The Annex, Raskelf

The Annex is a two-bedroom cottage in open country at Raskelf, about twenty minutes north of York and a short hop from Easingwold, and it is set up for dogs with more thought than most rural lets. There is an enclosed garden, a welcome basket for the dog alongside the one for the humans, and owners on site who keep ponies and clearly like animals.

Dog owners rate it highly and the reasons are consistent: plenty of indoor space, a secure garden to let a dog out into, and a genuinely rural setting that is still close to York. Families travelling with children and a dog do particularly well here, and repeated praise goes to the owners for replying quickly and making a fuss of visitors, animal and human alike.

Three things to plan around. The garden is enclosed but not dog-proof at ground level, and a small dog has squeezed under the gate, though larger dogs have had no trouble. It also cannot be seen from inside the property, so you are not letting a dog out and keeping half an eye on it from the sofa. There are no walks directly from the door either: the road into the village has no pavement and carries farm traffic, so getting a dog somewhere safe to walk means driving. And the property sits close to a mainline railway. Most guests stop noticing the trains within a day, and some rather liked them, but light sleepers and noise-sensitive dogs should know in advance.

One more practical note. Dog mess left in the garden and on the paths by earlier guests has been reported at changeover, so it is worth a quick look round before letting a dog loose on arrival.

Best suited to families or groups with dogs that travel well and do not mind being driven to their walk, who want space, an enclosed garden and York within easy reach. It earns a 4.5 out of 5 paw rating.