We checked 16 Vale of Glamorgan beaches against the council’s dog beach ban page. Dogs are not allowed from 1 May to 30 September at Whitmore Bay on Barry Island, Dunraven Bay, Llantwit Major and Cold Knap, and on part of Penarth beach and the pier decking. Jackson’s Bay, Porthkerry and other beaches stay open, and Ogmore-by-Sea needs a check.
I want to be upfront about what this page is. We read the council’s summary pages, not the legal order, so 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 the Vale of Glamorgan sets out the walks we checked.
The rules in short
The council’s list is clear. Four beaches are banned completely in summer, Penarth is banned between the pier and the yacht club, and the rest stay open. The Penarth stretch from the pier to the Cardiff Bay barrage is dog-friendly. Our Vale of Glamorgan area guide explains what each service covers. Always read the signs.
Summer bans: 1 May to 30 September
At these beaches dogs are not allowed in the dates shown, and are allowed outside them. If you want an off-lead run away from the sand, secure dog fields in the Vale of Glamorgan are worth a look.
Whitmore Bay, Barry Island
Dogs not allowed from 1 May to 30 September. This is a full beach ban.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Dunraven Bay (Southerndown)
Dogs not allowed from 1 May to 30 September. This is a full beach ban.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Cwm Colhuw (Llantwit Major)
Dogs not allowed from 1 May to 30 September. This is a full beach ban on the Llantwit Major beach.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Cold Knap — Barry
Dogs not allowed from 1 May to 30 September. This is a full beach ban.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Penarth beach: Pier to the Yacht Club
Dogs not allowed from 1 May to 30 September. The ban applies only between the pier and the yacht club.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Penarth Pier decking
Dogs not allowed from 1 May to 30 September. The ban applies on the pier decking only.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Dogs allowed all year
The council lists these beaches as dog-friendly. For a swim, our guide to dog swimming spots in the Vale of Glamorgan may help.
Penarth beach: Pier to the Cardiff Bay Barrage
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council. This is the dog-friendly section between the pier and the Cardiff Bay barrage.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Jackson’s Bay — Barry
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council. The council lists it as dog-friendly in summer.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Summerhouse Bay — Southerndown/Llantwit
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Aberthaw Beach (the Leys)
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Fontygary Bay — Rhoose
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Porthkerry Country Park — Barry
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
St Mary’s Well Bay — Barry
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Watch Tower Bay and Old Harbour — Barry
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Hardees Bay (east of Ogmore-by-Sea)
Dogs allowed all year, according to the council.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Dates to check before you travel
Here the rule is under review, so we have listed the beach with the reason rather than leave it out.
Ogmore-by-Sea
The council says there is no dog ban for summer 2026 while its order is under review. We do not know whether a ban returns from 2027, so check the council page before you travel. Hardees Bay, east of Ogmore-by-Sea, is dog-friendly.
Source: Vale of Glamorgan Council, dog beach ban (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 found no lead rules on the beaches, and no separate rule for the Glamorgan Heritage Coast beyond the council list. We read no Natural Resources Wales pages and could not read the legal order. It is worth knowing where your nearest vet is before a coastal trip. After the sand, our guide to dog-friendly pubs and cafés in the Vale of Glamorgan covers the places that welcome muddy paws.
Staying overnight? Our dog-friendly stays in the Vale of Glamorgan 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 Barry Island beach?
Not on Whitmore Bay between 1 May and 30 September, according to the Vale of Glamorgan Council. Jackson’s Bay and Watch Tower Bay stay open to dogs.
Which Vale of Glamorgan beaches ban dogs in summer?
Whitmore Bay, Dunraven Bay, Cwm Colhuw at Llantwit Major and Cold Knap ban dogs from 1 May to 30 September. At Penarth the ban applies between the pier and the yacht club, and on the pier decking.
Are dogs allowed on Penarth beach?
Yes, from the pier to the Cardiff Bay barrage. Dogs are banned in summer between the pier and the yacht club.
Is there a dog ban at Ogmore-by-Sea?
Not for summer 2026, according to the council, while its order is under review. We do not know if a ban returns from 2027, so check before you travel.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
