River Dance Cottage, Aysgarth

River Dance Cottage sits beside the river at Aysgarth, a few minutes on foot from the upper falls, and it is the kind of small Yorkshire Dales bolthole that suits a dog holiday almost by design. It is a whole cottage let privately, so there are no shared corridors or lobbies to manage, and the water and woodland start more or less at the door.

Dogs are welcomed here rather than merely tolerated. Guests travelling with dogs consistently mention that bowls are put out ready for them, and that the owner answers questions quickly before arrival. The cottage is set up for the muddy end of a walk, with a log burner to dry out in front of and a well-equipped kitchen, and guests describe it as spotless without it feeling precious about a dog being in the room.

The location does most of the work. The Aysgarth falls footpaths are on the doorstep, Leyburn is a short drive, and there is a cafe about a hundred yards away that takes dogs as readily as their owners, which is useful in the Dales when a wet afternoon would otherwise mean sitting in the car. Guests arriving with dogs of very different sizes, from a pair of Yorkshire terriers upwards, report the same easy time of it.

The main thing to sort out in advance is the paperwork. The booking listing does not publish a pet fee, a limit on dog numbers or any breed conditions, so it is worth confirming all three directly when you book. The cottage is also genuinely small, which is much of its charm but does mean a large dog and a full house will feel snug. For a couple or small family wanting river, falls and fireside within a few hundred yards, it earns its 4.7/5 paw rating.