The Antrim coast has a clear, gentle rule and a couple of gaps. We checked 10 places. Three beaches, Carnlough, Ballygally and Browns Bay, have a summer lead rule: from 1 June to 31 August, between 11am and 6pm, dogs must be on a lead no longer than 6ft. Portmuck and Drains Bay have no time or lead restrictions according to the council, and the two promenades at Larne and Carrickfergus are lead areas. Whitehead, Sandy Bay and Glenarm are marked “check”, because the council’s dog pages say nothing about them. We found no seasonal dog ban.
Mind the hours. The lead rule is for the middle of the day, 11am to 6pm, so early morning and evening walks are unaffected on the three beaches. The council order also mentions public and bank holidays, and the council’s own page does not explain that, so keep a lead with you on holiday weekends. If you are planning a longer trip, our dog walks by area guide will point you to walks near you. The Causeway Coast beaches guide picks up where the Antrim coast leaves off, and the Belfast beaches guide covers the lough shore to the south.
The rules in short
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council uses Dog Control Orders, which are local rules made under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, in force from 1 January 2016. The beaches order says a dog in your charge must be on a lead no longer than 1.8 metres (6ft) at Carnlough, Ballygally and Browns Bay from 1 June to 31 August, 11am to 6pm. There is no offence if you have a reasonable excuse or the landowner has consented. The council’s Dog Control Orders page gives a £120 fixed penalty or a fine of up to £1,000 on prosecution, and the beaches page gives a £120 fixed penalty for not picking up after your dog. Dog foul can go in a red dog bin or an ordinary litter bin. The council’s own page says to check the weather and sea conditions before any beach visit. Our full list of UK area guides lists every area we cover, and our guide to dog friendly beaches across the UK shows how other areas compare.
Summer lead rule: 1 June to 31 August
At these three Seaside Award beaches dogs must be on a lead in the hours shown. Outside them, the council says dogs need not be on a lead at any time from January to May or from September to December.
Carnlough Beach — Carnlough
Dogs must be on a lead no longer than 6ft from 1 June to 31 August, between 11am and 6pm. The order also mentions public and bank holidays.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dogs on beaches page and Dogs on Leads (Carnlough, Ballygally and Browns Bay Beaches) Order 2015 (in force 1 January 2016) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Ballygally Beach — Ballygally
Dogs must be on a lead no longer than 6ft from 1 June to 31 August, between 11am and 6pm. The order also mentions public and bank holidays.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dogs on beaches page and Dogs on Leads (Carnlough, Ballygally and Browns Bay Beaches) Order 2015 (in force 1 January 2016) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Browns Bay Beach — Islandmagee
Dogs must be on a lead no longer than 6ft from 1 June to 31 August, between 11am and 6pm. The order also mentions public and bank holidays.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dogs on beaches page and Dogs on Leads (Carnlough, Ballygally and Browns Bay Beaches) Order 2015 (in force 1 January 2016) (checked 11 November 2026)
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No time or lead restrictions
The council says no time or lead restrictions apply at these two Islandmagee beaches. Owners are asked to use good judgement and to keep dogs under adequate verbal control when they are off the lead.
Portmuck Beach — Islandmagee
No time or lead restrictions apply, according to the council. Keep your dog under adequate verbal control when off the lead.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dogs on beaches page (checked 11 November 2026)
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Drains Bay — Islandmagee
No time or lead restrictions apply, according to the council. Keep your dog under adequate verbal control when off the lead.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dogs on beaches page (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Promenades: lead areas
These are seafront promenades rather than beaches. The council names them in its Dogs on Leads (Promenades and Cemeteries) Order 2015, in force from 1 January 2016.
Larne Promenade — Larne
Dogs must be on a lead no longer than 1.8 metres (6ft). The council’s page lists the promenade in both its lead order and its lead by direction order, and we could not read the map to see exactly where the lead area ends. We found no time limit.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dog Control Orders page and Promenades and Cemeteries Order 2015 (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Carrickfergus Promenade — Carrickfergus
Dogs must be on a lead no longer than 1.8 metres (6ft). The order names the promenade including the Marine Highway, Harbour and Marina. We found no time limit.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dog Control Orders page and Promenades and Cemeteries Order 2015 (checked 11 November 2026)
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Beaches with no dog rule found: check
The council’s dog pages name no rule for these three places, and the council’s Dog Control Orders do not list them as lead areas. Please do not read that as permission, and look at the signs. We have not been able to confirm how the council classes each as a beach.
Whitehead — Whitehead
We found no dog rule for the shore here. Whitehead is not named in any of the council’s dog control orders. Check the signs.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dog Control Orders page (does not mention it) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Sandy Bay — Larne
We found no dog rule for this shore. It is not named in the council’s beach order or dogs on beaches page. Check the signs.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dog Control Orders page (does not mention it) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Glenarm — Glenarm
We found no dog rule for the bay or harbour shore. The council lists only Glenarm Cemetery in its lead orders. Check the signs.
Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Dog Control Orders page (does not mention it) (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 order maps, so the exact lead boundaries at each beach and promenade are not stated. We could not confirm whether the bank holiday wording in the order applies only inside June to August, because the council’s page does not say. We found no dog rule for Whitehead, Sandy Bay or Glenarm. A local press report says an earlier plan to ban dogs at four beaches was dropped, but it is undated and we have not used it as a source. We did not cover beaches in Antrim and Newtownabbey or at Cushendall, which sits 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.
Staying overnight? Our dog-friendly stays by area guide lists 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
Do dogs have to be on a lead at Ballygally beach?
Yes, in the summer window. According to the council, dogs must be on a lead no longer than 6ft at Ballygally, Carnlough and Browns Bay from 1 June to 31 August, between 11am and 6pm. Outside those dates and hours the council says no lead is needed.
Are there any beaches on the Antrim coast with no restrictions?
The council says no time or lead restrictions apply at Portmuck and Drains Bay on Islandmagee, and asks owners to keep dogs under adequate verbal control off the lead. Always look at the signs as well.
Do dogs have to be on a lead on Larne and Carrickfergus promenades?
Yes. The council’s Promenades and Cemeteries Order 2015 requires dogs to be on a lead no longer than 1.8 metres on Larne Promenade and Carrickfergus Promenade, including the Marine Highway, Harbour and Marina.
Are dogs allowed on the beach at Whitehead or Glenarm?
We could not confirm. The council’s dog pages and orders do not name a beach rule for either, so we have marked them as check. Look at the signs, or ask the council.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
