Running with the pack: holidaying with all of my hounds

April 2nd

Yaaaas! It was finally here. Day zero. Time to run with my pack and holiday with all my hounds. Yep, all four of us. Alan (our human) had outdone himself this time: he had sacked off his skiing trip with his mates, cancelled the kennels and really done his homework on caninecottages.co.uk to find some of the best properties in the South West and Wales that allow multiple dogs: all sixteen paws. The result? Roooooaaaaaad trip with my best pals – the whole Muttley Crue (and Alan).

Was the car packed? Check. Dog-bod perfected? Check. Doggy playlist downloaded? Check. Boys on board? Check. Quick emergency poo to avoid the indignity of having to do one in a service station car park? You betcha. 

So there we were snuggled in our extra-large crate with our blankets and chew toys. I even saw Alan making a list of the best places to stop on the way so he must have checked out the top tips for travelling with dogs guide. He’s a good boy.

We waved goodbye to David Meowie who was busy washing his paws at the window and doing his best to look nonchalant about the fact he was being left behind with grandma. I was sad for the cat: he clearly wanted to be a dog. But no time to dwell or to worry about David’s FOMO, we were off to our first stop.

Cammomile Cottage, near Bere Alston, Devon

(2 humans, 2 dogs)

Now Devon has got to be one of my favourite counties ever – rolling hills, peaceful moors and great coastline, and this perfect property in peaceful seclusion looked like the ultimate place for me and the boys – the country air, an enclosed field for letting us off the lead, 23 acres of private bluebell woodland shared only with the owner, and Dartmoor nearby where we could run for miles and fetch a tree’s worth of sticks.  

Alan was especially pleased as there was a lovely walk from the cottage along the River Tavy to a 16^th-century dog-friendly pub where he could tuck into some hearty food while we snoozed beside the fire.

But Alan had gone all out on the planning and so before we knew it, we were destined for the second stop of the trip:

Trevnor Farmhouse, St Ives, Cornwall 

(4 humans, 4 dogs)

Clambering out of the car, my first impressions were that this property was dog-tastic. Loads of space to roam in a beautiful part of the country with a fantastic location. Perfect for spending days exploring and sniffing out new adventures, and long, lazy evenings for lounging by the fire.

One of the best days we had was visiting The Ship Inn, Mousehole. Not only did they let us in, but there were also dog bowls and treats: heaven.

Other properties sleeping 4 guests and 4 hounds:

• Lily's Cottage - Hartington, Peak District
• Kennels Cottage - Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross

Then it was time to move on. We packed up our leads, chew toys and blankets ready for some new smells in another location.

Hilltown Farm – Rooks Nest, South Molton 

(6 humans, 4 dogs)  

Alan had decided to meet up with some friends along the way which meant moving north again and back into Devon to a property which had us running circles in glee. Set on a horse farm, there was more space than we could have dreamed of and whilst the humans indulged in a bit of al fresco dining and hot-tubbing, we indulged in a spot of outdoor exploring and lounging.

Other properties sleeping 6 guests and 4 canine companions:

• The Stables at Close Farm - Malton, North Yorkshire
• Christmas Cottage - Godshill, Isle of Wight

But this was no time to let sleeping dogs lie; it was time for our penultimate stop.

The Swallows Barn in Cornwall – Callington 

(8 humans, 5 dogs)

Alan had truly outdone himself this time – this barn conversion was top dog! Not only that, he was meeting some family at this one and the place even had room for their extra canine companion, so we could all go mutts together! We had an amazing day exploring nearby Bodmin Moor and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Other properties sleeping 8 guests and 4 four-legged friends:

• Eastertown of Mayen - Rothiemay, Moray
• The Old Mill Corfe Mullen - Corfe Mullen, Dorset

And then, all too soon it was almost over – just one final stop before we were homeward-bound, but boy was it a belter.

Depot Road – Porthcawl, South Wales 

(12 humans, 4 dogs)

Now we’re talking. This property really had the bow-wow factor: me and the boys couldn’t believe it after the long drive. Turns out Alan had invited a few of his friends along for a celebration too, so the property was packed with two legs as well as four, but it didn’t matter because there was so much space. Definitely ca-nine out of ten.

Other properties which house 10+ guests as well as 4+ doggos

• Trehaven - Gulval - near Penzance, Cornwall
• Ardle Lodge - Bridge of Cally, Perth and Kinross
• Riverside Cottage - Eglingham - Nr. Alnwick, Northumberland

Tail-wagging holidays for multiple dogs

That’s it – there’s been a lot of playing, running and eating, but now it’s time to get back home after one of the most epic road trips ever – we’ve had a ball, found a new leash of life and left no stick unfetched. Now for a nap before recounting our adventures back home to a less-than-impressed David Meowie. We've also told all of our friends, and next time the whole gang want to come!

Canine Cottages definitely run rings around the rest; if you’re looking for other properties across the UK to treat your multiple canine companions, come and browse our full collection of cottages sleeping four dogs or more.