The Marton Arms

The Marton Arms is a traditional inn at Thornton in Lonsdale, a mile or so outside Ingleton on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, and it has built a real reputation as a dog-friendly base for walking and caving country. Dogs are welcome in the bars and the restaurant as well as in the pet-friendly bedrooms, which means your dog can stay with you through dinner and breakfast rather than waiting upstairs.

Dogs stay for £20 per dog, per night, and the inn puts that money to visible use. Owners consistently mention a welcome pack on arrival, often with treats and sometimes the dog's name on it, along with dog beds in the rooms. Staff are the other half of it, going out of their way to make both ends of the lead feel at home. The food and the locally brewed beer draw strong praise in their own right, and there is plenty of parking for arriving after a long drive.

The location is hard to beat for a walking trip. The entrance to the Ingleton waterfalls trail is closer than the village itself, the show caves are minutes away, and Ingleborough is within reach for anyone tackling one of the Three Peaks. The village is about a twenty minute walk, so it is worth having a car for supplies.

Two honest caveats. The nightly charge per dog is the most common complaint inside otherwise glowing reviews, and it adds up across a week. And because so many dogs pass through, the pet-friendly rooms can occasionally carry a damp-dog smell, which has taken the shine off an arrival for some guests, though others have specifically praised how clean those rooms were. If your party includes someone who would rather keep their distance from dogs, be aware that at busy times most tables in the restaurant have one underneath.

For dog owners who want a friendly, food-focused inn with the Yorkshire Dales, Ingleton's caves and its waterfalls on the doorstep, The Marton Arms earns a 4.7 out of 5 paw rating.