Dog-friendly Brotton

The best circuit out of Brotton: north up the lanes onto Warsett Hill, east along the Cleveland Way with the whole of the Tees Bay behind you, then down the headland to Cattersty Sands and the Skinningrove car park, and back inland on the field paths and lane. It passes the Cattersty Gill nature reserve at the top of the headland, where Tees Valley Wildlife Trust requires dogs on a lead, clear up after your animals and do not disturb the wildlife; the reserve is steeply sloped and can be looked at from the path without entering it. The beach at the bottom carries no seasonal dog ban at all, so it is a genuine off-lead run in the middle of the walk before the climb back. The Trust notes the reserve ground is free-draining and does not get too muddy, which is more than can be said for the field paths on the return.

Four self-catering conversions and two shepherd's huts at Barns Farm on the edge of Brotton, a couple of miles inland from Saltburn and Cattersty Sands. The operator's own dog page states that multiple well-behaved dogs are taken without extra charge, that every property has a fully enclosed private patio or garden, and that dog towels, bowls, treats and dog tags are provided for the stay. That combination, no charge and no limit on numbers, is unusual anywhere on this coast and makes it the obvious base for two or more dogs. The properties are Farm Retreat, Paddock View, Stable Yard and Barn Side, plus the Deer and Hare shepherd's huts.