We checked 11 Tyne and Wear beaches against the three coastal councils. North Tyneside bans dogs from 1 May to 30 September on the south ends of Longsands and Whitley Bay and on all of King Edward’s Bay and Cullercoats Bay. South Tyneside bans them from Sandhaven between 8am and 6pm in the same months, and Sunderland excludes them from Roker and part of Seaburn.
I want to be upfront about what this page is. Three councils set the rules here, several of their orders are due for renewal, and some boundaries are published only as signs or press descriptions, 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 Tyne and Wear sets out the walks we checked.
The rules in short
The pattern is a summer ban from 1 May to 30 September on the busiest sands, with year-round dog access on the quieter stretches. Because the orders are due for renewal, we could not confirm that the current dates continue. Our Tyne and Wear 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 seafront, secure dog fields in Tyne and Wear are worth a look.
Longsands — Tynemouth
Dogs not permitted on the south end of the beach from 1 May to 30 September, and permitted on the northern end all year. The council gives no boundary and says to see the signs. It asks you to keep dogs under close control.
Source: North Tyneside Council, beach pages (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Whitley Bay Beach
Dogs not permitted on the south end of the beach from 1 May to 30 September, and permitted on the northern end all year. The council gives no boundary and says to see the signs. It asks you to keep dogs under close control.
Source: North Tyneside Council, beach pages (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
King Edward’s Bay — Tynemouth
Dogs not permitted on this beach from 1 May to 30 September. The council asks you to keep dogs under close control and to take them only to permitted areas, but names none.
Source: North Tyneside Council, beach pages (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Cullercoats Bay
Dogs not permitted on this beach from 1 May to 30 September. The council asks you to keep dogs under close control.
Source: North Tyneside Council, beach pages (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Sandhaven Beach, South Shields
Dogs excluded from the beach between 8am and 6pm, from 1 May to 30 September each year. A fixed penalty can apply. The order has been in operation since 5 November 2023 for three years, and we could not confirm its renewal, so check the signs.
Source: South Tyneside Council, “Dogs on the beach” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Roker Beach — Sunderland
Dogs excluded from the beach from 1 May to 30 September. The council page gives no times of day. The order has been live since 1 May 2024 for three years, so check the signs.
Source: Sunderland City Council, “Dog exclusion zones” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Seaburn (limited stretch) — Sunderland
Dogs excluded from a limited stretch of the beach from 1 May to 30 September. The council does not describe the boundary. The Sunderland Echo reports it runs from the Morrisons supermarket to just south of Dykelands Road, but that is press, so check the signs.
Source: Sunderland City Council, “Dog exclusion zones” (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Dogs allowed all year
These beaches are listed as open to dogs, though several rest on a council-run tourism site rather than a dog order.
Fish Quay Sands — North Shields
Dogs permitted all year according to the council, which asks you to keep them under close control. Its page is worded for more than one beach, so check the signs.
Source: North Tyneside Council, beach pages (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Littlehaven Beach — South Shields
The council-run tourism site says dogs are allowed on Littlehaven throughout the year. The dog control order names only Sandhaven, but we found no separate dog page, so check the signs.
Source: Visit South Tyneside (council-run tourism site) (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Marsden Bay — South Shields
The council-run tourism site says dogs are allowed on Marsden throughout the year. The National Trust asks for dogs to be controlled near the cliff edges and around sheep, and says to check local signs.
Source: Visit South Tyneside (council-run tourism site) and National Trust (checked 8 November 2026)
View on Google Maps
Reported as dog-friendly (press only)
No official page confirms this, so treat it as a starting point and check the signs.
Hendon and Ryhope beaches — Sunderland
An older Sunderland Echo article says the summer ban does not apply at Hendon and Ryhope. The council names only Roker and Seaburn as exclusion zones, but we found no official page confirming these two, so check the signs.
Source: Sunderland Echo (press, older article) (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. Tynemouth Haven has only a “keep dogs under close control” line on the council page, and we found no rule for Whitburn or Trow Rocks, so they have no cards. We could not confirm whether the North Tyneside and South Tyneside orders were renewed this autumn. After the sand, our guide to dog-friendly pubs and cafés in Tyne and Wear covers the places that welcome muddy paws.
Staying overnight? Our dog-friendly stays in Tyne and Wear 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 Whitley Bay beach?
Yes on the northern end all year, according to North Tyneside Council. Dogs are not permitted on the south end from 1 May to 30 September, and the council gives no boundary, so see the signs.
Are dogs allowed on Tynemouth Longsands?
On the northern end, yes, all year. Dogs are not permitted on the south end from 1 May to 30 September.
Which Sunderland beaches ban dogs in summer?
Sunderland City Council excludes dogs from Roker beach and a limited stretch of Seaburn between 1 May and 30 September. The council page gives no times of day or boundary for Seaburn.
Can dogs go on South Shields beach?
Not on Sandhaven between 8am and 6pm from 1 May to 30 September. The council-run tourism site says dogs are allowed on Littlehaven and Marsden throughout the year.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
