Lapwing Cottage, Docking

Lapwing Cottage sits in the middle of Docking, a quiet North Norfolk village that turns out to be an unusually practical base for a dog. The walks start at the front door rather than at the end of a drive, and the owners leave an information book that maps out the local routes, which saves the first morning of guesswork that normally comes with a new area.

The cottage is a whole-house let, so there are no shared corridors or lifts to negotiate, and the rear garden is fully enclosed. Guests travelling with dogs return to that garden again and again as the thing that made the stay easy, somewhere the dog can be let out first thing without a lead. There is parking on the drive directly in front, which matters more than it sounds when you are unloading a car with a dog in it.

One thing to check before booking: the enclosed garden is laid with artificial grass rather than lawn, and that has disappointed dog owners who picked the cottage specifically for its outdoor space. It is secure, but it is not turf, so dogs who want to dig, roll or graze may be less taken with it than their owners expect. The village walks rather than the garden are where this property earns its 4.5/5 paw rating.

Docking sits about four miles inland from Brancaster beach, with Snettisham, Holkham and Wells all within a short drive, so the big Norfolk dog beaches are easy day trips. Guests also flag that the cottage holds heat well, comfortable in January and occasionally too warm, and that the shower door is narrow. Best suited to one or two people with a dog who want a well-equipped village base and are happy to walk from the doorstep.