Pets



Barks Cottage: pet friendly cottage, Alton Towers and Peak District

We welcome well-behaved dogs to Barks Holiday Cottage.  The cottage comfortably accommodates a family of up to 5 people in 2 bedrooms, plus a dog or two.


We make no charge for one dog. For additional dogs we make a small charge of £10 per dog.  If you are looking for pet friendly accommodation to include more than two dogs, please contact us before you book.

There are some house rules for dogs.  We need to ensure that our next guests find no trace of any canine visitors, so we are keen to ensure our rules are clear and easy to follow.

• Dogs must not be allowed into the bedrooms.
• Dogs must not be allowed onto furniture. 
• Guests must bring their own bedding and towels for dogs.
• We reserve the right to enter the cottage to check on unattended pets.

Unattended pets - you may leave your pet unattended in the cottage but only as part of our chargeable service.  Most holiday cottage owners do not allow unattended pets at any time, we do but we make this small charge. We charge only £5 each time you leave your pet unattended in the kitchen and hallway (with bedroom and sitting room doors closed). Depending on your pet's requirements and our availability these sessions can include us keeping a watchful eye to check your pet is settled and also the option of us taking your dog for a walk on the lead through our fields and woods. There is no additional fee for a walkies, but it is subject to availability.  This 'dog-sitting' arrangement is not a substitute for kennels - we can recommend a good kennel nearby.

Some other things you might need to know about bringing your dog:

• We have two friendly neutered bitches that are often loose in the fields and garden around the cottage and one tends to think that holiday guests are for her entertainment (so many oblige with fuss!)
• We have free range hens and ducks around the cottage.
• There are sheep grazing in the field adjoining the cottage.
• The garden is not dog-proof and there are no fences.  The cottage is, however, off road down a quiet track shared with us and the next door farm.
• Children live nearby.

The surrounding area is superb for walking dogs.  A footpath passes the cottage and leads straight into fields and woods for both long and short walks in the Churnet Valley.  There are numerous walks in the area for trusted dogs to be safely off the lead.  There are lots of leaftlets and ideas for walks in the welcome pack in the cottage.




The hens at Barks Cottage



"We spent a wonderful few days at Barks in October 2009. After having tried a few other self catering places around Alton Towers over the years I can say with confidence that Barks is by far the best we have stayed at.... And Jenny our Cocker Spaniel loved it! Hope to see you later this year"



Comment left by Adrian on our Facebook Pages