Puddle Duck Cottages

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

Read our comprehensive review of this listing printed in our bi-monthly magazine.

Puddle Duck Cottages Review by Emma Bearman

Emma and her Springer Spaniels, Alfie and Bonnie spend a couple of nights away in the in the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire.

At the beginning of October, I packed up the spaniels and ventured the other side of the M6 for a couple of nights away. Our base for the trip was the gorgeous Puddle Duck Cottages, two luxury self-catering holiday cottages, located in the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire. A true home from home, set right next to the River Severn at Jackfield.  

I must admit when it comes to a holiday with the dogs I always seem to head to the coast, or the mountains... I hadn’t considered staying so close to home, so I was keen to see just what the historic Iron Bridge Gorge had to offer. From the moment I arrived I was blown away by just how beautiful the area was! What a gem!

Duckling Cottage

We were staying in the gorgeous Duckling Cottage, the smaller of the two cottages sleeping 4 across two bedrooms. It was perfect for me and the spaniels... We received a warm welcome from owner Sonia and her very friendly young Beagle Bertie, we let the dogs have a play before being given a tour of Duckling Cottage.

Our cottage really did feel like home, from the moment we walked through the door. The lamps were on, the house was warm and there was even a little welcome gift of wine and chocolate cake - both were delicious, and very much appreciated. Downstairs you have a very cosy open plan living area, starting with a beautiful fully fitted kitchen, with a modern double oven electric cooker and halogen hob, microwave and toaster. A really nice touch was that the cupboards were stocked with the essentials you would need for your stay, so milk, bread, eggs, butter. It meant that upon arrival I didn't have to worry about finding a local shop to stock up.

You then have a cosy little dining area for up to five people tucked away nicely under the stairs, finished beautifully with fresh flowers... It would be absolutely perfect for family meals. The rest of the room was your “living room” with the lovely inglenook fireplace and log burner taking centre stage! With seating for the whole family, it was the perfect area to relax and enjoy spending time with each other. Kitted out with a flat-screen TV, DVD player with a selection of DVD’s and iPod they had all the technology covered... If you are looking for more of the traditional entertainment there was also a selection of books and games for you to enjoy.

Upstairs you have the bedrooms and family bathroom, both rooms are decorated beautifully. The master bedroom has some scenic views of the River Severn, there is a king-sized bed and on-suit bathroom. What I loved most is that even though in an ideal world dogs are to be kept downstairs, but they are flexible, if you dog gets very nervous and would rather be near you at night they can sleep on the floor in the bedrooms. My older boy Alfie truly is a Velcro spaniel, he isn’t happy unless I'm close by, so this made for a stress-free stay.

Dog Friendly

Both of the cottages at Puddle Duck cottages are dog friendly, they warmly welcome up to two dogs... They can sometimes be flexible on numbers, so be sure to get in touch. Dogs are welcomed with their very own “Houndy Hamper”.

Each cottage has been designed with dogs in mind, both with private secure rear gardens with 6ft fencing, high enough to keep even the best escape artists safe. You also have access to a large ¾ acre stock fenced enclosed garden overlooking the River Severn... The garden is perfect for some alfresco dining, enhanced by the pizza and BBQ oven, I can just imagine making the most of these over the summer months, you can sit back and relax while the dogs enjoy themselves.

The Local Area

Puddle Duck Cottages are perfectly located for visiting Ironbridge, you could park up arrival and spend the rest of your stay exploring on foot. The cottages offer easy access on foot to the 10 award winning museum sites; Including the popular Blists Hill Victorian Town, Enginuity, Jackfield Tile Museum, Tar Tunnel and Coalport Tile Museum.

If you are looking to get out and about with your dog there are lots of great traffic free walks directly from your door, and what’s even better is that there is a great choice of dog friendly pubs and café's just a 5-minute walk away.  

On our last day we took a walk down the Wrekin way, into the picturesque centre of Ironbridge that was only one mile from Duckling cottage. There was a whole selection of lovely independent shops to explore as well as taking the time to appreciate the rather striking Iron Bridge.