The Wasdale Head Inn & Apartments

The Wasdale Head Inn sits at the head of Wasdale, under Scafell Pike and at the far end of Wast Water, and it is about as good a base as a hill-walking dog owner could ask for in the Lake District. Dogs are clearly a normal presence here rather than a tolerated exception: guests report them in the bar and the residents' lounges as well as the bedrooms, and staff who are warm about a dog arriving rather than merely permissive.

The practical things are right. There is a drying room, which matters a great deal after a wet day on the fells, though guests have noted it gets tight for space when the inn is full. Breakfast draws consistent praise and is worth planning around before a long walk. The residents' lounges are comfortable and are where most of the dog socialising happens - it is the sort of place where a sociable dog makes friends over the course of an evening.

That popularity is also the main caveat. Because so many guests bring dogs, the bar and dining room can be busy with them at peak times, and not everyone enjoys it: the volume of barking at dinner has been enough to spoil the meal for some guests. If your dog is reactive around other dogs, or you want a quiet dinner, weigh that up. Service in the dining room has drawn the occasional complaint, and a power cut closed the bar during one stay.

Getting there needs a mention: the access road into Wasdale is narrow and heavily potholed, and it is a long, slow drive in whichever way you come. Rates sit at the higher end for a remote inn, though guests who flagged that generally judged them fair for the location and the breakfast. Best suited to walkers with a sociable dog who want to start Scafell Pike from the door and are happy in a busy, dog-filled bar in the evening; less suited to a dog that finds other dogs stressful. It earns a 4.2 out of 5 paw rating.