Woodside Cottage, Scarborough

Woodside Cottage sits in a quiet courtyard in Snainton, a village on the A170 between Scarborough and Pickering, and it is set up for dogs with more thought than most self-catering of its size. There is an enclosed yard off the cottage, walks begin at the door, and dogs get their own treats in the welcome pack alongside the wine, milk and homemade cake left for their owners.

Two pets are accepted, and there is enough floor space indoors for a large crate as well as beds. The wood burner comes with logs, kindling and firelighters supplied, which matters more than it sounds when a wet dog needs drying out in January.

Two practical things to plan around. There is no washing machine, which guests raise often and which bites hardest if you are walking a long-coated dog through Yorkshire mud for a week, so bring more towels than you think you need. And there are chickens roaming loose around the site, which is charming unless your dog has strong opinions about poultry. Worth knowing before you let it off the lead on arrival.

Guests describe the cottage itself as immaculate and full of character, with a properly stocked kitchen, comfortable beds and good bedding, and owners who leave clear information and answer quickly when something goes wrong. Housekeeping is not flawless: there have been reports of stained carpets, a faint doggy or damp smell and dog hair left on bedding from a previous stay, so it is worth looking over the bed linen when you arrive.

The setting is the real draw. Walks run straight from the courtyard and across the fields, Dalby and Wykeham forests are close, the moors are on the doorstep, and Cayton Bay is around twenty minutes for a beach walk. There is a well-liked pub a field walk away at Sawdon and a village butcher guests rate highly. You will want a car.

Best suited to a couple or small family with one or two dogs who want quiet, doorstep walking and easy reach of both the moors and the coast, and who do not mind self-catering without a washing machine.