Over Torrs Cottage, New Mills

Over Torrs Cottage works best for dog owners who want walking country on the doorstep and do not need outdoor space at the property. It earns a 4.4/5 paw rating, held back less by the welcome than by a few practical limitations worth knowing before you book.

The single most important detail is one the property does not appear to flag at booking: there is a sign inside stating that dogs are not allowed upstairs. Guests have arrived unaware of it, and at least one party with a dog that sleeps beside the bed ended up taking turns on the downstairs sofa. If your dog cannot settle alone overnight, that rule changes the stay completely. On the positive side, guests travelling with dogs report no extra charge for them and describe clear written instructions for arriving with pets, so the property is set up for dog guests even if this particular rule catches people out.

The location is the strongest reason to book. Turn right out of the door and the Millennium Walkway is a few minutes away, a dramatic riverside path through the gorge with water shallow enough for a dog to get in. There is a park up St Mary's Road opposite, several walks that start from the door, and the higher Peak District within a short drive.

The caveats are real and consistent. There is no yard or garden of any kind, which is simply the nature of the building, so every comfort break is a lead walk. The road outside is busy and fast, and guests have flagged it as a hazard for dogs and small children coming out of the door. There is no parking at the cottage either, and the nearest street parking is an uphill walk away with the dog and the luggage. Cleanliness is the other recurring theme in a minority of reviews: unwashed floors, and skirting boards and upstairs carpets holding hair and a doggy smell left by previous guests.

For an active couple with a dog that travels well, is happy downstairs overnight and does most of its exercise outdoors, it is comfortable, modern and well placed. For anyone who needs enclosed space or a quiet frontage, it is not the right cottage.