The Old Laundry, Forest of Dean

The Old Laundry is a whole-house holiday cottage in the Wye Valley corner of the Forest of Dean, sitting beside a working sheep farm with generous grounds around it and open countryside beyond. It is a self-contained let with no shared spaces, so arriving with a dog is simple, and the walking on the doorstep is the main reason to come.

The pet terms are clear and cost nothing: one dog is welcome at no extra charge. The condition attached is a real one. The dog must be kept on a lead at all times, because the cottage sits on a working sheep farm. That is not boilerplate wording. Livestock is immediately next door, and a dog that goes after sheep creates a serious problem for the farm and for you.

The cottage itself is well regarded: immaculate, spacious and properly equipped, with comfortable bedrooms and a lot of outside room. The amount of ground around the property is the feature dog owners pick out.

One caveat matters more than the lead rule, and it is the thing to weigh hardest: the outdoor space is not secure. There are gaps at the parking area, along the stone-walled field, and under the gate through to the farm field, so a small or determined dog could get out. Taken with the on-lead requirement, that means this is not a cottage where you open the door and let a dog potter about alone. Owners happy with lead walks and supervised time outside will be fine; anyone who needs an enclosed garden should look elsewhere.

It suits dog owners after a roomy, rural Gloucestershire base with excellent walking straight from the door, travelling with one lead-trained dog that is reliable around livestock.