Dog-Friendly Devon: Great Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages in Devon

Devon is great for dogs with its wide sandy beaches, moorlands, fields, countryside, and hundreds of walking trails. Highlighting Dog Heaven, Rick Bond from My Favourite Holiday Cottages picks out a few properties that would get a bark of approval from even the most pampered pooches.

Canine comforts at The Byre @ Cross Farm just outside Barnstaple include a dog bowl, dog bed, covers for sofas if required, a fenced-in garden, a vet's phone number on the wall and even a poop scoop. This beautiful 3-bed barn conversion has other very friendly dogs nearby. The Byre is in the charming village of Goodleigh, nestling in the foothills of Exmoor above Barnstaple. Amid great dog walking country, fit dogs and owners will enjoy the 10-mile circular walk via Codden Hill (stunning views from Exmoor across to Dartmoor) and a hearty lunch at the historic Chichester Arms in Bishops Tawton. This village nestles beneath Codden Hill. Goodleigh's New Inn is also popular for dogs to be happier with shorter walks to eat and socialise. Bart often goes for a wander down there himself.

Aga-baked dog biscuits are part of a doggy welcome hamper prepared by the owner of Abscott Cottage in Shirwell. Part of the Youlston House Estate, the childhood home of Sir Francis Chichester, Abscott cottage is equidistant between the golden beaches of Saunton and Woolacombe and the moorland footpaths over Exmoor – both ideal country for rambling with a dog who needs to work off too many of those biscuits.

The owners of two dog-friendly coastal cottages, Lambside House and Corner Cottage at Carswell Farm Cottages, a working organic dairy farm in South Devon, believe dogs deserve a holiday just as much as the rest of the family. Dogs will love the farm's own private cove and the nearby South West Coastal Footpath. Most beaches here allow dogs all year round – as do the local pubs. The owners have also thoughtfully included handy stair gates so that humans don't come downstairs and disturb a dog's sleep in the middle of the night!

The picturesque rose and wisteria-clad cottages at Boswell Farm, Mill House and The Cider House are an absolute haven for family dogs and their owners. Nestling in quiet countryside just outside Sidmouth, it is packed with canine essentials. Each cottage has its own private garden and is equipped with dog beds, blankets, bowls, poo bags and special throws for the furniture ( to make that sofa even more comfortable! ). Boswell nestles alongside the Snod Brook in the secluded Sweetcombe Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty two miles from the Heritage Coast. All seven 4-star, 17th Century Grade II listed cottages are converted from ancient farm buildings. Local walks will suit laid-back dogs looking to explore East Devon's timeless landscape.

Devon offers many more splendid 'dog-friendly' holiday cottages. Most charge a small fee to cover the additional cleaning costs involved in removing all traces of dog hair and 'any other little reminders' before the next guests arrive. It's worth paying for the companionship of a valuable family member on holiday—and a fraction of the price of a kennel!

See all the pets' welcome' cottages and more on the Pet-Friendly Holiday Cottages pages on My Favourite Holiday Cottages.

Bart's Top Tips

We asked the expert, Bart, a cottage owner's dog, for his views. (We think this is what he said):

• Always make your doggy guests feel welcome. Providing food and drink bowls and a towel or two to wipe us dogs down after a good walk is a nice touch and saves owners having to pack them.
• Comfy bedding is excellent for helping doggy visitors feel at home.
• Furniture covers might help if you want to protect your lovely sofas from some less-than-perfectly behaved dogs!
• Leave information about walks (and where not to go) in the cottage. If you're near the coast, information about which beaches welcome us dogs (and which don't) is always helpful.
• Remind dog owners of the country code. Some farmers will not give a dog that chases sheep a second chance—I should know!
• And always leave bins un-secured and full of food. Yum yum!

Romantic Escapes in the UK

Clichéd as it may be, Valentine’s Day does give couples an excuse to escape the humdrum. ‘Romantic’ also means idealistic, so whilst we may not want to live in a cottage in the countryside all the time, a cosy weekend away may be enough to keep fantasy and passion alive for another year. And who says you have to be young to enjoy a romantic break? So enjoy a weekend with you and your partner at any age, and define your approach to romanticism!

Time-pressed couples will find inspiring properties from rural retreats to city pads and seaside getaways on www.myfavouriteholidaycottages.co.uk. There’s even a special search category section entirely devoted to holiday cottages for couples.

Water features are a popular destination, whether for watersports or the appeal of being lulled to sleep by a babbling brook. Indulge in far-reaching lakeside views across Windermere or a private hot tub under the stars at The Lodge in North Norfolk, and forget about the water rates.

The Lodge - a light and spacious cottage for two in North Norfolk with its own hot tub 

Romantic breaks are just as memorable out of season as in high summer. More so, perhaps, as by then, you can have beaches and scenic country walks pretty much all to yourselves. 

Saunter through bluebell-carpeted woodland when staying at The Folly, a streamside cottage in the North Devon countryside. Hillwalking couples will enjoy a stay at Derby Cottage and enjoy long moorland walks in the wilds of the Peak District. All too much effort? You’ll find a lovely coastal bolthole for two at The Langley-Tarne, a cosy 1-bedroom seaside cottage in the heart of Mousehole, a tiny, picturesque fishing village in West Cornwall. If you want to get away from it all, search for a cottage for two in a remote location. Here, you’ll find little gems such as the wilds of The Brecon Beacons and Mid Wales, where the only break in the silence comes from bird song and the breeze.

All the 2-bedroom cottages above are available via the My Favourite Holiday Cottages website. Select 'romantic holiday cottages for two' people, and a list of suggestions will appear. One further click on a property’s page links directly to the cottage owners’ own website.

“An owner’s website is more personal and will reveal the cottage’s character,” advises MD Rick Bond. “We know from our own experience how we book holidays; therefore, all properties on our website contain a link to that property’s website. It not only gives people much more information than can be crammed into an advert, but it also gives people a chance to book it online and save money without paying any booking fees or commission charges”.