The Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite Lake

The Pheasant Inn is a traditional Lakeland coaching inn on the edge of Bassenthwaite Lake, set back in its own gardens between Cockermouth and Keswick, and it is a practical base for anyone walking the northern fells with a dog. Access to the fells from the door is one of the things guests rate most highly, and the grounds themselves are attractive enough to be worth a slow lap on a wet morning.

Dogs stay in a limited number of designated rooms at £15 per pet per night, up to two pets per booking, and the property asks to be told in advance. That last point matters more here than at most places: the pet rooms genuinely are limited, so a late request is likely to be refused rather than accommodated.

Where dogs can go inside is the part to check when you book. Guest accounts do not agree - the bar has carried a sign saying dogs are not allowed, while dogs are plainly present at breakfast, and staff have asked owners to keep dogs on a lead in public areas. Some guests welcome that; others have found large dogs at breakfast tables uncomfortable. If eating with your dog is the point of the trip, confirm which rooms and which public areas are open to pets before you commit.

The inn is not cheap, and reviews are mixed on whether the rooms and food justify the price, with several reports of rooms differing from what was booked. Breakfast, the gardens and the fell access come out well. Taken together it earns a 3.9/5 paw rating - a comfortable, well-placed inn for dog owners who mainly want somewhere to sleep between walks, rather than a pub where the dog can settle in beside them all evening.