Ards and North Down has a long, handsome coast, from Helen’s Bay round to Ballywalter and Cloughey, and one clear rule to know. We checked 7 beaches. The council has a seasonal lead order for two of them, Ballyholme and Groomsport: from 1 June to 31 August, between 11am and 8pm, dogs must be on a lead. The other five are marked “check”, because we found no beach-specific rule for them rather than a rule that says dogs are welcome. We found no seasonal dog ban at any of the seven.
Mind the claims. You will see websites saying dogs are banned in summer at beaches such as Ballywalter, Millisle, Helen’s Bay or Crawfordsburn. We could not find that in any official source. The council says it has made no seasonal orders other than Ballyholme and Groomsport, and has no plans to, and that Crawfordsburn and Helen’s Bay are managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. If you want a longer day out, our dog walks by area guide points you to walks near you, and our neighbouring Belfast beaches guide explains the shore just along the lough.
The rules in short
The council’s seasonal order, introduced by the former North Down Borough Council in May 2013, applies from 1 June to 31 August between 11am and 8pm at Ballyholme and Groomsport beaches. Outside those dates and hours, the page does not set a lead rule for the sand. Separately, Ballyholme Promenade is on the council’s list of places where dogs must be on a lead, and so are Bangor Seafront and Piers. The council also lists the North Down Coastal Path from Swineley Point to Wilson’s Point and Crawfordsburn Glen under dogs on leads by direction, which means an officer can tell you to lead your dog. A Fixed Penalty Notice of £80 is issued only where signage is sufficient. The council’s seasonal maps for the two beaches are PDFs that we could not read, so we cannot give you the exact boundaries. Our full list of UK area guides shows every area we cover, and our guide to dog friendly beaches across the UK shows how other areas compare.
Seasonal lead rule: 1 June to 31 August
At these two beaches dogs must be on a lead between 11am and 8pm in the dates shown. Outside those hours the seasonal order does not apply, but look at the signs on the day.
Ballyholme Beach — Bangor
Dogs must be on a lead from 1 June to 31 August, between 11am and 8pm. Ballyholme Promenade is a separate lead area, and dogs must be on a lead there at all times.
Source: Ards and North Down Borough Council, Seasonal Dog Control Orders page and Dogs on Lead Areas page (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Groomsport Beach — Groomsport
Dogs must be on a lead from 1 June to 31 August, between 11am and 8pm. The council’s lead-area list does not name a Groomsport promenade.
Source: Ards and North Down Borough Council, Seasonal Dog Control Orders page (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Beaches managed by the Environment Agency: check
The council says it has no dog control orders for these two. They are managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, and the council’s advice is to follow the signage on site. We could not find the Agency’s own dog rule for either beach, so we are not telling you dogs are allowed.
Crawfordsburn Beach — Crawfordsburn
No council order. The council says the beach is managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and to follow the signage. We could not find an official dog rule for the beach itself. The nearby Crawfordsburn Glen is on the council’s dogs on leads by direction list.
Source: Ards and North Down Borough Council, Seasonal Dog Control Orders page (says Crawfordsburn and Helen’s Bay are managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, with no council order) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Helen’s Bay Beach — Helen’s Bay
No council order. The council says the beach is managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and to follow the signage. We could not find an official dog rule for this beach, so please check the signs on arrival.
Source: Ards and North Down Borough Council, Seasonal Dog Control Orders page (says Crawfordsburn and Helen’s Bay are managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, with no council order) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Beaches with no dog rule found: check
These three are named on the borough’s beach and award lists, but the council’s dog pages name no rule for them. The council’s seasonal page says no other seasonal orders have been made, which is not the same as saying every dog is welcome. Please do not read the absence of a ban as permission, and look at the signs.
Millisle Beach — Millisle
No seasonal order found, and no beach-specific lead rule or ban found. The Strangford Lough site asks owners to keep dogs on a lead on roads and near farm animals, and under control around wildlife. Check the signs.
Source: Ards and North Down Borough Council, Seasonal Dog Control Orders page (names only Ballyholme and Groomsport, and says no other seasonal orders have been made); Strangford Lough site, beach recreation page (general advice) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Ballywalter South Beach — Ballywalter
No seasonal order found, and no beach-specific lead rule or ban found. Despite what some sites say, we found no official summer ban here. Check the signs.
Source: Ards and North Down Borough Council, Seasonal Dog Control Orders page (names only Ballyholme and Groomsport, and says no other seasonal orders have been made) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Cloughey Beach — Cloughey
No seasonal order found, and no beach-specific lead rule or ban found. Check the signs, and keep a lead handy for the road and any livestock nearby.
Source: Ards and North Down Borough Council, Seasonal Dog Control Orders page (names only Ballyholme and Groomsport, and says no other seasonal orders have been made); Strangford Lough site, beach recreation page (general advice) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
What we could not confirm
We show a Google Maps link for every beach instead of postcodes, and we have left dog bins and parking out rather than guess. We could not read the council’s PDF maps, so the Ballyholme and Groomsport boundaries are not stated. We could not find the Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s own dog rules for Crawfordsburn or Helen’s Bay, because the NI Direct park page does not mention dogs. We found no beach-specific rule for Millisle, Ballywalter South or Cloughey. The council is also consulting on a limit of four dogs per person in public spaces, with a closing date of 30 June 2026, and we could not find the outcome, so check the council before you take a pack. We have not covered Ballyhalbert, Portavogie, Kircubbin, Greyabbey, Portaferry or Donaghadee, and Newcastle and Murlough sit in a different council area. After the sand, our guide to dog-friendly pubs and cafés in your area covers the places that welcome muddy paws. For a swim somewhere safer, our dog swimming spots in Belfast may help.
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 banned on Ballyholme beach in summer?
No ban that we found. According to the council’s Seasonal Dog Control Orders page, dogs must be on a lead on Ballyholme and Groomsport beaches from 1 June to 31 August between 11am and 8pm. Ballyholme Promenade has a separate lead rule at all times.
Is there a dog ban at Ballywalter or Millisle?
We found no official ban at either. The council says it has made no seasonal orders other than Ballyholme and Groomsport. We also found no beach-specific rule at all, so check the signs when you arrive.
Who sets the dog rules at Crawfordsburn and Helen’s Bay?
The council says it has no orders there and that both are managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. It advises following the signage on site. We could not find the Agency’s own dog rule, so we have marked both as check.
Do dogs have to be on a lead on Groomsport beach?
Yes, between 11am and 8pm from 1 June to 31 August, according to the council. Outside those dates and hours the seasonal order does not apply, though signs on the day always come first.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
