Woodmill Farm Apartment

Woodmill Farm Apartment is a self-contained flat on a working farm at Lower Common, on the edge of the Forest of Dean between Lydney and Aylburton. It is the kind of quiet, owner-run place that suits people who want to walk out of the door into woodland rather than drive to it, and the setting - an old mill with its wheel still in place and a resident bat colony - is the thing guests remember.

Dogs are part of the picture here rather than an afterthought. Up to two are accepted, walks lead away from the property in several directions, and the pub a couple of minutes up the road takes dogs inside, which makes evenings a good deal easier than they are at a lot of rural stays. Guests travelling with dogs describe the owner as quick to help and easy to reach.

There is a real caveat, and it is worth taking seriously before booking. The apartment has light-coloured carpets, and the approach outside turns to a mud track in wet weather. Some dog owners have found that combination genuinely stressful, because managing a wet, muddy dog in a home with pale flooring is nobody's idea of a relaxing break. The outdoor areas have also drawn comment for waterlogging after heavy rain and for needing a tidy-up, including dog mess left outside the door. In dry months none of this arises; in a wet week it shapes the whole stay.

The other thing to plan around is connectivity. Mobile signal is absent in the valley and the broadband has been unreliable, so treat this as a genuinely off-grid stay rather than somewhere to work from. For a couple or small family with a dog that copes with mud, and ideally a spring or summer booking, it is a lovely and well-priced base for the Forest, and it earns a 4.4/5 paw rating.