Shepherd's Loch Glamping

Shepherd's Loch Glamping is a working farm in rural Aberdeenshire given over to yurts, domes and huts, and for a dog it is close to an ideal week: open ground, two ponds, woodland tracks and livestock fields, all reached down farm roads with no through traffic. Each unit sits on its own among the trees, so there is real space between you and the next party.

The site is built around doing things rather than sitting still. There are kayaks, paddleboards and a paddle boat on the top pond, a fishing hut with spare rods, a zip line, go-karts, a play park, a communal fire pit, a sauna and a wood-fired hot tub, plus a games hut for the evenings. Units have wood-burning stoves with the first night's kindling provided, and the shop runs on an honesty system with a receipt book.

Dogs are welcome, and the practicalities are worth sorting in advance. The charge is £15 per dog for the stay, and guests describe settling it at the site shop rather than at booking - because that shop is unstaffed, paying it can take more than one attempt. Up to two dogs can come per booking.

The one caveat both dog-owning guests raise is the same. The site asks for dogs to be kept on leads, and that rule is not always observed. More than one visitor has described another party's dog roaming loose and unsettling a smaller or more nervous dog of their own. If yours is reactive, it is worth asking how busy the site will be and taking a pitch away from the communal areas.

Two unrelated notes from guests: some units have no way of covering the windows, so you wake with the light, and the split-across-buildings layout of certain units leaves a door without a lock.

Best suited to an outdoorsy family or couple with a confident dog who want space, water and a fire to sit around. Shepherd's Loch earns a 4.2/5 paw rating.