Townhead Farmhouse, Penrith

Townhead Farmhouse sits at the end of the road in Martindale, on the quiet eastern side of Ullswater, and it is the kind of Lake District base where the walking starts at the front door. It is an 18th-century listed farmhouse on a working sheep farm, well equipped, warm, and set among red squirrels and deer rather than car parks and gift shops. For dog owners who want hill and lakeshore walking without driving to a trailhead, the setting is hard to beat.

Two things need saying before you book, because guests have found them out on arrival rather than in advance. Dogs are restricted to the non-carpeted parts of the house, which in practice means they are not allowed in the lounge, and that restriction is not spelled out on the booking listing. Owners who had pictured an evening by the fire with the dog have been caught out by it, so confirm which rooms your dog can use before you commit. The other is the sheep. This is a livestock farm on open fell, and owners of dogs that are not reliable around stock have said plainly they would not have booked had they realised.

Where the property does deliver is space and freedom. Up to two pets can stay, the walking from the door is genuinely good in every direction, and the interior is practical rather than precious, with wood burners, plenty of hot water and hard-wearing furnishings instead of pale carpets. Repeat visitors, including families who return at Christmas, like it exactly as it is.

The building shows its age in places. The heating and hot water controls have a mind of their own, the walls to the attached cottage are thin, and cleaning standards have varied: one stay found dog hair left on the soft furnishings by a previous party, along with dirt in the kitchen. Getting there also involves several miles of narrow lanes and a steep track.

Townhead Farmhouse earns a 4.4/5 paw rating. It suits confident walkers with stock-safe dogs who want remoteness and will take an old building's quirks in their stride.