We checked 15 Somerset beaches against Somerset Council, North Somerset Council, the National Trust and Exmoor sources. Dogs are allowed all year at places including Berrow, Brean and Sand Bay, banned from 1 May to 30 September at Minehead and on part of Weston-super-Mare beach, and banned all year on the Burnham-on-Sea beach nearest the jetty and on Clevedon beach. Several beaches rest on weaker sources, and we mark those.
I want to be upfront about what this page is. Somerset has two councils with different pages, and Somerset Council’s own beach page covers Burnham, Berrow and Brean but not Minehead. We name the source on every card, with the date we checked, and we have not guessed. If you are planning a full day out, our guide to local dog walks in Somerset sets out the walks we checked.
The rules in short
In North Somerset, dogs are banned from the Grand Pier to Royal Sands at Weston-super-Mare from 1 May to 30 September, 9am to 7pm, and on the promenade all dogs must be on a lead. Clevedon beach is a no-dog beach all year, apart from guide and assistance dogs. In Somerset Council’s area, Burnham-on-Sea has three beach areas with different rules, and Berrow and Brean allow dogs under control or on a lead all year. Councils can change their orders, so read the signs on the day.
Dogs allowed all year
These beaches are listed by the council or the National Trust as allowing dogs all year. The Exmoor beaches come from a tourism site rather than a council order, so check the signs there. If your dog needs a safe run away from the beach, secure dog fields in Somerset are worth a look.
Berrow Beach — Burnham-on-Sea
Dogs allowed all year, under control or on a lead.
Source: Somerset Council, “Dogs and other animals on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Brean Beach — Brean
Dogs allowed all year, under control or on a lead.
Source: Somerset Council, “Dogs and other animals on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Brean Down beach — Brean
Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the sandy beach off the lead, all year round. On the Down itself, a short lead is needed from 1 March to 31 July because of ground-nesting birds.
Source: National Trust (Brean Down) (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Dunster Beach — Dunster
Dogs allowed all year, according to Visit Exmoor. Check the signs on the day.
Source: Visit Exmoor, the National Park tourism site (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Porlock Beach — Porlock
Dogs allowed all year, according to Visit Exmoor. Check the signs on the day.
Source: Visit Exmoor, the National Park tourism site (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Kilve Beach — Kilve
Dogs allowed all year, according to Visit Exmoor. Check the signs on the day.
Source: Visit Exmoor, the National Park tourism site (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Weston-super-Mare: Grand Pier to Knightstone Island — Weston-super-Mare
Listed by North Somerset Council as allowed at any time. On the promenade, all dogs must be on a lead. A tourism site lists the Grand Pier area as not welcome, so check the signs.
Source: North Somerset Council, “Animals on the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Weston-super-Mare: Royal Sands to Uphill — Weston-super-Mare
Listed by North Somerset Council as allowed at any time. On the promenade, all dogs must be on a lead.
Source: North Somerset Council, “Animals on the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Sand Bay — Kewstoke
Listed by North Somerset Council as allowed at any time.
Source: North Somerset Council, “Animals on the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Seasonal bans
Dogs are not allowed on these beaches in the months shown. Our Somerset area guide explains what each council covers.
Minehead beach — Minehead
Dogs not allowed from 1 May to 30 September between the Golf Club Groyne and the Jubilee Café steps, according to Minehead Town Council and Visit Exmoor. Somerset Council’s own beach page does not give a Minehead rule, so check the signs.
Source: Minehead Town Council, dog-friendly guide (checked 8 November 2026)
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Weston-super-Mare: Grand Pier to Royal Sands — Weston-super-Mare
Dogs not allowed from 1 May to 30 September, 9am to 7pm.
Source: North Somerset Council, “Animals on the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Burnham-on-Sea: area 2 (jetty to yacht club) — Burnham-on-Sea
Dogs banned on the beach and esplanade steps from May to September each year. The council page does not give exact day dates, so check the signs.
Source: Somerset Council, “Dogs and other animals on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Burnham-on-Sea: area 3 (pavilion to Maddocks Slade) — Burnham-on-Sea
Dogs banned on the beach and esplanade steps from May to September each year. The council page does not give exact day dates, so check the signs.
Source: Somerset Council, “Dogs and other animals on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Dogs banned all year
These are the places where the council says dogs are not allowed on the beach at any time of year. Marine lakes at Weston and Clevedon also ban dogs, but they are lakes rather than beaches, so we have not given them cards.
Burnham-on-Sea: area 1 (jetty to pavilion) — Burnham-on-Sea
Dogs banned all year round on the beach, jetty and esplanade steps.
Source: Somerset Council, “Dogs and other animals on beaches” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Clevedon beach — Clevedon
No dogs at any time, except guide and assistance dogs. On the promenade, dogs must be on a lead.
Source: North Somerset Council, “Animals on the beach” (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. We could not confirm rules from an official source for Bossington, Blue Anchor, Watchet, Doniford, St Audries Bay, Porlock Weir and several other beaches, so we have not listed them. Tourism lists call some of them dog-friendly, but without dates or council wording. For a swim, our guide to dog swimming spots in Somerset covers places built for a proper dip, and it is worth knowing where your nearest vet is before a coastal trip.
Staying overnight? Our dog-friendly stays in Somerset 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
Are dogs allowed on Weston-super-Mare beach?
Partly. North Somerset Council bans dogs between the Grand Pier and Royal Sands from 1 May to 30 September, 9am to 7pm, and allows them at any time between the Grand Pier and Knightstone Island and between Royal Sands and Uphill. On the promenade all dogs must be on a lead.
Can I take my dog on Minehead beach in summer?
Minehead Town Council and Visit Exmoor say dogs are not allowed between the Golf Club Groyne and the Jubilee Café steps from 1 May to 30 September. Somerset Council’s own beach page does not give a Minehead rule, so check the signs.
Are dogs banned at Burnham-on-Sea beach?
Somerset Council says dogs are banned all year on the beach, jetty and esplanade steps between the jetty and the pavilion, and banned from May to September on the other two beach areas. The page does not give exact day dates for the seasonal areas.
Can dogs go on Berrow and Brean beaches?
Yes. Somerset Council says dogs are allowed all year on the beaches from Maddocks Slade to Brean Down, under control or on a lead. The National Trust says well-behaved dogs are welcome off the lead on the beach at Brean Down.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
