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Woof & Woofer
Dog Friendly UK

We read the byelaws so you don’t have to.

1,239 of our UK beaches are checked against the local council’s own dog orders, with the date we checked and a link to the source. Walks, pubs and places to stay too, across 12 regions.

1,292 beaches

1,239 checked against council orders

1,070 walks

With distance, terrain and off-lead notes

2,310 pubs and cafes

Listed from public sources, and being checked

Beaches1,292Walks1,070Pubs & Cafes2,310Stays
All 35 destinations

Towns worth the trip

Every destination we have written up, grouped by region. The counts are what we have actually linked to each town, so a town with no beach line is inland or has none within reach.

South West · 12

The curved Georgian terrace of the Royal Crescent in Bath, seen across the open lawn where people sit in the sun.

Somerset

Bath

Six dog walks in the city and 32 places to eat

6 walks · 32 pubs and cafes

Fishing boats pulled up on the shingle at Beer, below the white chalk cliffs of the Jurassic Coast.

Devon

Beer

Six year-round beaches on the Jurassic Coast

15 beaches · 2 walks · 17 pubs and cafes

A low stone footbridge over the shallow River Windrush at Bourton-on-the-Water, with people sitting on the green beyond.

Gloucestershire

Bourton-on-the-Water

A Cotswold village with 19 dog-friendly places to eat

19 pubs and cafes

The Clifton Suspension Bridge spanning the Avon Gorge in Bristol, with the Observatory and the green of Clifton Down in the foreground.

Bristol

Bristol

Four dog walks in the city and 34 places to eat

9 beaches · 36 walks · 34 pubs and cafes

Honey-coloured Cotswold stone houses along the High Street in Chipping Campden under a blue sky.

Gloucestershire

Chipping Campden

A Cotswold Way base with 25 dog-friendly places to eat

25 pubs and cafes

The Fowey estuary in Cornwall, with small boats moored on green water and the town rising up the far bank.

Cornwall

Fowey

Ten year-round beaches, and one that shuts from April

19 beaches · 3 walks · 28 pubs and cafes

Small boats moored in the sheltered harbour at Mousehole in Cornwall, with the granite harbour walls and village behind.

Cornwall

Mousehole

Eighteen restricted beaches nearby, and nine that never close

33 beaches · 2 walks · 20 pubs and cafes

The granite headland and Logan Rock above the turquoise water at Porthcurno in Cornwall.

Cornwall

Porthcurno

Six beaches shut to dogs May to September. Two never do

25 beaches · 1 walk · 12 pubs and cafes

The spire of Salisbury Cathedral rising above the trees, the tallest in Britain, seen against a clear summer sky.

Wiltshire

Salisbury

No beaches, but 26 dog-friendly places to eat

26 pubs and cafes

The shingle beach at Seatown in Dorset at low tide, with weed-covered rocks in the foreground and Golden Cap rising beyond.

Dorset

Seatown

Six year-round beaches under the Jurassic Coast cliffs

15 beaches · 12 pubs and cafes

St Ives seen from the water, Porthminster beach and the town rising above a turquoise sea with a small boat in the foreground.

Cornwall

St Ives

Fifteen restricted beaches nearby, eight that stay open

34 beaches · 1 walk · 29 pubs and cafes

Watergate Bay from the air, surf rolling onto a broad sandy beach with people spread across it below the cliffs.

Cornwall

Watergate Bay

Fifteen year-round dog beaches, three restricted in summer

25 beaches · 1 walk · 15 pubs and cafes

South East · 7

The River Arun curving past Arundel, with the castle and the cathedral on the skyline above the town's rooftops and an old windmill on the bank.

West Sussex

Arundel

Six restricted beaches nearby, five that stay open all year

17 beaches · 44 pubs and cafes

Brighton Palace Pier lit up at sunset, its illuminated sign above the sea and the shingle beach.

East Sussex

Brighton

Ten year-round beaches and 70 dog-friendly places to eat

19 beaches · 70 pubs and cafes

Canterbury Cathedral in low sunlight against a deep blue sky, its Gothic towers and buttressed nave seen from the precincts.

Kent

Canterbury

Inland, but five unrestricted beaches within ten miles

25 beaches · 24 pubs and cafes

Fishing boats drawn up on the shingle at Hastings Old Town, with gulls on the beach and the net huts and cliffs behind.

East Sussex

Hastings

Seven year-round beaches and 44 dog-friendly places to eat

15 beaches · 44 pubs and cafes

The domed Radcliffe Camera in Oxford seen from above, ringed by college buildings and a lawn.

Oxfordshire

Oxford

Three dog walks and 29 dog-friendly places to eat

3 walks · 29 pubs and cafes

Rye from the church tower, looking over tiled roofs and the Ypres Tower to the River Rother winding across the marsh.

East Sussex

Rye

Four year-round beaches, and Camber restricted all summer

14 beaches · 1 walk · 35 pubs and cafes

Winchester Cathedral seen from above, surrounded by trees, older rooftops and the Close.

Hampshire

Winchester

Forty-eight dog-friendly places to eat, and the South Downs

1 beach · 5 walks · 48 pubs and cafes

Scotland · 5

Edinburgh seen from the grass slopes of Calton Hill, with the castle and the Balmoral clock tower on the skyline.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Eight unrestricted beaches, and Scotland has no seasonal bans

13 beaches · 5 walks · 38 pubs and cafes

The River Ness flowing through Inverness beneath a road bridge, with snow still lying on the hills beyond.

Highland

Inverness

Scottish access rules, no beach bans, three beaches nearby

3 beaches · 2 walks · 20 pubs and cafes

A sandy path through marram grass on the dunes above a turquoise Harris beach, with hills across the water beyond.

Outer Hebrides

Isle of Harris & Lewis

No seasonal dog restriction on any beach here

7 beaches · 13 pubs and cafes

Yachts and small boats moored in the harbour at North Berwick under a blue sky.

East Lothian

North Berwick

Seventeen beaches nearby and not one seasonal restriction

21 beaches · 15 pubs and cafes

Atholl Road, the main street through Pitlochry, lined with grey stone buildings and shops.

Perth and Kinross

Pitlochry

Scottish access law, no beach bans, two walks from town

2 walks · 10 pubs and cafes

Yorkshire · 4

The war memorial obelisk on the green at Harrogate, with people sitting on the grass and the town's stone buildings behind.

North Yorkshire

Harrogate

Three dog walks and 32 dog-friendly places to eat

4 walks · 32 pubs and cafes

Robin Hood's Bay seen from the cliff path, red roofs tumbling down to the shore with the wide bay and headland beyond.

North Yorkshire

Robin Hood's Bay

Seven year-round beaches, only two restricted in summer

13 beaches · 1 walk · 21 pubs and cafes

The ruins of Whitby Abbey standing on the headland above the town, its empty Gothic arches against a cloudy sky.

North Yorkshire

Whitby

Seven year-round beaches, only West Beach restricted

11 beaches · 1 walk · 33 pubs and cafes

The west front of York Minster, its rose window and carved stonework rising above the street.

North Yorkshire

York

Thirty dog-friendly places to eat inside the walls

30 pubs and cafes

East of England · 3

A blue and white clinker-built fishing boat marked IH88 hauled up on the shingle at Aldeburgh, with other boats and the North Sea behind.

Suffolk

Aldeburgh

Three beaches restricted May to September, two open all year

10 beaches · 1 walk · 14 pubs and cafes

Cromer Pier reaching out into a calm sea at dusk, its lifeboat station and pavilion theatre silhouetted against the sky.

Norfolk

Cromer

Eight restricted beaches nearby, three that stay open

15 beaches · 25 pubs and cafes

Three painted timber beach huts on stilts above the sand at Wells-next-the-Sea, backed by pine woods.

Norfolk

Wells-next-the-Sea

Five restricted beaches, and the ban starts in April

11 beaches · 1 walk · 21 pubs and cafes

North West · 2

Slate and stone buildings on the corner of the main street in Ambleside, with shops, a market cross and Lakeland fells rising behind.

Cumbria

Ambleside

A Lake District base that works without a car

9 walks · 26 pubs and cafes

Keswick lit up at dusk in the valley below, with Derwentwater and the Lakeland fells stretching away under a heavy sky.

Cumbria

Keswick

A Lake District base with 30 dog-friendly places to eat

5 walks · 30 pubs and cafes

East Midlands · 1

The medieval stone bridge over the River Wye at Bakewell, with Canada geese on the bank and Peak District hills beyond.

Derbyshire

Bakewell

Peak District base with 29 dog-friendly places to eat

2 walks · 29 pubs and cafes

Wales · 1

Tenby harbour at low tide, boats resting on the sand below the town's pastel-painted houses and church spire.

Pembrokeshire

Tenby

Fifteen year-round dog beaches within ten miles

23 beaches · 2 walks · 17 pubs and cafes

Britain is one of the best countries in the world to travel with a dog. More than 13 million households own one, and the infrastructure has caught up: beaches with seasonal access clearly signposted, pubs that mean it when they say welcome, and walking routes that don't require a car to reach from the high street. The challenge is knowing which places actually deliver, and which ones just claim to.

Every destination on this site has been researched for dog owners specifically: where to walk, where to eat with your dog beside you, where to stay without the pet surcharge sting, and what catches people out before they arrive. We check seasonal restrictions, on-lead rules, and whether dogs are genuinely welcome inside or just tolerated in the car park.

Taking your dog on a day out or holiday in the UK

What do I need to take my dog on a day out in the UK?
Bring a lead, poo bags, water and a portable bowl, treats, and a towel if you are heading to a beach or lake. Check whether your destination requires dogs on leads and whether there are seasonal restrictions. Carry your dog's ID tag with your contact details as required by law.
Can I take my dog to most UK beaches?
Many UK beaches welcome dogs, but a large number impose seasonal bans between May and September. Some beaches allow dogs year-round on a designated section. Always check the specific beach before travelling, especially in summer.
Are dogs allowed in pubs and cafes in the UK?
It varies by venue. Many UK pubs welcome dogs in the bar area, beer garden or both. Cafes are more mixed. Always check before visiting, especially if you want to eat inside. Every listing on Woof & Woofer says how far we have checked it. Most pubs and cafes are marked Listed, not checked, because they come from public sources that record only that a venue allows dogs, not whether that means inside. Places we have rung, or that enough owners have told us about, are marked We rang ahead.
What should I look for when booking a dog-friendly holiday in the UK?
Check how many dogs are allowed, whether the garden is enclosed, and if there are breed or size restrictions. Ask about pet fees, damage deposits, and what is provided for dogs. Look for properties near good walking routes and check the nearest vet to the property.
How do I keep my dog safe on a UK coastal walk?
Keep your dog on a lead near cliff edges and steep paths. Watch for tides, especially on beaches that get cut off. Avoid letting your dog drink seawater. Rinse salt and sand off their paws and coat after a beach visit to prevent irritation.
Is it worth getting pet travel insurance for a UK holiday?
Yes. Standard pet insurance may not cover emergency vet treatment away from home, accidental damage to holiday accommodation, or cancellation costs if your dog falls ill before the trip. A specialist pet travel add-on is relatively cheap and covers the gaps.

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