Dog-Friendly Days Out around Bourton-on-the-Water

Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, Bourton's centrepiece is the shallow River Windrush running straight down the main street, crossed by a series of low, honey-stone footbridges and lined with a broad grassy green. Dogs on a lead are welcome to stroll the length of it, and in quieter hours it is one of the prettiest village walks in England. The water is shallow, but keep dogs out of it when the green is busy with families.

A charming museum of vintage cars, motoring memorabilia and the beloved children's character Brum, set in an old riverside mill in the heart of the village. Unusually for an indoor attraction, dogs are allowed to wander round with their owners, which makes it a rare rainy-day option for dog owners. It can get busy at weekends, so a quieter weekday visit is calmer for a dog.

One of the most photographed villages in England, Lower Slaughter is a cluster of honey-stone cottages along the little River Eye, with an old water mill and footbridges at its heart. It is an easy, mostly level walk from Bourton and a lovely destination in its own right. Dogs on a lead are welcome along the lanes and riverside; keep them clear of the ducks and out of the shallow river.