We checked 39 beaches and beach sections across Dorset Council and BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole). Dorset Council allows dogs all year at beaches including Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove and Kimmeridge Bay, while Bournemouth and Poole ban dogs from 1 May to 30 September on their Blue Flag and Seaside Award beaches, apart from the all-year dog areas listed below. One beach, Burton Bradstock, has sources that disagree, and we say so.
I want to be upfront about what this page is. Dorset Council and BCP publish their rules in different ways, and BCP only shows exactly which sections are banned on a map, so we use its written list of all-year areas and describe the rest. 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 Dorset sets out the walks we checked.
The rules in short
Dorset Council’s table lists when dogs are allowed on each beach. Where the table says 1 October to 30 April, dogs are banned from 1 May to 30 September. BCP says dogs are allowed on all its beaches from 1 October to 30 April, with a lead on promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, and not allowed on any Blue Flag or Seaside Award beach from 1 May to 30 September. Guide dogs are allowed on all BCP beaches all year when working. The councils can change their orders, so read the signs on the day.
Dogs allowed all year: Dorset Council beaches
These beaches are listed by Dorset Council as allowing dogs all year round. If your dog needs a safe run rather than a busy beach, secure dog fields in Dorset are worth a look.
Cogden Beach — Burton Bradstock
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Eype Beach — Bridport
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Charmouth East Beach — Charmouth
No restrictions on East Beach, according to Dorset Council.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Church Cliff Beach — Lyme Regis
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Monmouth Beach — Lyme Regis
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Durdle Door — West Lulworth
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Lulworth Cove — West Lulworth
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Man O’ War Beach — West Lulworth
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Kimmeridge Bay — Kimmeridge
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Worbarrow Bay — Tyneham
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Monkey Beach — Swanage
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Bowleaze Cove — Weymouth
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Ringstead Beach — Weymouth
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Church Ope Cove — Portland
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
West Bexington Beach — West Bexington
Dogs allowed all year round in the designated area. The council page does not describe where the area starts and ends, so check the signs.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Chesil Beach: Abbotsbury to the Tank Teeth boundary — Abbotsbury
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Weymouth Beach: Greenhill Groyne to Overcombe — Weymouth
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Weymouth Beach: dog exercise area by the Pavilion — Weymouth
Dogs allowed all year round.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Dogs allowed all year: BCP areas
BCP lists these areas as places you can walk your dog all year, with a lead on promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths. Friars Cliff and Highcliffe are only partly open to dogs in summer, so read their cards.
Alum Chine (western side) to Branksome Chine Beach Office — Poole
Dogs allowed all year round. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Middle Chine to Durley Chine — Bournemouth
Dogs allowed all year round. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
East of Fisherman’s Walk to Southbourne — Bournemouth
Dogs allowed all year round. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Hengistbury Head — Christchurch
Dogs allowed all year round. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Mudeford Sandbank — Christchurch
Dogs allowed all year round. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Gundimore Beach — Christchurch
Dogs allowed all year round. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Friars Cliff Beach (wave wall to groyne H4 only) — Christchurch
Dogs allowed all year round, but only between the wave wall and groyne H4 at Highcliffe Beach. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Highcliffe Beach — Christchurch
Listed as an all-year dog area, with no dogs between groynes H4 and H8 from 1 May to 30 September. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Sandbanks: western end of the promenade to Haven Point — Poole
Dogs allowed all year round. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Hamworthy Beach — Poole
Dogs allowed all year round. On promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Summer ban: 1 May to 30 September
At these beaches dogs are not allowed in the summer months, and are allowed from 1 October to 30 April. Chesil Beach near Portland is the exception, with its own dates on its card. For a swim in the off-season, our guide to dog swimming spots in Dorset may help.
Seatown Beach — Chideock
Dogs allowed 1 October to 30 April only, so banned 1 May to 30 September.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
West Bay beaches — Bridport
Dogs allowed 1 October to 30 April only, so banned 1 May to 30 September. West Bay has three beaches and the council page treats them separately, so check the signs. Dogs are allowed in the port on a lead from 1 May to 1 October.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Charmouth West Beach — Charmouth
Dogs allowed 1 October to 30 April only, so banned 1 May to 30 September.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Lyme Regis front beach — Lyme Regis
Dogs allowed 1 October to 30 April only, so banned 1 May to 30 September.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Swanage main beach — Swanage
Dogs allowed 1 October to 30 April only, so banned 1 May to 30 September. A local tourism site says North Beach is dog-friendly all year, but the council table does not list North Beach, so check the signs there.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Weymouth Beach: Greenhill Groyne to the dog exercise area — Weymouth
Dogs allowed 1 October to 30 April only, so banned 1 May to 30 September on the main sandy beach.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Chesil Beach: Tank Teeth boundary to Portland Boundary Stone — Portland
Dogs allowed on a lead on the seaward side only, 1 September to 30 April. The council says there is no public access outside those dates.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Other BCP beaches (Blue Flag and Seaside Award beaches) — Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch
Dogs allowed on all beaches from 1 October to 30 April, but not on any Blue Flag or Seaside Award beach from 1 May to 30 September. The council’s map shows which sections are banned in red, so check it and the signs before you go. The beaches listed as all-year areas above are the exceptions.
Source: BCP Council, “Where and when you can bring your dog to the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Lead rule
Here dogs are allowed, but on a lead.
Studland: Shell, South, Middle and southern Knoll beaches — Studland
Dogs must be on a lead on these beaches from 1 May to 30 September. This is a lead rule, not a ban. Follow the signs on the other parts of Studland and Poole Harbour.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” and National Trust (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Shoreline closed to dogs
Dogs may use the coast path here, but not the shoreline.
The Fleet (shoreline) — Chickerell
No public access along the shoreline of the Fleet. Dogs may use the South West Coast Path only.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Dates to check before you travel
The sources disagree here, so we have listed the beach with the reason rather than leave it out. Please double-check on the National Trust and council websites. Our Dorset area guide explains what each council covers.
Burton Bradstock (Hive Beach) — Burton Bradstock
The sources disagree. Dorset Council says there are no formal restrictions but asks you to follow the National Trust’s controls, including not exercising dogs on the beach from 1 May to 30 September. The National Trust page says no dogs on the beach in front of the café from 1 June to 30 September. Please check the National Trust’s dog page and the signs before you go.
Source: Dorset Council, “Walking dogs on beaches” and National Trust (Burton Bradstock) (checked 8 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. BCP does not name its individual summer-banned beaches in writing, so we describe the rule and point you to its map. We could not check how the Lulworth Estate or Ministry of Defence land affects access at Durdle Door and Worbarrow Bay, so please check before you travel. It is also worth knowing where your nearest vet is before a long coastal trip.
Staying overnight? Our dog-friendly stays in Dorset 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
Can I take my dog on Bournemouth beach in summer?
Not on most of it. BCP says dogs are not allowed on its Blue Flag or Seaside Award beaches from 1 May to 30 September. Dogs are allowed all year in listed areas such as Hengistbury Head, Mudeford Sandbank and the western end of the Sandbanks promenade to Haven Point.
Which Dorset beaches allow dogs all year?
Dorset Council lists beaches including Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove, Kimmeridge Bay, Eype, Cogden, Monmouth Beach and Bowleaze Cove as allowing dogs all year round.
Do dogs have to be on a lead at Studland?
Dorset Council says dogs must be on a lead on Shell, South, Middle and the southern part of Knoll beach from 1 May to 30 September. Follow the signs on other parts of Studland and Poole Harbour.
Is Burton Bradstock beach dog-friendly?
The sources disagree. Dorset Council says there are no formal restrictions but asks you to follow the National Trust’s controls, while the National Trust says no dogs on the beach in front of the café from 1 June to 30 September. Check the National Trust page and the signs before you go.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
