The Glebe, Invergordon

The Glebe is a big single-storey house at Kildary in Easter Ross, and the garden is why dog owners keep rebooking it: an unusually large lawn with open views over fields where deer graze at dawn. Inside, tiled and wooden floors run throughout, so there is nothing to worry about after a wet walk, and everything sits on one level, which suits an older dog that has stopped enjoying stairs.

The setting works hard. The A9 is a minute away without the house feeling like it, Inverness is around half an hour, and the beaches of the Moray Firth coast are a short drive for a proper run on sand. Tain and Alness cover the shopping. The owners are the other constant in guest feedback: on hand, quick to help and entirely relaxed about dogs.

Two things need planning for. The garden is large but not fully enclosed, with no gates across the front, so a dog inclined to wander should not be trusted off-lead out there; owners have reported dogs slipping away within minutes of arriving. The grass is left long in places for the wildlife, which brings ticks, and owners have picked them off both dogs and themselves, so pack a tick tool and check coats daily in summer. There is also no outdoor bin for dog waste, and the pub a few minutes' walk down the road takes dogs outside only, which is a cold prospect for much of the year.

The property allows one well-behaved dog. For a household that wants space, an enormous garden, wildlife on the doorstep and easy access to the Highlands without a long single-track drive, The Glebe is hard to beat and earns a 4.9/5 paw rating.