Tucked away in beautiful countryside on the Norfolk, Suffolk border is Ickle cottage.

Advertised as ‘the perfect rural retreat for you and your dog’ Ickle Cottage certainly lived up to its promise.

Ickle Cottage Dog Friendly Airbnb Norfolk

This quirky, charismatic cottage is, without doubt, the cutest place we have ever stayed and it seemed perfectly fitting for Winnie’s first holiday. At less than six months old, she is fairly ickle. [Though growing like a weed, I hasten to add!] 

Situated in the quiet backwater of Aslacton, not far from Diss, the cottage provides the perfect opportunity to get away from it all. The ideal place to chill out with your dog – after all, they are the best travelling companions.

It seems almost hard to believe, having battled storms, wind and rain on previous dog-friendly getaways that on this particular occasion we were blessed with a very rare heatwave.

With this in mind, we didn’t set off until late in the afternoon from Costa del Wiltshire, arriving just in time to enjoy a beautiful balmy evening in our new surroundings.

Ickle Cottage Dog Friendly Holiday Norfolk

Ickle Cottage – the perfect retreat for you and your dog

Conveniently, the cottage has parking for one vehicle on the gravel drive at the front of the property. As soon as we’d bundled our belongings into our cosy cottage, we settled down to make ourselves at home.

Gertie and Winnie enjoyed exploring their home for the next few days and were particularly delighted to discover a basket of dog goodies containing some of their favourite Ruffle Snuffle toys.

Puppy with Ruffle Snuffle Dog Bone Toy

[They are huge fans of Ruffle Snuffle, as am I. Their snuffle mat is always available at home for them to graze away to their heart’s content when they feel peckish].

Dogs with Ruffle Snuffle Feeding Mat

Ickle cottage may be compact and bijoux, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in character. The exposed rustic beams and traditional red flagstone flooring give a nod to times gone by. Whilst the muted tones of earthy green, tranquil blues and stark white walls make you feel relaxed from the moment you walk through the door.

The substantial stone walls of the cottage help to keep it nice and cool in hot weather, and the sitting room boasts a cosy log burner so you can snuggle in front of a roaring fire on chilly Winter evenings.

A cosy dog-friendly cottage in rural Norfolk

The downstairs living area is open plan and there are hard floors throughout, making it a very practical holiday rental. It includes a neat little kitchen with all everything you need to comfortably self-cater.

Ickle Cottager Kitchen Dog Friendly Norfolk

There’s no need to worry though, for those wishing to be waited on hand and paw there is an abundance of dog-friendly cafes, pubs, and restaurants within easy walking/ driving distance of Ickle Cottage.

The large comfy leather sofa is perfect for sprawling out with the dogs for an evening and the smart television has all the entertainment you could want with access to a multitude of channels. The super-quick Wi-Fi connection means you can keep in touch with your adoring doggy pals on ‘the Gram’ too!

Dog Friendly Airbnb Rural Norfolk

Up a charming spiral staircase is a double bedroom with possibly the comfiest mattress, and the smallest door ever! I felt rather like I was entering the magical world of Alice in Wonderland, and at 5’11” I had to be careful not to over-indulge on the rosé for fear of knocking myself out!

The modern shower/ bathroom is light and airy with a lovely powerful hot shower over the bath. It is spotlessly clean, as is the rest of the property.

Bedroom at Ickle Cottage Dog Friendly Norfolk

As a self-confessed sun-worshipper, we spent some considerable hours enjoying the fully enclosed courtyard garden.

Rather a sun trap throughout the day, there was always a spot of shade for the dogs to lounge on the patio with me whilst I soaked up the rays. It was ideal as neither Gertie nor Winnie likes to be more than 5 feet away from me, so we could all make the most of the glorious weather together.

Dog Friendly Cottage for You and Your Dog Norfolk

Dog-Friendly Days Out in Norfolk

It made a welcome change to be seeking out shady places to go for a walk, and just a 10-minute drive from Ickle Cottage is Tyrrells Wood.

The forest, which is owned by the Woodland Trust, provides a beautiful canopy of shade and interesting meandering paths.

Sniffing their way through an avenue of vibrant ferns, towering trees and raised walkways, Gertie and Winnie had a lovely time navigating gnarled tree stumps, scrambling over logs, and bounding through the undergrowth.

Dog in Tyrells Wood Norfolk

For those of you who regularly read my blogs, you will know that a coffee and cake stop at the end of a walk is obligatory!

Not far from Tyrell’s Wood is a very lovely cafe and deli/ farm shop called Goodies. Dogs are permitted to sit outside in the garden and there are plenty of tables with shade for the dogs.

We also discovered another cafe at the community centre in Pulham St Mary. The Pennoyer Centre is a hub of village activity, and the lottery-funded building is home to an excellent cafe serving a range of cakes, snacks and light lunches.

My menu choice is always governed by what the dogs might like to share, so on both occasions, I opted for a scone [one cheese, one fruit – I like to ring the changes!] and a coffee. I can thoroughly recommend both places, and The Pennoyer Centre has one dog-friendly table inside too.

On both days it was so hot, and with Winnie still on limited exercise due to her age, it seemed a good excuse to relax and make the most of our gorgeous little cottage.

Ickle Cottage Airbnb Pet Friendly Norfolk

Dog-friendly beaches near Aslacton

I just adore the beach, and although it’s almost an hours drive from Aslacton, on the last evening, once the heat of the day had subsided, I treated Gerts and Winnie to a trip to Southwold beach.

Pop’s always loved the coast, and with it being our first holiday without her, our beach trip provided the perfect opportunity to reminisce and remember all the many amazing adventures we shared together.

Watching Gertie and Winnie race around on the sand filled my heart with so much joy.They get on so well together and their endless antics never fail to make me smile.

Dog Friendly Southwold Beach

A huge thank you to Sarah for inviting us to stay in your gorgeous Ickle Cottage.

Norfolk will always hold a very special place in my heart, and I’m already counting down the days until our next visit to this truly dog-friendly county.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading all about our adventures. If you fancy a perfect little getaway with your dog, check out Ickle Cottage’s Airbnb listing here.

If you have a favourite dog-friendly haunt in Norfolk, please let us know.

Woofs and Wags

Kate, Gertie and Winnie

xox

 

 

 

 

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