Aberdeen has a long sandy beach and one confirmed dog rule. We checked 8 beaches and the council says dogs are excluded from the sea shore between groynes 6 and 13 of Aberdeen Beach, with no dates given. For every other beach we found no official dog rule, so they are marked “check” with what we did find and where it came from. That is not the same as dogs being allowed.
I want to be upfront about what this page is. Most of it is honest gaps. The byelaw behind the Aberdeen Beach exclusion dates from 2001 and its text is not online, so we could not read it ourselves. We name the source on every card with the date we checked. If you are planning a full day out, our guide to local dog walks in Aberdeen sets out the walks we checked.
The rules in short
In Scotland, most beaches have no dog rule at all, and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code is what applies. It asks you to keep your dog under proper control, which means close enough to come back when called. It also asks you to use a short lead near livestock and near ground-nesting birds, which in practice means spring and summer, and to pick up after your dog. Councils can add their own rules with byelaws, so a beach with no rule on a council page is not the same as a beach where dogs are confirmed welcome. Always look at the signs.
The Aberdeen Beach exclusion is a byelaw with no fixed-penalty option, and the council says breaches go to the Procurator Fiscal. The council’s parks rules also ask for dogs to be under close control, at heel or on a short lead on the seashore between April and July, but we could not confirm that this applies to the sand. Our Aberdeen area guide explains what each service covers.
The council’s dog exclusion
This is the one rule the council states. It is marked “check” only because the sources disagree on the details.
Aberdeen Beach
The council says dogs are excluded from the sea shore between groynes 6 and 13 and gives no dates. The rule comes from the Dogs on Aberdeen Beach Byelaws 2001, whose text we could not find online. A beach guide (a weak source) says groynes 5 to 13 and mentions restrictions from Easter to the end of summer, but the council does not say that. We could not settle the groyne numbers or whether it applies all year, so check the signs. The rest of the beach is not confirmed either way.
Source: Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Beach and Queen’s Links page, and Dogs on Aberdeen Beach Byelaws 2001 (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Council-listed places with no dog rule
The council lists these places and says nothing about dogs. We found no other source with a rule either.
Queen’s Links — Aberdeen
The council lists Queen’s Links, the leisure area behind the beach, and its groyne exclusion applies to the sea shore only. We found no separate dog rule for the park area. That is not the same as a confirmed rule, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Beach and Queen’s Links page (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Nigg Bay — Aberdeen (Torry)
The council lists Nigg Bay as a ranger-managed site and says nothing about dogs. It is not a clear public sandy beach, so we are not calling it a dog beach. Check the signs and the path conditions.
Source: Aberdeen City Council, outdoor sites and nature reserves page (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Beaches we only found in weak sources
These come from directories, local listings or Google Maps, which we treat as weak sources. None gives an official dog rule. Balmedie and Blackdog also appear in Aberdeen searches but are in Aberdeenshire, so you will find them in our dog friendly beaches in Aberdeenshire guide. For a swim, our guide to dog swimming spots in Aberdeen may help.
Footdee (Fittie) beach — Aberdeen
We found no official dog rule here. A beach guide (a weak source) repeats the groynes 5 to 13 ban for the Aberdeen seafront and mentions possible Easter-to-summer restrictions. Footdee sits at the harbour end, apparently outside the council’s stated groyne range, but we could not confirm that. Look at the signs.
Source: thebeachguide.co.uk (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
North Donmouth Beach — Aberdeen
We found no dog rule from any source. The beach is part of the Donmouth Local Nature Reserve, so take extra care near nesting birds and seals. Local press has also reported quicksand warnings at Donmouth. The Access Code applies, and you should look at the signs.
Source: VisitABDN listing (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
South Donmouth Beach — Aberdeen
We found no official dog rule. This is the mouth of the River Don at the north end of Aberdeen Beach, and it may sit within or beside the council’s groyne exclusion or the April to July seashore rule. We could not confirm either, so look at the signs.
Source: VisitABDN listing (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Greyhope Bay (Torry / Balnagask)
We found no official dog rule. A Google Maps reviewer says it is reached by steep steps from the coast road. The Greyhope Bay centre café is reported as not allowing dogs inside, with picnic benches outside. Look at the signs.
Source: Google Maps review (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Cove Bay and harbour
We found no dog rule. Google Maps shows a harbour and a coastal path here rather than a clear named beach, so check what you will find on arrival and look at the signs.
Source: Google Maps (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
What we could not confirm
The council pages give no postcodes, so we show a Google Maps link for every beach instead, and we have left dog bins and parking out rather than guess. We could not confirm the exact groyne numbers of the exclusion (the council says 6 to 13, a weak guide says 5 to 13), whether it runs all year or only in summer, or whether the April to July seashore rule applies to the beach. We found no official dog rules at North and South Donmouth, Footdee, Nigg Bay, Greyhope Bay or Cove Bay, and no dog control order beyond the 2001 byelaw. We left out the separate Aberdeen Ballroom Beach entry on the Keep Scotland Beautiful site, which lists a “dog restricted area” without detail, because it is the same stretch as Aberdeen Beach. It is worth knowing where your nearest vet is before a coastal trip. After the sand, our guide to dog-friendly pubs and cafés in Aberdeen covers the places that welcome muddy paws.
Staying overnight? Our dog-friendly stays in Aberdeen list places that publish their dog policy. Heading to the islands? See our guides to dog-friendly beaches in Orkney and dog-friendly beaches in Shetland.
Busy beaches can be exciting for a dog. If yours finds crowds unsettling, the Calmdogs calming bites are a complementary feed some owners keep for days out, though for ongoing anxiety it’s best to speak to your vet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are dogs allowed on Aberdeen Beach?
Partly. The council says dogs are excluded from the sea shore between groynes 6 and 13, with no dates given. We could not confirm the exact groynes or whether it applies all year, so check the signs.
Is there a summer dog ban on Aberdeen Beach?
The council does not say. Its page gives the groyne 6 to 13 exclusion with no dates, while a weak beach guide mentions restrictions from Easter to the end of summer. We could not settle it, so look at the signs.
Do dogs have to be on a lead on Aberdeen beaches?
We found no general lead rule for the beaches. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code asks for proper control and a short lead near livestock and ground-nesting birds. The council’s parks rules ask for close control, at heel or on a short lead on the seashore from April to July, but we could not confirm they apply to the sand.
Can I walk my dog at Donmouth or Footdee?
We found no official dog rule for either. Donmouth is a local nature reserve, so take care near birds and seals, and Footdee may sit outside the groyne exclusion. Look at the signs.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
