Abbotsbury
Dogs are allowed off lead all year. The village is amongst Britain's very prettiest and the views across Fleet Lagoon from
St Catherine's Chapels are well-worth the steep walk. The chapel is open during daytime hours, it's bare inside but you will still adore it.
Bournemouth
Between 1st May and 30th September dogs are allowed to the west of Durley Chine and east of Fisherman's Walk up to Hengistbury Head and it's worth putting a lead on to take a stroll around Branksome Chines, Sandbanks, Poole's large harbour and Bournemouth Gardens.
Bridport
Burton Bradstock Beach - no dogs between 1st May and 30th September, except on East Beach.
West Bexington Beach - dogs allowed in a restricted area.
West Bay - no dogs allowed between 1st May to 1st October, except in the port area where they must stay on a lead.
Cogden
Dogs are allowed - please note that Cogden Beach is a naturist beach.
Christchurch
Between 1st May and 30th September no dogs on Avon Beach, Friars Cliff Beach andHighcliffe Beach between Groynes H8 and H11.
Dogs are allowed between the wave wall at end of Friars Cliff Beach and Groyne H8 at Highcliffe Crow's Nest Beach, Mudeford, Sandbank and Gundimore Beach. Steamer Point beach welcomes dogs off-lead all year-round.
You can head east through Durlston Country Park (with your dog on a lead as it's a National Nature Reserve), and join the South West Coast Path at Anvil Lighthouse, then find Dancing Ledge for a refreshing dip and then onto Worth Matravers village to visit one of Dorset's most famous coastal pubs - the Square and Compass, which provides local beer & cider and live folk music to parched hikers in their beer garden.
Eype & Golden Cap
Eype means "steep place" and just to the west of Eype beach is Golden Cap, one of the highest cliffs on the south coast of England, which stands proudly at 191 metres above sea level. In 2011 a beach hut located at Eype Beach sold for £200,000, which is indeed "pretty steep"!
Kimmeridge Bay
You'll have to pay a few pounds to access Kimmeridge via a private road but once you're there, there are no dog restrictions and you can rock-pool, watch surfers braving Dorset's best waves or visit Dorset Wildlife Trust's Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve & Fine Foundation Marine Centre, and then pop in to Clavell's Cafe & Restaurant for a delicious homemade snack or meal lovingly made by the local farmer's wife, and THEN, you can also take 'Fido' for walkies around Tyneham's deserted 'ghost village', which is just inland.
Lyme Regis
Between 1st April and 31st October no dogs on Lyme Regis' front beach and on leads for rest of year.
Dogs are allowed on Monmouth Beach, Cobb Gate and East Beach all year.
Charmouth West Beach, no dogs from 1st May to 30th September, Charmouth East Beach,
no dogs in July and August between 10am-6pm. Seatown Beach - no dogs allowed.
Poole
No dogs from 1st May to 30th September on the main beaches, but dogs are allowed on the beach
all year round at Branksome Dene and at the west end of Sandbanks beach.
Purbeck
Studland Beaches (one of which is a naturist beach) and Shell & South - dogs on lead 1st May to 30th September,
Knoll & Middle - dogs on lead 1st May to 30th June - no dogs 1st July to 7th September - dogs on lead 8th to 30th September.
Shell, South, Knoll & Middle - dogs allowed 1st October to 30th April.
Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door, Worbarrow Bay, East and Kimmeridge beaches - dogs allowed.
Ringstead Bay
Ringstead Bay allows dogs off leads year-round and as the area is very sparsely populated, you won't run into many people, unless you walk around 20 minuntes east of the main pebble beach, as you will actually arrive at a yet another nudist beach, whereas if you head west along the South West Coast Path, you will arrive at a delightful old pub called the Smugglers Inn, nestled snuggly amongst the cliffs at Osmington.
Swanage
No Dogs from 1 May to 30 September.
Weymouth
No dogs on the main beach from 1 May to 30 September.
There is a dog area all year round at the Pavilion end of the beach and on Preston Beach, which is bordered by RSPB Lodmoor Reserve.
Bowleaze Cove allows dogs all year and you can join the South West Coast Path eastwards from just behind the Riviera Hotel.
You can also explore yet more of the 630-mile South West Coast Path around the Nothe and all the way along the Old Railway Line to
Sandsfoot Castle and Chesil beach, or walk amongst the reed beds full of birds and wildlife which border Radipole Park Drive.
Visit Dorset brochures & guides (in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian & Spanish)
Dorset cycling routes and maps
Dorset walking routes, trails & free guided walks
South Dorset Ridgeway soundscape app
South West Coast Path National Trail
Check out our Beaches & Waterside page to discover all of Dorset's fab beaches!