If you have ever turned up at a beach with the dog, only to find a “no dogs” sign you were not expecting, you are not alone. A lot of UK beaches have seasonal rules, and they are easy to miss. The good news, if you are planning a walk this winter, is that many of those bans are off until the spring.
That is why we have launched a free site, Dogs Allowed Today. You search for a beach or a park and a date, and it shows whether dogs are allowed, banned, on a lead, or only allowed in part of the place. Each page also links to the council source. It is a reading aid, not a substitute for the signs in front of you — always check those, and the council page, on the day you go.
Here are six places worth knowing about this winter, with the dates the summer rules come back.
Why the dates are not as simple as “no dogs in summer”
Plenty of bans do run from 1 May to 30 September. Not all of them do. Some start on Good Friday. Some only apply at certain hours. Some close one stretch of sand and leave the rest open. And a promenade next to a beach can have a lead rule even when the beach itself is fine.
That is the awkward middle, and it is the bit that catches people out.
Six beaches you can walk this winter
St Annes amenity beach, Lancashire
If you are heading to the Fylde coast from Stockport, this is a useful one to have in mind. The small amenity beach by St Annes pier is open to dogs through the winter. The ban — between the lifeboat slipway and the northern end of North Promenade car park — runs from Good Friday to 30 September. Good Friday moves each year; in 2027 that start date is 26 March, which is the first seasonal ban on the Dogs Allowed Today list to return.
There is also a lead rule, on the same dates, for the Promenade and Promenade Gardens between Fairhaven car park and North Promenade car park.
Full details and the Fylde Council link are on the St Annes amenity beach page.
Scarborough North Bay, North Yorkshire
Scarborough’s North Bay is open to dogs this winter. On the controlled stretch, between the slipways named in the order, dogs are not allowed from 1 May to 30 September. The promenade from Scalby Mills Road to the Sands (the old Corner Café) is lead-only all year, not just in summer.
See the current status and the North Yorkshire Council order on the Scarborough North Bay page.
Whitby West Beach, North Yorkshire
Whitby’s West Beach is also allowed for dogs through the winter, which makes it a good option if you are planning a Christmas or New Year walk up that way. The controlled stretch, from the West Pier towards the chalets, has a ban from 1 May to 30 September. The promenade, including Battery Parade, is lead-only.
More on the Whitby West Beach page.
Polzeath Beach, Cornwall
Heading to north Cornwall? Dogs are allowed at Polzeath Beach this winter. The seasonal rule is a timed one: dogs are not allowed from 15 May to 30 September, between 10am and 6pm.
Details and the Cornwall Council link are at the Polzeath Beach page.
Blyth Beach, Northumberland
At Blyth, nothing on the list restricts dogs this winter. A summer ban does come back on one section only — from the Beachway access to the southern end of the Links Road car park — from 1 May to 30 September. It does not close the rest of the foreshore, which is a good reminder to check which stretch you are actually standing on.
See the Blyth Beach page for the Northumberland County Council source.
Rhossili Beach, Swansea
If you want a long beach that stays open, Rhossili on the Gower is a lovely one. Dogs are allowed there now, and Swansea Council lists it as open to dogs all year — there is no seasonal ban on the list to come back in the spring.
Have a look at the Rhossili Beach page.
Check any beach or park before you go
These six are only a starting point. Rules vary from place to place, and they do change. Before you set off, put the place and your date into Dogs Allowed Today. It will tell you what is on the list for that day and point you to the official council page.
Then, when you arrive, read the signs. The council page is the rule, and a local notice on the day is always worth a look.
A free Thursday morning email
If you would like a weekly heads-up, there is a free Thursday morning email from Dogs Allowed Today: five places, one line each, plus the bans that are about to start or finish. You can sign up on the Dogs Allowed Today homepage.
We are Lesley and John, and we run Scamps & Champs, a pet care team in Stockport. Our carers are fully insured and enhanced DBS-checked, and we always start with a free meet-and-greet. This site is simply something we wanted to exist for dog owners planning a walk — whether that is a day on the Fylde coast or a week in Cornwall.