident, road-savvy dogs and owners who want walks from the doorstep and are content to lead up on the threshold; it is a poor fit for an elderly dog, or for anyone who wants a garden to open the door onto.