Pen Y Bont, Llangollen

Pen Y Bont is a renovated stone cottage in the Ceiriog Valley, in the hills south of Llangollen and a short drive from Chirk. It sits on a working farm with a stream running past the side of the house and through the garden, and it has been fitted out with dogs in mind, most obviously a large boot room by the door with an outside hose, where muddy dogs and boots are dealt with before anyone reaches the carpet. It earns a 4.9 out of 5 paw rating from guests who brought dogs.

The garden is generous and, for the most part, securely fenced, and guests describe it as deceptively large. There is one important exception. The stream is not enclosed where it leaves the garden, so a dog who takes to the water can follow it out onto the farm road. Owners of retrievers and other water-loving dogs have flagged this repeatedly, and several say they would not leave a dog outside unsupervised because of it. The owners' fields are also available for exercising a dog, which gives you a larger and better contained space to work with.

Beyond the garden the walking is excellent and starts at the door, running up the valley and onto the hill. There are sheep on the surrounding land, so a lead is the sensible default unless recall is faultless. Arrival usually brings Welsh cakes, eggs, butter and milk from the farm, and a bowl of water put out ready for the dog. Inside there is underfloor heating in the bathroom, a wood burner with a proper supply of logs, and a kitchen with full-height glass doors looking out over the water.

The valley is genuinely quiet and mobile signal is close to non-existent, which is either the point of the trip or a problem, depending on how you travel. Chirk Castle, Erddig and the Llangollen canal and aqueduct are all short drives, there are good dog-friendly pubs nearby, and the nearest takeaway means a run into Chirk.

Best suited to couples or families with one dog who want somewhere remote, warm and properly set up for wet weather, and who are comfortable keeping an eye on a dog around open water. Less suited to anyone bringing more than one dog, or who needs a phone signal during the week.