Dog Friendly Beaches in Northumberland: Rules, Bans and Parking
Every beach in the county is open to dogs again until May. Here are 14 of them, north to south, with the lead rules, the car parks and where the loo is.
The short answer
Almost every beach in Northumberland is dog friendly all year. The only council bans are on signed stretches of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Blyth beaches from 1 May to 30 September, so from October to April every beach is open to dogs. Bamburgh, Beadnell, Druridge Bay, Alnmouth and Warkworth are the easiest picks, with short leads needed on Holy Island and at Beadnell's Long Nanny tern colony in the nesting season.
Checked 3 October 2026. Rules, car park prices and opening hours change, so the council's or the landowner's own page is the one to trust.
Good news for anybody with a spaniel and a boot full of sandy towels: as of 1 October, every beach in Northumberland is open to dogs again. The county only has two council dog bans on the sand, both partial, both down at the south end at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Blyth, and both run from 1 May to 30 September. So for the next seven months the question isn't really which dog friendly beaches in Northumberland you can use. It's which one has a loo, a car park that takes cards, and no cows.
That's what this page is for. Fourteen beaches, north to south, with the dog rule, the parking, the toilets and the thing that'll catch you out at each one. We're a North East family who holiday up this coast a lot, and if I've learned anything it's that the dog is never the problem. The problem is the bag you didn't bring.
Dog friendly beaches in Northumberland: the short answer
- From 1 October to 30 April there are no council dog bans on any Northumberland beach.
- From 1 May to 30 September dogs are banned from signed stretches of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Blyth beaches only. Fixed penalty: £100.
- Beadnell Bay: dogs on a lead under a metre long at the Long Nanny tern colony in the nesting season (the National Trust's rule).
- Holy Island and the Lindisfarne sands: short leads all year, because it's a National Nature Reserve.
- Everywhere else: dogs welcome all year, under control, bag it and bin it.
The rules that apply on every beach
Northumberland County Council's dog control order (a Public Spaces Protection Order, if you like your acronyms) was renewed and came into force on 31 January 2026. It covers the whole county, beaches included. Pick up straight away. No dogs in enclosed children's play areas. If a council officer tells you to put the dog on a lead because it's causing a nuisance or a danger, you do it. And no more than six dogs per person, which mostly worries professional walkers rather than families with one daft Labrador. Break it and it's a £100 fixed penalty, or up to £1,000 if it goes to court.
The beach bans themselves have been running since 2011. At Newbiggin it's the stretch from the breakwater beside Church Point to the access from the promenade beside Sidney Crescent. At Blyth it's from the access at Beachway to the access at the southern end of the Links Road car park. The council calls it a compromise, and that's fair: the rest of both bays stays open to dogs all summer, and the signs are clear.
The dog is never the problem on a Northumberland beach. The problem is the bag you didn't bring.
Birds, sheep, cattle and seals
This coast is mostly farmland and nature reserve with a bit of sand on the front, so the real rules come from the wildlife. The National Trust, which looks after a lot of the dunes between Beadnell and Embleton, says there's often livestock grazing in them and asks for a short lead round sheep. If cattle come at you, its advice is the opposite: let the dog off, get yourself out of the way, and call it back when it's safe. The dog can outrun a cow. You can't, especially in wellies.
Seals are the autumn and winter one. Grey seal pups are born on the Farne Islands from autumn, and seals haul out on mainland beaches too. Keep the dog on a lead and well back from any seal on the sand, and never let it go and investigate. If a seal looks injured or a pup seems abandoned, keep people and dogs away and ring British Divers Marine Life Rescue on 01825 765546, which answers 24 hours a day.
Which beaches in Northumberland allow dogs? All 14, north to south
Spittal beach
Berwick's beach, across the Tweed from the town, with a promenade along the back of the sand. The UK Beach Guide says dogs are allowed and there are dog bins, which up here counts as luxury. Toilets and a cafe too, so it's the easiest beach in the far north for a dog walk that ends in a hot drink.
On Saturday 17 October 2026 there's free sand art on Spittal Point beach for Berwick Lighthouse's 200th birthday, 2pm to 3.40pm. Booking is for the drawing slots; it's free to watch.
- Price
- Free beach
- Parking
- Pay car park on South Greenwich Road, about 100 spaces
- Toilets
- Yes, plus a cafe (UK Beach Guide)
- Dogs
- Allowed all year, dog bins on site
- Check first
- The tariff on the car park machine
Cocklawburn Beach
Sand, rock pools and old limestone quarry workings, best at low tide, and quiet even when Bamburgh is rammed. Dogs are allowed. The warning that matters comes from the UK Beach Guide's own reviewers, who report cattle roaming the beach and dunes in winter, and one who was chased with a child. So: lead on, eyes up, and if they come over, let the dog go.
- Price
- Free
- Parking
- Limited roadside parking; fills quickly
- Toilets
- None we could confirm
- Dogs
- Allowed; watch for cattle in winter
- Check first
- Tide times, because it's best at low tide
Cheswick Sands
Long, empty sand with big dunes behind, reached from Cheswick, which is signed off the A1. The UK Beach Guide says dogs are allowed all year. Bring everything, because there's nothing here but beach. The sands run south towards Goswick and the Lindisfarne nature reserve, where the shorter lead rules start, and the tide comes across those flats faster than you'd think. Turn back early.
- Price
- Free
- Parking
- Small free car park near Cheswick plus roadside; fills quickly
- Toilets
- None we could confirm
- Dogs
- Allowed all year
- Check first
- Tide times before you walk south
Holy Island beaches
Holy Island and the sands around it are Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, so this is the strictest stop on the list. Dogs have to be on a short lead to protect the birds. In 2024 Natural England consulted on a two-metre lead and no more than two dogs each at Ross Sands, Goswick Sands and Budle Bay. I couldn't confirm whether that's in force yet, so work to the stricter version and read the sign where you go in.
Around the castle the National Trust asks for a short lead at all times for the sheep, lambs and ground-nesting birds, with a fenced area by the lime kilns for nesting ringed plovers. Dogs aren't allowed inside the castle, except assistance dogs.
And the big one: the causeway floods twice a day. Check the council's safe crossing times before you set off, every single time.
- Price
- Free beaches
- Parking
- Chare Ends car park: 3 hours £7, 24 hours £10.50
- Toilets
- In the village
- Dogs
- Short lead at all times
- Check first
- The council's safe crossing times
Holy Island crossing times The council's safe crossing times for your date, and how to read them. →
Bamburgh beach
The big one, and the answer to the question everyone types: yes, Bamburgh beach is dog friendly, all year, with no seasonal restrictions. Miles of firm sand under the castle, dunes for the dog to vanish into, and rock pools at the north end by the lighthouse. The parish council's dog advice is short and to the point: pick up after your dog.
The council's village car park opposite the castle runs from £7 for three hours to £10.50 all day, 8am to 6pm, coins, card or PayByPhone. Toilets, including accessible ones, are at the Links car park and on Church Street. No lifeguards, and the UK Beach Guide warns of strong waves and rip currents, so the dog's swim is your call, not the sea's.
- Price
- Free beach
- Parking
- Village car park: 3 hours £7, 4 hours £8, 5 hours £9, all day £10.50
- Toilets
- Links car park (accessible) and Church Street
- Dogs
- Welcome all year, no seasonal ban
- Check first
- The wind; there's nothing between you and it
Seahouses North and St Aidan's
Sand runs north from Seahouses harbour towards Bamburgh past St Aidan's Dunes, and dogs are fine on it. It's the handiest beach on the coast for a day that also involves chips and a boat. The National Trust shop in Seahouses sells dog bits if you've come out without the bags (we've all done it).
If the dog fancies the Farnes, it can't land on them, but Serenity's grey seal and seabird cruise from the harbour says well behaved dogs are welcome on board.
- Price
- Free beach
- Parking
- Station Yard: 1 hour free, 2 hours £5.50, 3 hours £7, all day £10.50
- Toilets
- Public toilets in the village
- Dogs
- Allowed all year
- Check first
- Keep the dog well back from any seals hauled out
Serenity grey seal and seabird cruise
Not a beach, but the obvious add-on to one. Serenity's cruise round the Farne Islands takes about an hour and a half, doesn't land, runs all year (weather permitting), and says well behaved dogs are welcome on board. That gets round the National Trust's flat no-dogs rule on the islands themselves. Be at the harbour 30 minutes early for your boarding pass or your seats can be resold.
- Price
- Adult £22, child (15 and under) £17, under 5s free
- Parking
- Station Yard car park in Seahouses (see above)
- Toilets
- Go in the village before you board
- Check first
- Sailings depend on the weather
Beadnell Bay
A sheltered horseshoe of sand, and the one where you most need to know the rule. Dogs are welcome all year, but at the south end, where the Long Nanny burn meets the sea, the National Trust fences off a shorebird breeding colony in the nesting season and asks for dogs on a lead under a metre long at all times around it. In October that's not an issue. In June it very much is.
The car park end has toilets with accessible loos and showers (according to the UK Beach Guide), plus a cafe and an ice cream stall. Showers. For hosing down a dog that has found something dead. Somebody deserves a medal.
- Price
- Free beach
- Parking
- Council car park: 1 hour free, 3 hours £7, all day £9.50
- Toilets
- Yes, with accessible loos and showers (UK Beach Guide)
- Dogs
- All year; lead under 1 m at Long Nanny in the nesting season
- Check first
- The signs at Long Nanny from spring
Embleton Bay and Low Newton
A long, empty curve of sand with Dunstanburgh Castle at the south end and Low Newton's square of cottages at the north. Dogs are welcome, and the National Trust says there are bins in most car parks along this coast. There's often livestock in the dunes, so leads on through the grass and off once you're on the sand and clear of everyone.
The Ship Inn at Low Newton takes dogs on short leads, under the table. Its own website asks you not to bring a wet and smelly one, which on this beach is a big ask.
- Price
- Free beach
- Parking
- Low Newton: 1 hour £3.30, 2 hours £5.50, 3 hours £7, all day £9.50; High Newton free, longer walk
- Toilets
- None listed by the UK Beach Guide; go before you set off
- Dogs
- Allowed all year; livestock in the dunes
- Check first
- Cattle in the dunes before you let the dog off
Alnmouth beach
A big sandy beach beyond the golf course, below the prettiest village on the coast, with no dog restrictions. Public toilets are by the beach car park.
The catch is the river. The UK Beach Guide says the water is dangerous towards the estuary mouth on a dropping tide, and there are signs warning against even paddling there. Dogs chase sticks into water without checking the tide tables, so keep the throwing well up the beach and the lead on near the Aln.
- Price
- Free beach
- Parking
- Pay car park by the beach; the UK Beach Guide says it's free from December to early March
- Toilets
- By the beach
- Dogs
- No restrictions
- Check first
- The tide, before anyone, dog included, goes near the river mouth
Warkworth beach
A long, quiet stretch of sand and dunes looking out to Coquet Island, and a good pairing with the castle, which lets dogs in on leads. The UK Beach Guide says dogs are welcome and lists a free car park for about 100 cars, 500 metres from the sand, with toilets including accessible ones. Free parking and a loo on the Northumberland coast. Write it down.
- Price
- Free
- Parking
- Car park for about 100 cars, 500 m from the beach, listed as free
- Toilets
- In the car park, with accessible toilets
- Dogs
- Welcome all year
- Check first
- The car park sign, in case charges have changed
Druridge Bay Country Park
Three miles of beach and dunes, a lake behind them, a cafe and proper toilets, and the council describes it as a place for family days out and dog walkers alike. If you've a dog that needs flattening and children who need a cafe, this is the one.
From November the cafe goes to winter hours (Monday to Friday 10am to 3.30pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm). The main toilets are open 9am to 5pm. It's off the A1068, three miles south of Amble, at NE61 5BX.
- Price
- Free entry
- Parking
- First hour free, up to 2 hours £3, over 2 hours £5; Blue Badge free
- Toilets
- Main toilets 9am to 5pm
- Buggy access
- The council says many paths suit all abilities
- Dogs
- Welcome all year
- Check first
- Winter cafe hours from November
Cresswell beach
The south end of Druridge Bay: gently sloping sand, big dunes and a few rocky bits at low tide, and rarely busy. The UK Beach Guide lists no dog restrictions, toilets next to the bus stop and a cafe in the village, which reviewers say does ice cream and coffee. A dog walk with ice cream at the end. It's not complicated, is it.
- Price
- Free
- Parking
- Parking close to the beach
- Toilets
- Next to the bus stop
- Dogs
- No restrictions
- Check first
- Tide times if you want the rock pools
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
A 1.5 km sandy bay with a flat promenade, and one of the two places in the county with a summer dog ban. From 1 May to 30 September dogs aren't allowed between the breakwater beside Church Point and the promenade access by Sidney Crescent. The rest of the bay and the promenade stay open. From 1 October to 30 April, the whole beach is fine.
The council lists toilets in the Maritime Centre and behind the town council offices off the main street, and a cafe in the Maritime Centre. The prom is flat with no gradients, with a ramp onto the sand by the lifeboat station at the north end.
- Price
- Free
- Parking
- Church Point car park, plus on-street parking in the main street
- Toilets
- Maritime Centre, and behind the town council offices
- Buggy access
- Flat promenade; lifeboat ramp onto the sand
- Dogs
- Whole beach October to April; signed stretch banned 1 May to 30 September
- Check first
- The ban signs on the prom in summer
Blyth South Beach
A proper seaside beach with a promenade, beach huts and a play area, and the other summer ban: from 1 May to 30 September, no dogs from the Beachway access to the southern end of the Links Road car park. (The UK Beach Guide's reviewers grumble that it isn't enforced. I wouldn't bet £100 on that.) In winter it's open end to end, and the dunes south towards Seaton Sluice are a decent stretch for a dog.
The council says the toilets are at the Mermaid car park, with a Radar key for the accessible ones. On 31 October the Mermaid car park closes from 4pm for the town's Halloween fireworks, so plan the dog walk for the morning.
- Price
- Free
- Parking
- Mermaid car park (north end) and a smaller one on Beach Way
- Toilets
- Mermaid car park; Radar key for accessible toilets
- Dogs
- Whole beach October to April; signed stretch banned 1 May to 30 September
- Check first
- Fireworks night closures on 31 October
Seaton Sluice
The last beach before North Tyneside, with sand by the dunes and rocks round Collywell Bay. Dogs are allowed, and the water was rated Excellent. The council lists toilets at the Fountain Head car park, and the UK Beach Guide puts a car park with toilets at the roundabout where the A190 meets the A193, plus street parking along the A193 by the dunes. Pubs and places to eat in the village.
- Price
- Free
- Parking
- Car park at the A190 and A193 roundabout; street parking on the A193
- Toilets
- Fountain Head car park, and by the harbour
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Check first
- Tide times for the rocks at Collywell Bay
Which beach should we take the dog to?
For a family with a dog on a short day, I'd pick Druridge Bay Country Park: free first hour, toilets that open at nine, a cafe, and enough beach that nobody has to share. For the full Northumberland postcard it's Bamburgh, but go early, because the car parks aren't big and the wind isn't small. Warkworth if you want free parking and a castle that lets the dog in. And if the dog is a nightmare round other dogs, Cheswick or Cocklawburn on a weekday, where you might see three people all morning (and possibly a cow).
Winter is the best time to take a dog to this coast. No bans, no terns, empty car parks, and the light's lovely at three in the afternoon, mainly because it's about to go dark. Pack a towel for the car and a torch for the walk back.
What to do if the dog goes in the sea
Don't go in after it. The RNLI's advice, written in the dog's voice, which I enjoy more than I should, is to move to somewhere it can reach you safely and call it, because it'll probably get out by itself. If you're worried, ring 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard. Keep it on a lead near cliff edges and fast-flowing water, which on this coast means the river mouths at Alnmouth and Warkworth. None of the beaches above has lifeguards in October, and most never do.
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Questions people ask
Which beaches in Northumberland allow dogs?
All of them from 1 October to 30 April. From 1 May to 30 September dogs are banned only from signed stretches of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Blyth beaches, and the rest of the coast stays open.
Is Bamburgh beach dog friendly?
Yes, dogs are welcome on Bamburgh beach all year with no seasonal restrictions. Pick up after them, and park in the village car park from £7 for three hours.
Are dogs allowed on Alnmouth beach?
Yes, there are no dog restrictions on Alnmouth beach. Keep dogs out of the water near the river mouth, which is dangerous on a dropping tide.
Is Beadnell beach dog friendly?
Yes, all year. In the nesting season the National Trust asks for a lead under a metre long around the fenced Long Nanny colony at the south end of the bay.
Are dogs allowed on Holy Island?
Yes, on a short lead, because the island and its sands are a National Nature Reserve. Dogs can go in the Lindisfarne Castle grounds but not inside the castle, and you must check the council's safe crossing times before driving over.
When do dog bans start on Northumberland beaches?
On 1 May, and they end on 30 September. They cover only the signed stretches at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Blyth, with a £100 fixed penalty.
Is Druridge Bay dog friendly?
Yes, all year, with no council ban. The country park's first hour of parking is free, and the toilets are open 9am to 5pm.
Sources and further reading
Facts checked against 27 pages on Saturday 3 October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so confirm with the venue.
Show the sources
- Northumberland County Council: dog walkers limited to six dogs at a time (26 Jan 2026)
- Northumberland Gazette: partial dog ban for summer at two Northumberland beaches (27 Apr 2026)
- Northumberland County Council: coastal car parks (updated 16 Sep 2026)
- Northumberland County Council: Druridge Bay Country Park and Cafe (updated 5 Aug 2026)
- Northumberland County Council: Newbiggin Bay and Promenade (updated 12 Jun 2026)
- Northumberland County Council: Blyth and Seaton Sluice links and foreshore
- National Trust: visiting the Northumberland coast with your dog
- National Trust: visiting Lindisfarne with your dog
- NewcastleWorld: Lindisfarne NNR dog byelaw review (10 Aug 2024)
- Bamburgh Parish Council: dogs
- Bamburgh Parish Council: parking
- UK Beach Guide: Bamburgh
- UK Beach Guide: Beadnell Bay
- UK Beach Guide: Embleton Bay
- UK Beach Guide: Alnmouth
- UK Beach Guide: Warkworth
- UK Beach Guide: Cresswell
- UK Beach Guide: Blyth South Beach
- UK Beach Guide: Seaton Sluice
- UK Beach Guide: Spittal
- UK Beach Guide: Cheswick Sands
- UK Beach Guide: Cocklawburn Beach
- Serenity Farne Island Tours: sail-around
- The Maltings: Lighthouse 200 Sand Art on the Beach
- British Divers Marine Life Rescue
- RNLI: dog walking safety
- Northumberland County Council: Holy Island safe crossing times
