The Tree House, Longhope

The Tree House sits deep in the woodland at May Hill Farm, a few minutes outside Longhope on the eastern edge of the Forest of Dean, and its seclusion is the whole point for anyone travelling with a dog. Guests are driven in to the camp, and once there you are genuinely on your own: no shared corridors, no neighbouring pitches, nobody walking past. Dog owners travelling with anxious or reactive dogs have found the isolation does most of the work, because there is simply nothing and nobody to react to.

This is a back-to-nature stay rather than a cottage with a garden. Cooking happens over an open fire, the toilet is a composting one in its own small outbuilding, and light after dark is whatever you bring with you. Dogs that like mud, woodsmoke and long days outdoors do very well here; dogs that want a warm sofa will not. Parties travelling with more than one dog have stayed happily, and the woodland setting means most of the day is spent outside the tree house rather than in it.

Walking is the other draw. Ancient woodland runs straight off the farm, May Hill itself is within reach on foot for a proper climb, and the Wye Valley is close enough for a day out, with the river at Symonds Yat around half an hour away. The farm also runs other accommodation on the same land, so the site is used to guests arriving with dogs.

The caveats are the ones any off-grid camp carries. The bedding is futon-style and some guests have found it firm, and the facilities really are basic, so pack as you would for camping: towels, torches, and everything your dog needs, because there is no shop on site. Best suited to dog owners who actively want to be off the beaten track, and particularly good for a nervous dog that finds busy sites hard work.