Some posts on this site contain affiliate links. If you book or buy something through these links, I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Take a look at my privacy policy for more information.
Your guide to the best dog-friendly beaches in Dorset for a seaside trip with your furry best friend…
From remote coves to popular, family-friendly sands, there’s no shortage of excellent beaches along the Dorset coast. And many of them allow dogs all year round, so you don’t have to worry about leaving your pup behind on your next seaside trip! This is our pick of the very best of them.
Some have a few restrictions in place which we’ve noted below. There’s also a full list of all dog-friendly beaches and designated dog areas at the bottom of the page, with a map. Enjoy.
Best Dog-Friendly Beaches in Dorset
In a hurry? There’s a map and a full list of ALL dog-friendly beaches at the end of the page. Use the contents menu above to find it.
Highcliffe Castle Beach, Christchurch
Beach Type: Sand and shingle (mainly sand)
Nearest Parking: Highcliffe Castle car park (on clifftop, a short walk to the beach)
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: In car park
Popularity: Generally not too busy
Food & Drink: Cafe/tearoom in Highcliffe Castle gardens.
Also known as Steamer Point Beach (after the nearby nature reserve), this peaceful sandy beach is a hidden gem. It’s tucked below the cliffs where the impressive 19th-century Highcliffe Castle stands.
Ringstead Bay
Beach Type: Shingle (sand at low tide)
Nearest Parking: Ringstead Bay Car Park
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: In car park
Popularity: Generally not too busy
Food & Drink: Cafe near car park
This unspoilt beach on a quiet stretch of coast near Weymouth is much-loved by locals. The calm waters in the bay are usually safe for swimming and paddleboarding, and there’s a long stretch of shingle to enjoy.
Durdle Door & Man O’ War Bay
Beach Type: Shingle
Nearest Parking: Durdle Door Car Park (access via a steep cliff path, read more here)
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: In car park.
Popularity: Very busy in summer (Man O’War Bay usually less so)
Food & Drink: Refreshment kiosk in car park. Shop and cafe in adjacent holiday park.
Here you’ll find two scenic bays on either side of an impressive rock arch. Durdle Door is one of the most famous attractions on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, so the beach here gets pretty busy. Man O’ War Bay is usually quieter – and has better conditions for swimming thanks to a string of rocks that act as a breaker. Alternatively, head west along the Durdle Door Beach towards the white cliffs at Bat’s Head to find a quieter stretch of shingle to enjoy with your pooch!
READ MORE: Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door Walk
Chesil Beach (Portland to West Bay)
Beach Type: Pebble and shingle
Nearest Parking: Chesil Car Park (south eastern end, near Portland). For western end: West Bexington, Abbotsbury Beach Car Park, Cogden Beach National Trust Car Park.
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: At the Wild Chesil Centre (near car park)
Popularity: Usually not too busy
Food & Drink: Cafes close to most main sections of the beach.
FYI: Dog restrictions apply in certain areas, always check local signage.
Chesil Beach is what’s known as a tombolo: a narrow strip of land connecting an island (Portland) with the mainland. It stretches for around 18 miles of unbroken shingle, and most of it is dog-friendly all year round. The “main” area is found near Portland, where you’ll have the open sea on one side and the sheltered water of Portland Harbour on the other.
Moving further west, there are dog-friendly beaches at Abbotsbury (as far as the “Dragon’s Teeth” WWII defences), West Bexington, and the remote, National-Trust-managed beach at Cogden. There are no facilities at this last one, so it’s ideal if you want to really escape it all!
Preston Beach, Weymouth
Beach Type: Shingle & pebble
Nearest Parking: Overcombe Car Park or Beach Car Park (behind Sea Life Centre)
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: At Overcombe Corner
Popularity: Usually less busy than the other beaches
Food & Drink: Refreshment kiosk near rock groyne and cafe/restaurant at Overcombe Corner.
Popular with locals, this long stretch of pebble beach towards the eastern end of Weymouth Bay is usually the quietest section. The entire beach east of the rock groyne is dog-friendly, and conditions are usually ideal for swimming thanks to the shelter of Weymouth Bay.
FYI: Weymouth also has a designated dog area near the westernmost end of the sandy beach, near the Pavilion. Nearby Bowleze Cove is also dog-friendly.
Charmouth Beach East
Beach Type: Sand and pebble
Nearest Parking: Foreshore Car Park
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: Behind Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.
Popularity: Fairly busy in summer.
Food & Drink: Beach cafe on West Beach
FYI: Dogs are not allowed on West Beach (towards Lyme Regis) during summer, but are allowed on East Beach year-round.
Just down the road from Lyme Regis, Charmouth is a tiny seaside village with two beaches on either side of the River Char. While West Beach is a popular fossil-hunting spot, East Beach’s colourful beach huts and sandy areas (exposed at low tide) make it a hit with local families. Dogs are welcome off lead all year round, and the nearby South West Coast Path is a prime spot for a dog walk.
Hengistbury Head
Beach Type: Sand and shingle.
Nearest Parking: Hengistbury Head car Park.
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: In car park and at the Visitor Centre.
Popularity: Usually much quieter than Bournemouth’s other beaches.
Food & Drink: Café next to the car park.
FYI: Dogs must be kept on leads inside the nature reserve.
At the easternmost end of Bournemouth Bay, far from the crowds of Bournemouth’s “main” town beach, Hengistbury Head is the perfect escape. The beach here is tucked beneath a grassy, heather-clad headland, home to a wildlife-rich nature reserve, and it’s rarely busy.
READ MORE: Hengistbury Head Walk
Mudeford Sandbank
Beach Type: Sand
Nearest Parking: Mudeford Quay (you’ll need to take the passenger ferry) or Hengistbury Head Car Park.
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: Public toilets between the beach huts.
Popularity: Generally not too busy.
Food & Drink: Cafe & takeaway on the beach.
On the other side of Hengistbury Head, Mudeford Sandbank (aka Mudeford Spit) is a narrow strip of white sand stretching out across the mouth of Christchurch Harbour. With clean, white sand and a string of colourful beach huts, it’s one of the prettiest beaches in the area – and the sheltered water of the harbour is ideal for watersports.
Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis
Beach Type: Pebble
Nearest Parking: Monmouth Beach Car Park.
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: In car park.
Popularity: Fairly busy in summer (but less so than Front Beach)
Food & Drink: Several options near The Cobb (harbour wall)
When Lyme Regis’s main beach is too busy, locals head to Monmouth Beach: a long, pebble beach which gets quieter the further west you walk. At the far western end, low tide exposes the “Ammonite Pavement“: a layer of limestone with several large ammonite fossils.
Eype Beach
Beach Type: Shingle
Nearest Parking: Eype Beach Car Park (FYI – access is via a narrow single track lane)
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: None
Popularity: Fairly quiet
Food & Drink: None on beach (there is a cafe in nearby Eype Beach Holiday Park)
This remote, “secret” beach in West Dorset is the perfect spot to get away from it all. Hidden away at the end of a single-track lane and surrounded by dramatic cliffs, this beach has no facilities – but it makes up for that with an abundance of peace and quiet!
Worbarrow Bay
Beach Type: Shingle
Nearest Parking: Tyneham Village Car Park (1 mile walk)
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: In car park (1 mile away)
Popularity: Usually quiet
Food & Drink: None on beach.
This stunning bay, surrounded by tall white cliffs, can only be reached by a pleasant, one-mile stroll from the ruined village of Tyneham. It’s mostly flat and very easy, but it still seems to be enough to deter most beachgoers, meaning much more space for those of us in the know!
FYI: Tyneham and Worbarrow Bay can be accessed only when the Lulworth Range Walks are open (as the MOD uses this area for firing practice). Click here to check the timetable.
Studland Bay Beaches
Beach Type: Sandy
Nearest Parking: National Trust Car Parks at Shell Bay, Knoll Beach, Middle Beach, and South Beach (£12 a day, free for NT members)
Lifeguards on Duty: No
Toilets: In all car parks except South Beach, and at the end of Manor Road.
Popularity: Can be busy near the car parks – but there are usually quiet spots.
Food & Drink: Restaurant near Shell Bay, beach cafes near the three other car parks.
FYI: Dogs must be kept on a lead from 1 May – 30 September.
Skirting the tip of a peninsula on the Isle of Purbeck, Studland Bay is home to a long stretch of white sandy beach backed by a lowland heath nature reserve. It’s divided into four beaches: Shell Bay at the tip of the peninsula, then Knoll Beach, Middle Beach, and finally, South Beach near the village of Studland (home to an excellent pub). There are some great dog walks on the cliffs around South Beach – try our 4-mile Old Harry Rocks Walk for incredible coastal views.
Bournemouth & Poole Beach Dog Areas
Sandbanks: Westernmost end (near the ferry). Sandy.
Branksome Beach: From the western side of the Alum Chine Beach Office to Branksome Chine Beach Office. Sandy.
Alum Chine Beach: Between Middle Chine and Durley Chine. Sandy.
Southbourne Beach: Fisherman’s Walk Beach area, clearly marked. Sandy.
Hengistbury Head Beach: Easternmost end, clearly marked. Dogs must be on a lead in the nature reserve. Sand and shingle.
CLICK HERE for a map showing the dog areas in detail.
Dorset Beaches that are Dog-Friendly All Year: Map and Full List
Below is the full list of all dog-friendly beaches and designated dog areas where you can walk your four-legged friends all year round. The list is laid out geographically from east to west, starting in Christchurch and ending in Lyme Regis – and any relevant restrictions have been highlighted. There’s also a map to help you find your nearest option:
East Dorset
- Highcliffe Beach, Christchurch: Sand and shingle (mainly shingle). Not allowed between groynes H4 and H8 from 1 May to 30 September.
- Highcliffe Castle Beach, Christchurch: Sand and shingle (mainly sand).
- Avon Beach: Sand. Designated dog area at the westernmost end, known as Gundimore Beach.
- Mudeford Sandbank, Bournemouth: Sand
- Hengistbury Head Beach: Sand and shingle. (Must be kept on leads inside the nature reserve)
- Southbourne Beach, Bournemouth: Sand. (Designated dog area at Fishermans Walk Beach, clearly marked).
- Bournemouth Beach Dog Areas: Sand. Middle Chine to Durley Chine and Alum Chine Beach Office to Branksome Chine Beach Office.
- Hamworthy Park Beach, Poole: Sand and shingle
- Sandbanks Beach (western end), Poole: Sand. Designated dog area on the westernmost tip, near the ferry.
- Studland Bay Beaches (Shell Bay, Knoll Beach, Middle Beach, South Beach): Sand. Must be kept on lead from 1 May – 30 September.
- Pier Beach (aka Monkey Beach), Swanage: Sand and shingle.
- Chapman’s Pool: Shingle. (No car park or facilities – only reachable on foot).
- Kimmeridge Bay: Rocks.
- Worbarrow Bay: Pebble and shingle.
- Mupe Bay: Shingle. (No car park or facilities – only reachable on foot).
- Lulworth Cove: Pebble and shingle. Designated dog area on the left-hand side of the slipway.
- Man O’War Bay: Shingle.
- Durdle Door: Shingle.
- Ringstead Bay: Sand and shingle.
- Osmington Mills: Rock and pebble.
- Bowleze Cove: Sand and shingle.
- Preston Beach: Shingle and pebble.
- Weymouth Beach Dog Area: Sand. Designated dog area at the southwesternmost end, near the Pavilion.
- Newton’s Cove, Weymouth: Shingle. Must be kept on a lead.
- Castle Cove: Sand.
- Sandsfoot Beach: Sand.
- Chesil Beach, Portland: Pebble and shingle. Restrictions apply in certain areas.
- Little Beach, Portland: Pebble and shingle. (No car park or facilities – only reachable on foot).
- Church Ope Cove: Pebble. (No car park or facilities – only reachable via a steep staircase).
West Dorset
- Abbotsbury Beach (Chesil Beach West): Pebble. Designated dog area – as far as the Dragon’s Teeth.
- West Bexington Beach: Shingle. Designated dog area, clearly marked.
- Cogden Beach, Burton Bradstock: Shingle.
- Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock: Shingle. Designated dog area east of the wooden chalet.
- West Beach, West Bay: Shingle. Designated dog area beyond rock groyne.
- Eype Beach, nr Bridport: Shingle.
- Charmouth Beach East: Sand and pebble.
- East Cliff Beach (aka Back Beach), Lyme Regis: Pebble.
- Church Cliff Beach, Lyme Regis: Sand and pebble.
- Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis: Pebble.
If you have a question about any of these beaches (or a tip of your own), scroll down to leave a comment!
