Maristow Barton, Bickleigh

Maristow Barton is a large country house at Bickleigh in the South Hams, on the western edge of Dartmoor and a short drive from Lopwell Dam and the Tamar valley. It is rented whole and it is genuinely big: parties of fifteen and sixteen have stayed comfortably, spread across the bedrooms with room left over in the kitchen and around the dining table. For a group holiday that includes dogs, that scale is the point.

The property takes up to three pets, which is unusually generous and makes it a realistic option for an extended family where more than one household brings a dog. Groups who have done exactly that report it working well, with the dogs sharing the walks and the house absorbing the numbers without anyone feeling on top of each other.

The walking is the other draw. Lopwell Dam is close and repeatedly singled out, the south Devon beaches are within reach for a day out, and Lydford Gorge is a favourite among guests who venture onto the moor. The house has a games room, a well equipped kitchen and a warm country style that guests describe as a home from home.

One practical caveat matters more than the rest. The garden is not gated, so dogs cannot simply be let out to run loose. Guests who stayed here with dogs came prepared with long leads and found that worked, but if you were counting on secure outdoor space you should plan around its absence rather than assume it.

No pet fee or weight limit is published, so agree those details with the owner when you book. Best suited to large groups and extended families travelling with more than one dog, who want a moor-and-coast base in south Devon and do not need a fenced garden.