Tyne and Wear mixes city parks, a long coastline and some excellent National Trust land. It also has five councils with different dog rules, and several of those orders are due for renewal, so we’ve said plainly where we couldn’t confirm the current position.
Council rules, borough by borough
Newcastle City Council’s dog order was made on 19 June 2023 and expired on 19 June 2026. A renewal consultation ran from 16 April to 15 May 2026, but we couldn’t confirm the outcome, so check the council’s page. The old order required fouling to be cleared immediately and a lead only when an officer directed it (maximum 2 metres), with no exclusion zones or dog limit and a £100 fixed penalty. Gateshead has a borough-wide order enforced from February 2026: bags, clean up, dogs on leads in cemeteries and school grounds, and a lead on request from an officer, with a £100 fixed penalty (£75 if paid within 14 days). We couldn’t confirm a dog limit. Sunderland’s order was introduced in 2019 and renewed in 2024 for three years, with beach exclusion zones carrying a £100 fixed penalty; we couldn’t confirm exact dates. We couldn’t retrieve the text of North Tyneside’s order.
South Tyneside’s Order No. 1 of 2020 was extended from 5 November 2023 for three years, so it is due to expire around 5 November 2026 unless renewed, and we couldn’t confirm a renewal. It requires fouling to be cleared, leads of no more than 1.5 metres in all cemeteries and South Marine Park, a lead on an officer’s direction, no dogs in fenced play areas, tennis courts, multi-use games areas and active school playing fields, and a maximum of four dogs per person. The fixed penalty is £100 (£50 if paid within seven days).
Beaches: summer restrictions, 1 May to 30 September
In Sunderland, restrictions apply on the Roker section and a limited stretch at Seaburn, though we couldn’t find the exact boundaries. In South Tyneside, dogs are excluded from Sandhaven beach between 8am and 6pm. In North Tyneside, the south end of Longsands is banned in summer while the north end is open year-round, according to the official information. A 2025 Newcastle World article says Cullercoats Bay, King Edward’s Bay and the south end of Whitley Bay are also banned, but that isn’t an official source, so confirm for the current year. We couldn’t confirm the rules at Marsden, Ryhope or Whitburn.
National Trust walks
At Gibside, dogs must be on a lead at all times except in the off-lead area by the Stables. Extendable leads are fine except on the Skyline Walk, a short lead is needed around sheep, and only assistance dogs are allowed in the Chapel. At Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, dogs go on a short lead in the lighthouse grounds and café, but on The Leas and Whitburn Coastal Park they may run under close control. The cliff barriers aren’t dog-proof, and a short lead is needed around sheep and ground-nesting birds. Penshaw Monument allows dogs under close control, on a lead near grazing cattle. Washington Wetland Centre does not allow dogs.
What we couldn’t confirm
We couldn’t confirm dog arrangements at Town Moor, Jesmond Dene, Exhibition Park, Leazes Park, Saltwell Park, Herrington, Tyne Riverside or Gosforth Park, nor tides, algae notices or 2026 closures. Check each council or park page before you go.
Coastal winds, cliffs and cattle make for a lot to take in. A calming bite can help take the edge off a busier day out, and if your dog struggles to settle wherever you walk, that is worth a word with your vet or a qualified trainer. For everything else, see our Tyne and Wear dog services hub, and if you want a fenced space to let a reactive dog run, our secure dog fields in Tyne and Wear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are dogs banned from Tyne and Wear beaches in summer?
Some stretches are, between 1 May and 30 September, including parts of Roker and Seaburn, Sandhaven (8am to 6pm) and the south end of Longsands. Check the council’s current information first.
Can dogs run off the lead at Gibside?
Only in the off-lead area by the Stables. Everywhere else at Gibside dogs must be on a lead, and short around sheep.
Is Newcastle’s dog order still in force?
The 2023 order expired on 19 June 2026. A renewal consultation ran in spring 2026, but we couldn’t confirm the outcome, so check Newcastle City Council’s page.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who has never met a sea breeze he didn’t want to read.
