The Red Lion, Stretham

The Red Lion is a village inn on the high street in Stretham, a small fen village between Ely and Cambridge, and it works best for owners who want a quiet base with easy parking rather than a town-centre stay. Dogs are welcome, and the rooms that open directly onto their own outside space are the ones to ask for - being able to step out with the dog without crossing the bar is a real advantage first thing in the morning.

Guests travelling with dogs describe staff as friendly and easy-going, and the rooms as clean, comfortable and well equipped, with tea and coffee things and everything needed for a short stay. Parking is generous, which is not always true of village pubs, and enough guests use the place regularly that it clearly works as a repeat stop rather than a one-off.

The location is the draw for anyone walking a dog. Wicken Fen is a short drive away, the surrounding fenland gives flat, open walking, and Ely is about six miles north with Cambridge around eleven miles south. The village itself is very small, which cuts both ways: it is quiet, but there is little else within walking distance.

Two things to check when booking. A pet charge of £10 per dog per night applies on top of the room rate, so a pair of dogs over a long weekend adds up. More importantly, at least one of the rooms given to guests with dogs has been a former smoking room, and the smell was strong enough to spoil a stay, so it is worth asking which room you are being allocated and whether it has been used that way. Breakfast is the other weak point: it is not always available, and with no cafe in the village there is no easy fallback, so plan the first morning accordingly.

For fen walking and a quiet night with the dog beside you, it does the job well and earns a 4.4/5 paw rating.