Top Lodge, Windermere

Top Lodge is a timber lodge on the wooded edge of the White Cross Bay park, a couple of miles up the lake shore from Windermere. Its two best features for a dog are both outside: the decking is fully fenced and gated, so a dog can be out there loose, and a gate at the rear opens straight into the woods for a last walk of the day without going anywhere near a road.

Being on the outer edge of the site rather than in the middle of it matters. It is quieter, there is less passing traffic and fewer other lodges close by, and dog owners consistently say the position is what sold them on it. The owners leave torches for walking in the woods after dark, which is a thoughtful touch given how enclosed by trees the plot is - though that same tree cover makes the lodge dark inside and rules out sitting out in the sun.

Whether dogs are allowed in the park's bar and restaurant is the one thing to check before you book. Accounts differ: some guests have been turned away with their dog, others have eaten inside with theirs. On a wet week it makes a real difference, so ask the park directly rather than assuming. The rest of the site facilities - a small shop, a pool on booked sessions, a gym and sauna, a play area - are for the humans anyway, and Windermere is a short taxi ride or bus away.

The lodge itself is comfortable and unusually well equipped for a rental, but it is not flawless: the boiler has been unreliable for more than one party, the double mattress has been called out as sagging, and there have been reports of musty and stale cigarette smells and of the lodge arriving less clean than it should have.

Best suited to a couple or small family with one or two dogs who want woodland on the doorstep and a secure deck to sit out on. It earns a 4.3/5 paw rating.