Aberdeenshire has a long coastline and almost no published dog rules. We checked 36 beaches and found no council ban, byelaw or dog control notice on any of them. The only official restrictions we found are from NatureScot: the closed breeding area at Forvie, seal guidance at Newburgh, and a seasonal lead rule on the route to St Cyrus beach. Every other beach is marked “check” or “weak”, because “no rule found” is not the same as “dogs allowed”.
I want to be upfront about what this page is. The council’s beaches page lists 35 beaches and says nothing about dogs, so most cards below say exactly that. Where a directory says dogs are allowed, we say so and call it a weak source. 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 Aberdeenshire 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 council gives general advice only: dogs under control or on a short lead, especially near wildlife, livestock and ground-nesting birds, and bag and bin the waste. It says the fixed penalty under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003 is £80. Our Aberdeenshire area guide explains what each service covers.
Closed breeding area, 1 April to 31 August
NatureScot closes part of the Forvie reserve to visitors in the breeding season and asks you to keep dogs out of it.
Sands of Forvie — Newburgh
The fenced southern area of the reserve is closed to visitors from 1 April to 31 August, and the management plan asks visitors and their dogs to avoid it in the breeding season, backed by signs. In the eider duck zone during breeding, keep your dog on a short lead or under close control, and keep dogs under control or on a short lead and away from seals all year. NatureScot does not state a blanket dog ban elsewhere on the reserve. The Good Dog Guide (a weak source) lists it as dogs allowed all year.
Source: NatureScot, Forvie NNR visiting page, and Forvie Management Plan 2024 to 2034 (checked 11 November 2026)
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Lead and seal guidance
These are official NatureScot requests rather than bans. For a swim, our guide to dog swimming spots in Aberdeenshire covers the official bathing water ratings and the seal warnings.
Newburgh Beach (seal viewpoint)
NatureScot says to keep dogs under control or on a short lead and away from seals, all year. A press story quotes a seal-watch group advising dogs on a lead near the seal haul-out, which is on the north side of the Ythan where visitors are not allowed. There is no official blanket lead rule for the whole beach.
Source: NatureScot, Forvie NNR visiting page (checked 11 November 2026)
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St Cyrus Beach (St Cyrus NNR)
From 1 April to 31 August NatureScot asks for dogs to be on a lead or close to heel until you reach the beach, and under control at all times. This is a lead rule on the route to the beach, not a ban. Outside those months only “under control” is stated.
Source: NatureScot, St Cyrus NNR visiting page (checked 11 November 2026)
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Council lists it, a directory says dogs allowed
For these beaches the council says nothing about dogs, and a directory (a weak source) says dogs are allowed all year. That is the best we could find, and it is not a confirmed rule. The Access Code still applies, so keep your dog under control and use a short lead near livestock and nesting birds.
Balmedie Beach and Country Park
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. The Keep Scotland Beautiful beach profile and the council’s country park page also say nothing about dogs. Look at the signs.
Source: Keep Scotland Beautiful beach profile (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Stonehaven Beach
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. The Keep Scotland Beautiful profile also says nothing about dogs. Look at the signs.
Source: Keep Scotland Beautiful beach profile (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Stonehaven Cowie
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. Look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Cruden Bay
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. The Keep Scotland Beautiful profile also says nothing about dogs. Look at the signs.
Source: Keep Scotland Beautiful beach profile (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Scotstown Beach — Peterhead
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. Look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Sandford Bay — Boddam
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. Look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Rattray Head
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. The RSPB Loch of Strathbeg reserve is nearby, but its page would not load, so we could not confirm any RSPB dog rule. Look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Fraserburgh Beach, Esplanade and Tigerhill
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. Another beach guide (also weak) says dogs are allowed and dog bins are provided, and the Keep Scotland Beautiful Tigerhill profile says nothing about dogs. Look at the signs.
Source: Keep Scotland Beautiful beach profile (no dog rule); beach guide and The Good Dog Guide directories (weak sources) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Rosehearty Beach
This beach is not on the council’s beaches list, so there is no council page to check; we found it through Google Maps, where a reviewer mentions dog walking. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. Look at the signs.
Source: The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source); Google Maps review (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Aberdour Beach — New Aberdour
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. Look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Cullykhan — Pennan
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. Look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Banff Beach
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. Look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory (weak source) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Sandend Bay
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs. A directory, The Good Dog Guide, says dogs are allowed all year, but that is a weak source and not a confirmed rule. A Google Maps reviewer calls it great for walking the dog. Look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule); The Good Dog Guide directory and a Google Maps review (weak sources) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Council lists it, no dog rule found
For these beaches the council says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a rule. Please do not read the absence of a rule as permission, and look at the signs.
Collieston
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. NatureScot’s Forvie guidance on seals and breeding birds applies to the reserve nearby, but we found nothing specific to Collieston itself. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: NatureScot, Forvie NNR visiting page (checked 11 November 2026)
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Muchalls
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Inverbervie
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Johnshaven
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Gourdon
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Catterline
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Blackdog
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Hackley Bay — Cruden Bay
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Peterhead Lido
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Craigewan — Peterhead
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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St Combs
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Waters of Philorth — Fraserburgh
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Sandhaven and Broadsea — Fraserburgh
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Pennan
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Gardenstown
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Tarlair and Palmer Cove — Macduff
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Inverboyndie, Boyndie Beach — Banff
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Whitehills
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Portsoy
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Sunnyside — Cullen
The council lists this beach and says nothing about dogs, and we found no other source with a dog rule. That is not the same as dogs being allowed, so look at the signs.
Source: Aberdeenshire Council beaches list (no dog rule) (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 found no Aberdeenshire Council dog control notice or byelaw for any named beach, and no official dog rule for any beach marked “check” or “weak”. We could not confirm the RSPB rules at Loch of Strathbeg and Rattray Head because the RSPB page would not load, exactly how NatureScot treats dogs inside the Forvie closed area beyond asking you to avoid it, or whether local summer lead rules are posted at Balmedie or Stonehaven. Google Maps searches did not surface Muchalls, Inverbervie, Johnshaven, Gourdon, Catterline, Blackdog, Portsoy, Whitehills, Pennan, Macduff or Sunnyside, so those Maps links may land on the village rather than the beach. We left out Bullers of Buchan because it is a cliff walk, not a 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 Aberdeenshire covers the places that welcome muddy paws. Our secure dog fields in Aberdeenshire may help if your dog needs a quiet field instead.
Staying overnight? Our dog-friendly stays in Aberdeenshire list places that publish their dog policy. South of here the coast continues into Angus, and to the north-west into Moray; see our guides to dog-friendly beaches in Angus and dog-friendly beaches in Moray.
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 Balmedie Beach?
We found no council or country park rule either way. The council and Keep Scotland Beautiful pages say nothing about dogs, and a directory, which is a weak source, says dogs are allowed all year. Keep your dog under control and look at the signs.
Are there dog bans on Aberdeenshire beaches?
We found no council ban on any named beach. The only official restrictions are NatureScot’s closed breeding area at Forvie from 1 April to 31 August and its guidance on seals and the route to St Cyrus beach.
Do dogs need to be on a lead at St Cyrus?
From 1 April to 31 August NatureScot asks for dogs to be on a lead or close to heel until you reach the beach, and under control at all times. Outside those months it only says under control.
What happens if I do not pick up after my dog?
The council says the fixed penalty under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003 is £80. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code also asks you to pick up after your dog and bag and bin the waste.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
