The honest answer is that Derry City and Strabane District appears to have no designated beach. We found no council-managed bathing beach, and no beach, foreshore or Lough Foyle shoreline named in any of the council’s dog control orders. So there is no seasonal beach ban to report. What applies is a set of council-wide rules, and we have given you the two places on the Foyle where we could say something useful.
A boundary note. The beaches most people are really searching for, such as Benone Strand, Downhill, Magilligan, Castlerock, Portstewart and Portrush, are not in this council area. They are in Causeway Coast and Glens, and have their own rules, including a summer dog ban on named stretches. We cover them in our guide to dog-friendly beaches in Causeway Coast and Glens. For walks closer to Derry, try our guide to local dog walks in Derry and Strabane, and for a swim, see dog swimming in Derry and Strabane.
The rules in short
The council has four Dog Control Orders in force, which are local rules made under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. They cover dog fouling on all open-air public land; Dogs on Lead by Direction, which lets an authorised officer require a lead of up to 1.8 metres on any open-air publicly accessible land in the district; Dogs on Leads, which applies on certain paths; and Dogs Exclusion, which bars dogs from places such as leisure centres, children’s play areas, football pitches, tennis courts and bowling greens. None of them mentions a beach. The penalty is a fixed fine of £80 (£50 if paid early) or prosecution up to level 3, currently £1,000. The council also says dogs may be exercised off the lead in its park green spaces if they are under control, and a fenced off-lead exercise area opened at St Columb’s Park in December 2025. Our Derry and Strabane area guide explains what each service covers.
The Foyle riverside lead rule
This is the one named lead rule on the Foyle shoreline route. It is a path rather than a beach.
Foyle riverside and City Urban Greenway — Derry/Londonderry
Dogs must be on a lead no longer than 1.8 metres, all year, on the Boomhall pathway and the greenway from Foyle Bridge to Nixon’s Corner and Newbuildings, on both banks of the river. This is a riverside path, not a beach. Land held under the Forestry Act (NI) 2010 is exempt. The order does not name the Foyle Embankment or Ebrington by name, so we cannot say whether it covers them.
Source: Derry City and Strabane District Council, Dogs on a Lead Order (Schedule B, in operation 5 April 2021) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Lough Foyle shore to check
The orders do not name this shore, so we have listed it as something to check rather than leave it out.
Culmore Point, Lough Foyle shore
This is a stretch of shore on Lough Foyle, not a managed bathing beach. None of the council’s orders names it, so we found no confirmed seasonal ban and no confirmed all-year rule. The council-wide Lead by Direction order and the fouling order apply on open-air public land. That is not the same as a confirmed beach rule, so look at the signs or ring the council on (028) 7125 3253. A separate Culmore Country Park listing sits nearby, and we did not check its dog rules.
Source: Derry City and Strabane District Council, Dog Control Orders (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 found no beach or foreshore in the district with a seasonal dog ban, and no council byelaw outside the Dog Control Orders restricting dogs on the shoreline, though we cannot rule one out. We could not confirm the rules for the Lough Foyle shore at Prehen or Culmore, or whether the greenway lead rule covers Ebrington and the Foyle Embankment. Ballyarnett Country Park is a park, not a beach, and we confirmed no rule there beyond the shared-path lead rule. The RSPB reserve at Ballykelly, on the Causeway Coast and Glens side, says dogs under control are welcome, but that is not a council rule for this district. DAERA’s bathing water list names no site in Derry City and Strabane, and we found no Blue Flag or Seaside Award beach here. After the sand, our guide to dog-friendly pubs and cafés in Derry and Strabane covers the places that welcome muddy paws.
Staying overnight? Our dog-friendly stays in Derry and Strabane list places that publish their dog policy.
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
Is there a dog-friendly beach in Derry?
We did not find a designated beach in Derry City and Strabane District, and none of the council’s dog control orders names a beach or foreshore. The beaches people usually mean, such as Benone, are in the Causeway Coast and Glens council area.
Do dogs have to be on a lead in Derry?
Not everywhere. An authorised officer can direct you to put a dog on a lead of up to 1.8 metres on any open-air publicly accessible land, and a lead is required on the City Urban Greenway and on shared-use paths in parks. Dogs may be off the lead in park green spaces if under control.
Is Benone Strand in Derry?
No. Benone Strand is in the Causeway Coast and Glens council area, not Derry City and Strabane, so that council’s rules apply there. See our Causeway Coast and Glens beaches guide for what we found.
What is the fine for dog fouling in Derry and Strabane?
The council gives a fixed penalty of £80, or £50 if paid early, or prosecution with a fine of up to £1,000. A council page also mentions a rise to £100, so check the current amount with the council.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
