The Apple Inn

The Apple Inn sits in the Northumberland village of Lucker, about ten minutes' drive from Bamburgh Castle and the coast, and it is set up for dogs in a way that suits walkers rather than sightseers. Alongside rooms at the inn there are shepherd's huts across the road by the water, each with its own small fenced garden, a log burner and an en-suite shower. That fenced patch is the detail dog owners keep coming back to: somewhere to let a dog out last thing at night without reaching for a lead.

Dogs are charged £20 each for the stay, with a further £5 for each additional dog, payable at the property on arrival. Dogs are welcome in the pub as well as the rooms, so there is no need to leave one upstairs at dinner, and they are a common sight in the bar and at breakfast.

Guests travelling with dogs describe the staff as relaxed about them rather than merely tolerant, and the rooms in the inn are generously sized, with room for a dog bed alongside your own. Breakfast is included and cooked to order, and the food gets consistently strong marks in its own right, which counts for a lot at a rural inn where the nearest alternative is a drive away.

The location is both the main draw and the main limitation. Lucker is quiet and there is very little in the immediate village, so this works best as a base for the Northumberland coast, Bamburgh, Seahouses and the dunes, rather than a stay with things to do on the doorstep. The huts also sit fairly close together, so a reactive dog will hear neighbours coming and going, though guests generally report that they stay peaceful overnight.

With a 4.8/5 paw rating, The Apple Inn suits dog owners who want a proper pub dinner, a big breakfast and coast walks from the car, and who would rather their dog sat under the table than waited in the room.