Moray has a lovely Moray Firth coastline, and we looked at 11 beaches. The honest headline is that we found no Moray Council beach ban, seasonal restriction or dog control order, and also no official page confirming dogs are allowed at any named beach. Those are two different things. Directories say dogs are fine, so nearly every card below is marked “check”.
This is a selection, not every beach. We chose the beaches that appear in the Beach Guide and Good Dog Guide dog lists, plus a few more named by a Scottish travel site that gave us no dog information at all. If you are planning a full day out, our dog walks near me page is the place to find walks by area, and our dog-friendly pubs and cafés page helps with the post-beach stop.
The rules in short
Scotland has no blanket beach rule for dogs. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code says you must keep your dog under proper control, close at heel or on a short lead near farm animals and near ground-nesting birds in the breeding season (usually April to July), and pick up after it. Moray Council’s register of byelaws lists one dog rule, which bans dogs from children’s playgrounds and sports playing fields; it does not mention beaches. The council’s dog fouling page says fixed penalties can be issued by council officers, the police and community wardens, but gives no beach rules and no amount. Councils can change their rules, so read the signs on the day.
Beaches where directories say dogs are allowed
No official source confirms these, so treat each as a “check” and read the signs.
Findhorn Beach — Findhorn
The Beach Guide lists dogs allowed and no dog restrictions. It places the beach in a nature reserve, with parking north of the village near the marina. We found no council or reserve page confirming the dog rule.
Source: The Beach Guide (directory, weak) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Burghead Beach — Burghead
The Beach Guide lists dogs allowed. We found no official page, so look at the signs.
Source: The Beach Guide (directory, weak) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Hopeman Beach (East) — Hopeman
The Beach Guide lists Hopeman East as dogs allowed. We found no official page, so look at the signs.
Source: The Beach Guide (directory, weak) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Lossiemouth East Beach — Lossiemouth
The Beach Guide lists dogs allowed and no dog restrictions. We found no council page confirming it.
Source: The Beach Guide (directory, weak) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Lossiemouth West Beach (Silversands) — Lossiemouth
The Good Dog Guide lists it as dog-friendly all year, and the Beach Guide lists Silversands as dogs allowed with no dog restrictions. Two directories agree, but neither is an official source.
Source: The Good Dog Guide and The Beach Guide (directories, weak) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Spey Bay — Spey Bay
The Good Dog Guide says dogs are allowed all year. The Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve page gives no dog rule, but does note breeding terns at the river mouth in summer, so keep your dog under close control there. We did not confirm who manages each side of the river.
Source: The Good Dog Guide (directory, weak); Scottish Wildlife Trust Spey Bay page (silent on dog rules) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Cullen Bay — Cullen
The Good Dog Guide says dogs are allowed all year, and the Beach Guide lists Cullen as dogs allowed. Neither is an official source.
Source: The Good Dog Guide and The Beach Guide (directories, weak) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
No dog information found at all
For these we found nothing either way, which is not the same as dogs being allowed. A Scottish travel site names them as beaches but does not mention dogs.
Roseisle Beach — Roseisle
We found no dog information from any source we checked.
Source: Live Breathe Scotland beach guide (lists the beach, no dog information) (checked 11 November 2026)
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Cummingston Beach — Cummingston
We found no dog information from any source we checked.
Source: Live Breathe Scotland beach guide (lists the beach, no dog information) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Portgordon Beach — Portgordon
We found no dog information from any source we checked.
Source: Live Breathe Scotland beach guide (lists the beach, no dog information) (checked 11 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Strathlene Beach — Buckie
We found no dog information from any source we checked.
Source: Live Breathe Scotland beach guide (lists the beach, no dog information) (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 find any official statement that dogs are allowed or restricted at an individual Moray beach. We did not check Moray Council’s beach or open-space pages beyond its byelaw register and dog fouling page, and we did not find a page for Findhorn Bay Local Nature Reserve that mentions dogs. We have no cards for Portknockie, Kingston or Buckie town beaches. Culbin Sands and Nairn East Beach are in the Highland Council area, so you will find them in our dog-friendly beaches in the Highlands guide, and the beaches just east are in our Aberdeenshire guide. After a beach day, check your dog’s coat for ticks; our guide to ticks on dogs explains what to do. To compare areas, see the UK dog-friendly beaches hub, or find all our local guides on Find Dog Services Near You.
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
Does Moray ban dogs on its beaches?
We found no Moray Council beach ban, seasonal restriction or dog control order for any beach we checked. We also found no official page saying dogs are allowed on a named beach, so look at the signs and ask the council if you need to be sure.
Can dogs go on Lossiemouth East Beach and Silver Sands?
Directories (weak sources) say dogs are allowed on both, and The Good Dog Guide lists Lossiemouth West Beach as dog-friendly all year. We found no council page confirming it, so read the signs and keep your dog under control.
Do dogs need to be on a lead on Moray beaches?
We found no beach-wide lead rule. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code asks owners to keep dogs under proper control, and on a short lead or close at heel near ground-nesting birds in the breeding season, usually April to July, and near farm animals.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
