Dogs on Beaches

Click here to see our interactive map of all the beaches in South Devon.

Part of a great holiday is being able to enjoy walking the dog on the beach. However, each beach has its own regulations on dog walking, and you’ll find some ban dogs completely during the summer. Restrictions can be for a variety of reasons: a beach may have a wildlife reserve attached to it or there may be a ban enforced due to a small number of irresponsible owners failing to clean up after dogs on beaches. However, there are many beaches that allow dogs on beaches throughout the year and there are those that provide an area especially for dog walking.

All-Year Welcome

These are the South Devon beaches that allow dogs all year round:

• Beesands Beach
• East Portlemouth
• Mill Bay
• Ness Cove, Shaldon
• Salcombe North Sands
• Slapton and Torcross
• Soar Mill Cove
• Strete Gate
• Teignmouth River Beach
• Thurlestone/ South Milton

Restricted Access

Many councils do not permit dogs on beaches during the summer months. Here’s a list of those with restricted access and details of the months in which those restrictions are enforced:

• Bigbury-on-Sea (May to September)
• Blackpool Sands (March to November 1^st)
• Bovisand (May to September)
• Challaborough (May to September)
• Coryton Cove (May to September)
• Dawlish Town Beach
• Dawlish Warren Beach
• Hope Cove (May to September)
• Mothecombe Beach
• Salcombe South Sands (May to September)
• Shaldon Beach (May to September)
• Teignmouth Town Beach (May to September)
• Wembury (May to September)

Most places that don’t allow dogs on beaches at all or between certain months have these restrictions displayed on signs close to the beach itself. So if you’re not sure whether Rover can spend time playing in the surf, check car park entrances and access points to the beach for information boards before heading for the beach. In addition, it’s worth bearing in mind that Blue Flag beaches are unlikely to allow dogs on beaches. If you are a dog-owner, check out thegooddogguide.com, which will tell you just where your pet is welcome.