East Sussex (outside Brighton & Hove) mixes chalk clifftop, open downland, Winnie-the-Pooh woodland and some genuinely grand National Trust grounds. We’ve sourced every rule below to the landowner or council’s own page, and flagged the couple of spots where our sources disagreed with each other rather than picking one and hoping.
Coastal
- Eastbourne seafront, Holywell to Langney Point — flat, paved promenade running several miles via the pier and Sovereign Harbour. Dogs must be on a lead on the seafront and promenades from 1 May to 30 September, except Western and Middle Parades, where dogs can be off-lead if under control. Several council green spaces require a lead year-round, including Manor Gardens, Hampden Park Lakeside and Princes Park.
- Beachy Head and Birling Gap/Seven Sisters (National Trust) — undulating chalk clifftop between Eastbourne and Birling Gap, within the South Downs National Park. Dogs welcome on the walks and in the café/shop. Sheep graze these slopes, so the standard open-access lead rule near livestock applies, and stay well back from unfenced edges.
- Hastings seafront and Old Town beaches — dogs may be on- or off-lead year-round on most of the beach, but two stretches are dog-free 1 April-30 September: west of the Harbour Arm to the east side of Hastings Pier, and the west end of Bottle Alley to opposite the Royal Victoria Hotel. A lead is required on the promenade at all times, and a maximum of 6 dogs per handler applies. Outside 1 October-31 March, dogs are permitted everywhere, including the two restricted zones.
- Camber Sands, near Rye — around 4 miles of open sandy beach backed by dunes, with marked paths to protect the dune grass. Dogs are excluded from the stretch between the Western Car Park/Suttons and Broomhill from 1 May to 30 September; check Rother District Council’s current signage for the exact boundary.
Woodland
- Ashdown Forest, between Uckfield, Crowborough and East Grinstead (Winnie-the-Pooh country) — heathland, woodland and valley bog with waymarked paths; car parks at Gills Lap and Pooh Bridge/Posingford Wood. Keep dogs within sight and only off-lead with reliable recall. From 1 March to 31 August, keep dogs to the main paths and out of the heathland to protect ground-nesting birds. Cattle, sheep and ponies free-range in the South Chase grazing enclosure — worrying livestock is a criminal offence. Ticks and adders are a genuine seasonal hazard on the heath.
Historic grounds and parkland
- Bodiam Castle (National Trust), near Robertsbridge — dogs welcome on short leads in the grounds around the moat, but not inside the castle itself.
- Sheffield Park and Garden (National Trust), near Uckfield — short lead required; dogs aren’t welcome in the garden on Saturday mornings before 1pm, but are welcome in the wider parkland and Walk Wood.
- Bateman’s (National Trust), Burwash — Rudyard Kipling’s former home; short lead required in the gardens and wider estate.
The rules, in plain terms
Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, on open access land (which covers much of the South Downs), your dog must be on a fixed lead no longer than 2 metres around livestock at all times, and on that same short lead everywhere on access land between 1 March and 31 July, regardless of livestock.
Each coastal town runs its own seasonal beach rules rather than one countywide policy, so always check local signage: Eastbourne’s lead requirement runs 1 May-30 September; Hastings excludes two specific stretches 1 April-30 September but otherwise allows dogs year-round; Bexhill and Camber Sands (Rother District) both exclude dogs from specific stretches 1 May-30 September. Ashdown Forest runs its own separate seasonal path restriction, 1 March-31 August, under the Conservators of Ashdown Forest rather than a council or National Park byelaw.
For a dog who finds busy seafronts or heathland car parks a lot, a calming collar alongside a short lead can help on the busier days — though if it’s a bigger problem, a behaviourist or your vet is the better long-term answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can dogs go on Hastings beach in summer?
Yes, in most places, year-round. Two specific stretches — near the Harbour Arm/Pier and part of Bottle Alley — are dog-free from 1 April to 30 September, with a maximum of 6 dogs per handler and a lead required on the promenade.
Can I walk my dog off-lead in Ashdown Forest?
Only if you’re confident in its recall and you’re outside the 1 March-31 August path restriction, when dogs must stick to the main paths. Livestock roam freely in the South Chase grazing enclosure, so keep well clear of them regardless.
Are dogs allowed at Bodiam Castle?
Yes, on a short lead in the grounds around the moat, but not inside the castle itself.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
