The Witterings Shepherds' Hut

The Witterings Shepherds' Hut is a one-hut escape on Piggery Hall Lane, a few fields back from the West Wittering coast, and its whole appeal for dog owners is that there is nothing between you and the door. It is a self-contained hut standing on its own ground rather than a room in a building, so there are no corridors, no neighbours through a wall and no lobby to cross at six in the morning.

Dogs are welcome, and guests travelling with them are among the most enthusiastic reviewers the property has. The recurring theme is walking. It is roughly half an hour on foot to the beach through open countryside, and West Wittering's sands run far enough that people describe covering miles with their dogs before turning back. A pub serving dinner sits about five minutes away. As with most popular south-coast beaches, dog access can be seasonally restricted in high summer, so it is worth checking the current rules before a July or August booking.

Inside, the hut is small but properly equipped: a bathroom, a pull-out bed for a third person, a little camping hob for cooking, and an oil heater that guests repeatedly describe as keeping the place very warm even out of season. There is a fire pit outside for the evening. There is deliberately no internet and no television, which is part of the appeal for some guests and worth knowing for others.

The caveats are honest and small. The pull-out bed takes a night to get used to. Mosquitos can be persistent in warmer months and repellent is not easy to buy nearby, so bring some with you. The hosts also keep a cat who is known to come and say hello, which matters if your dog is not relaxed around them. Earning a 4.5/5 paw rating, this suits couples and solo travellers who want a quiet beach-walking base with the dog and do not need much more than a bed, a kettle and a footpath.