Unlike several of the landlocked counties we’ve covered recently, Somerset has a genuine coastline — so seasonal beach rules are back in play alongside the usual hills, moors and nature reserves, and the council’s dog control rules are currently mid-reorganisation.
Somerset Council’s rules, mid-reorganisation
Somerset Council is currently consolidating a patchwork of old district-level dog control orders into a smaller, unified set, with a public consultation expected during 2026 — so some of today’s rules may be replaced before long. Right now, fouling must be cleared up anywhere the public has access, and dogs are excluded from a specific zone at Ninesprings Park, Yeovil (the lower lake area), with assistance dogs exempt.
Seasonal beach rules
Burnham-on-Sea’s own rules vary by stretch of beach: dogs are banned year-round between the jetty and the pavilion, and banned from 1 May to 30 September on the two stretches either side of that. Head north past Maddocks Slade towards Brean Down, though — covering Berrow and Brean beaches — and dogs are allowed year-round, simply required to be under control or on a lead; there’s no seasonal ban on this stretch at all, a distinction worth knowing since Burnham and Brean are often lumped together. Minehead runs its own separate seasonal ban, from 1 May to 30 September, on the stretch between the Golf Club Groyne and the Jubilee Café Steps; its esplanade itself is lead-only rather than banned.
Exmoor, the Quantocks and the Mendips
Exmoor National Park asks for dogs on a lead or under close control generally, with a short lead and sticking to paths required on open moorland Access Land from 1 March to 31 July for ground-nesting birds. Exmoor sits roughly 71% in Somerset and 29% in Devon — Dulverton and Exford are on the Somerset side, while Lynton and Lynmouth are over the border in Devon, worth knowing if you’re planning a walk specifically within the county. The Quantock Hills follow the same seasonal pattern: a short lead on Access Land from 1 March to 31 July, with more freedom on rights of way away from livestock. The Mendip Hills are less formal — we found general close-control-near-livestock guidance but no published seasonal, ground-nesting-bird rule to match Exmoor’s or the Quantocks’, so we’re not stating a specific date range there.
The Somerset Levels reserves
RSPB Ham Wall allows dogs on a short lead on public footpaths and the Ham Wall Loop, but keeps the Reedbed, Waltons Heath and Loxtons Marsh trails dog-free (assistance dogs only). Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Westhay Moor and Catcott reserves only allow dogs on specific named droves rather than the central permissive paths — London Drove and Dagg’s Lane Drove at Westhay Moor, and several named droves at Catcott — with a lead or close control required throughout and no waste bins, so bring your own bag home.
National Trust properties and a misconception worth correcting
Fyne Court welcomes dogs on leads across the whole estate year-round. Barrington Court allows dogs on short leads in most garden and parkland areas, with Strode House and the Kitchen Garden off-limits (assistance dogs only). Montacute House asks for a short lead in the garden and parkland, with the house and café order-point assistance-dogs-only. One popular National Trust property is commonly but wrongly paired with Somerset: Tyntesfield, near Wraxall, is actually in North Somerset, not Somerset proper — a genuinely easy mix-up given the name.
A day moving between beach, moor and reserve brings a lot of new smells and sudden rule changes for a dog to keep up with. A calming bite can help take the edge off a busier day out. If your dog struggles to settle regardless of where you walk, that’s worth a conversation with your vet or a qualified trainer.
For everything else dog-related in Somerset, see our Somerset dog services hub — and if you’re staying over, here’s our guide to dog-friendly accommodation in the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are dogs banned from Somerset beaches in summer?
It depends which beach — most of Burnham-on-Sea bans dogs from 1 May to 30 September (part of it year-round), but Brean and Berrow, just up the coast, have no seasonal ban at all.
Is Tyntesfield in Somerset?
No — despite the common assumption, Tyntesfield near Wraxall is actually in North Somerset, a separate council area from Somerset proper.
Is there a seasonal lead rule on the Mendip Hills?
We couldn’t find a published seasonal rule matching Exmoor’s or the Quantocks’ — general close-control-near-livestock guidance is what’s currently published for the Mendips.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who considers a beach with no seasonal ban a very good beach indeed.
