Oaklands Farm, Wentnor

Oaklands Farm is a small, rustic farm stay in the hills near Norbury and Wentnor, a few miles from Bishop's Castle in south Shropshire, and it is a relaxed place to bring a dog. The setting does most of the work: a garden with long views over the surrounding countryside, quiet lanes, and enough open ground around the property to give a dog a proper stretch without getting back in the car.

The thing to know first is that there are resident dogs on the farm. Guests describe them as friendly and well-mannered, and visiting dogs have got on with them without trouble, but if your own dog is reactive or does not enjoy meeting other dogs then this is not the right choice. For everyone else it is part of the appeal, and the resident dogs come up in reviews about as often as the views do.

The hosts are warm without hovering, and they have been flexible with guests whose plans changed at short notice. The nearby pub is well liked, and the location suits touring the Shropshire Hills, the Long Mynd and the Welsh border country, all of which offer the kind of open, low-traffic walking that dogs get the most out of.

Set expectations on the accommodation, though. This is a basic two-star farm stay and the price reflects that. There is no television. The floors are uneven and some of the doors stick. Most relevant if you are sharing with a dog, getting from the bedroom to the bathroom means passing through a conservatory, which is a quirk rather than a fault but does mean the sleeping arrangement is less self-contained than a typical cottage. Guests looking for polish will be happier paying more elsewhere; guests looking for a quiet, cheap, dog-friendly base in beautiful countryside tend to leave very satisfied.

Best suited to dog owners walking the Shropshire Hills who want somewhere inexpensive and genuinely rural, and whose dog is sociable enough to share a farm with the residents. It earns a 4.4/5 paw rating.