Brunnion Cottage, St Ives

Brunnion Cottage is a single-storey holiday cottage tucked into the quiet countryside above St Ives Bay, reached by a maze of narrow West Cornish lanes. It sits within easy reach of St Ives, Carbis Bay and Hayle, yet feels genuinely rural, the sort of place where you wake to birdsong and the odd cow rather than traffic.

For guests travelling with dogs, the standout feature is the enclosed field beside the cottage where dogs can run off-lead, which comes up time and again from returning visitors. The owners are on hand when needed but leave guests to themselves the rest of the time, and small welcome touches such as local milk, biscuits and a bottle on arrival set an easy tone. The single-level, open-plan layout suits older dogs and anyone who would rather avoid stairs.

The location works hard for dog owners. Dog-friendly Porthkidney beach on the Hayle estuary is about ten minutes away, the wider sands at Hayle and the coast path are close by, and there is a dog-friendly pub within walking distance. It makes a practical base for exploring West Cornwall with a dog in tow, from Lands End to the Lizard.

It is worth arriving with realistic expectations about the setting. The approach lanes are narrow, and the route to the exercise field can be overgrown or interrupted by farm traffic at busy times; one guest travelling with a dog found getting there more awkward than expected. The remoteness that makes the cottage peaceful also means a car is essential.

Overall it suits couples and small families who want a calm, self-contained Cornish base with space for a dog to stretch its legs, rather than anyone after a walk-to-the-beach town cottage.