The Old Colliery Stables

The Old Colliery Stables is a converted stable block in the County Durham village of Cornsay Colliery, run by the Royal Oak pub next door, and it is the kind of unfussy, owner-run place where a dog is simply part of the booking rather than a complication. Rooms sit at ground level in their own block, so there is no lobby or lift to negotiate with a lead in one hand and a bag in the other.

Dogs are welcome in the rooms and in the pub itself, and the pub keeps a dog menu alongside the human one. Guests travelling with dogs mention breakfast sausages arriving in a bowl, water bowls appearing without being asked, and staff who greet the dog before the owner. Rooms are large enough for a couple and two big dogs, and they are fitted out for self-sufficiency: fridge, microwave, toaster, kettle, crockery and a washing-up bowl, which matters when you would rather eat in with a tired dog than head back out.

The setting does most of the work. A woodland walk starts directly across the road and holds up in bad weather, and the village sits within easy reach of Durham, Beamish and the Durham dales, so a full day out and a proper leg-stretch are both possible from the same base. Several returning guests book it as a stopover on the drive north to Scotland.

It is not flawless. The rooms are basic rather than smart, and housekeeping is not consistently sharp - there are reports of a room that had not been cleaned properly on arrival and of a long wait outside before keys appeared. Parking on the estate can be tight in the early evening, and because the rooms are run from the pub rather than a reception desk, arrival arrangements are worth confirming when you book. The rooms sit in a block of three with neighbours close on either side, which makes this a better fit for a dog that settles quietly than for a reactive one.

Best suited to walkers, Durham day-trippers and anyone breaking a long drive, who wants a genuinely dog-welcoming pub within a few steps of the bed. It earns a 4.4/5 paw rating.