River Cottage, Melverley

River Cottage sits on the bank of the River Vyrnwy at Melverley, a very small Shropshire village a few miles from the Welsh border, with the village's timber-framed church immediately behind it. It is a quiet, properly rural base: guests come for the peace, the river and the fields, and dogs get the run of a garden and enclosed land rather than a patch of lawn. The cottage is well kept and fully equipped, and the owner keeps in touch before arrival, including warning guests when the river has been in flood.

The dog arrangements need reading before you book, because they are stricter than the setting suggests and they are not all published up front. Dogs are not allowed on the sofas or upstairs, so a dog used to sleeping in a bedroom will be downstairs on its own. A cleaning charge is built into the rate and a separate per-dog charge has been asked for on top of it, so agree the total when you enquire rather than discovering it on arrival. Guests travelling with dogs are generally positive about the cottage, but the cost and the house rules are the sticking point.

Set against that, the outdoor space is a real asset. The garden and adjoining land are fenced, the lanes are quiet enough to walk on, and the river and the church make the immediate surroundings more interesting than most rural lets. Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Welshpool are all inside a half-hour drive when you want a town.

The cottage is a good fit for a couple or small group with one settled, downstairs-sleeping dog who value quiet above everything else. Owners of dogs that expect sofa and bedroom access, or anyone who wants a fixed and clearly stated pet fee, should confirm the terms first. It earns a 4.4/5 paw rating.