Painter's Cottage, Matlock

Painter's Cottage sits high on Devonshire Terrace above Matlock Bath, with long views down the Derwent valley from the front windows and a five-minute walk downhill into the village and its railway station. For dog owners the useful detail is that both the front patio and the rear yard are enclosed, and the cottage puts out dog bowls, so there is somewhere secure to let a dog out at either end of the day.

The qualification is size. The back yard is small and laid with slate, and guests with dogs have found that some will simply not toilet on it, which in a cottage with no lawn means every comfort break becomes a walk. Those walks are good ones. This is the Derbyshire Dales, with Matlock Bath, the Heights of Abraham and the riverside paths all close by, but they are steep in every direction and that will suit some dogs and owners more than others.

Inside, it is spacious and comfortable, with a log burner in the dining room and a gas fire in the sitting room, and guests arrive to milk, juice, wine and chocolates. Cleanliness is the one recurring inconsistency: there have been reports of pet hair and crumbs left between the sofa cushions and burnt-on oven racks, so it is worth a look over on arrival. That matters more than usual here, because a cottage that takes dogs and does not always deep-clean between stays is a problem for anyone in the party with an allergy. The shower is weak, the toilet flush temperamental, and no bath mat is provided.

Parking is the other thing to plan for. There is nothing at the door, so you unload on the street and park around the corner or below, and the approach involves hill starts. There is no shop within walking distance either. Neighbouring outdoor areas can look untidy and the neighbours' cats are sociable to the point of nuisance, which is worth weighing if your dog is not keen on them. For a dog owner who wants views, a wood burner and a walkable Derbyshire base, and does not mind carrying bags up a hill, it earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.