Lower Norton Farmhouse

Lower Norton Farmhouse is a large, beautifully kept country house tucked into the South Hams countryside a short drive from Dartmouth, and it has become a firm favourite with extended families who bring their dogs along. The setting genuinely suits four-legged travellers: open fields, walks that start from the front door, and a dedicated exercising field for letting a dog stretch its legs.

The listing states that one well-behaved dog is welcome, though guest feedback regularly describes parties arriving with two, so confirm your numbers with the owners if you need more than one place. There is an outdoor dog shower on site, which is about the most useful thing a Devon farmhouse can offer after a wet walk across ploughed fields, and the property describes the front patio and the lawned garden as enclosed.

The owners come up again and again as friendly and helpful without ever being intrusive, and guests travelling with dogs consistently describe the house as warm, spacious and genuinely comfortable. Underfloor heating, log burners and a very well equipped kitchen make it an easy base for a group who plan to cook and settle in rather than head out every day, and arrival hampers are mentioned often enough to count on.

It sits in a quiet rural valley with long views across the countryside, close enough to Dartmouth for shops and supermarkets but far enough to feel like a proper escape. Walkers with an OS map or a good walking app will find plenty to explore straight from the door.

Two things are worth knowing before you book with a dog. The enclosed areas are the patio and the lawn rather than the wider exercising field, and dog owners have reported gaps in that field's fencing large enough for a determined dog to slip through, so a lead is the safer choice beyond the garden. The approach is a long, rough, unmade track down to the house, and the outdoor slabs turn slippery in wet weather. None of this deters the families who return year after year, but it does affect what you pack.

This is a strong choice for a multi-generational group who want a spacious self-catering countryside base where the dog is part of the trip rather than an afterthought. If you need a fully secure field to let a dog off the lead, or want to be within walking distance of a pub, weigh those points first.