Ty Hir, Bwlch Gwyn Farm

Ty Hir is a genuinely dog-friendly four-bedroom holiday cottage on Bwlch Gwyn Farm, a working sheep and cattle farm with its own equestrian and pony-trekking centre just above Fairbourne on the Gwynedd coast. For families and groups travelling with a dog it is a rare combination: a spacious, comfortable base with a hot tub and an enclosed garden, set on a farm that is thoroughly used to animals and geared up for dogs.

The cottage sleeps eight across four bedrooms and comes with a private wood-fired hot tub and an enclosed patio garden, so a dog has a secure outdoor space to settle in while the humans unwind. Guests travelling with dogs highlight how easily the place absorbs a big group plus a dog, and how pleasant and secure the outside space is. The real draw, though, is the location. There is direct access from the farm down to the two miles of golden sand at Fairbourne beach, the Mawddach Estuary coastal trail and cycle path are close by, and Barmouth is a scenic walk away across the estuary. This is superb dog-walking country, with hills, sand and trails all on the doorstep.

Because it is a working livestock farm, there is one clear rule to respect: dogs need to be kept on a lead around the farm and its land, and the more aggressive breeds covered by the Dangerous Dogs Act are not accepted. Within the cottage and its enclosed garden a dog can relax, but the surrounding fields are home to sheep and horses, so lead discipline matters here more than at a typical seaside let. Sources differ a little on how many dogs are welcome, so it is worth confirming numbers directly when you book.

One practical caveat that comes up in guest feedback: the cottage sits closer to a road than some expect from the photographs, so it is worth being mindful when letting a dog in and out of the car and keeping an eye on the boundary.

Ty Hir suits an active family or group travelling with a well-behaved, lead-trained dog who want a roomy farm base with a hot tub, an enclosed garden and genuinely brilliant beach and estuary walking, and who are comfortable with the on-lead expectations of staying on a working farm.