Our Favourite Dorset Beaches to Walk Your Dog on from October to Spring

There’s something about Dorset’s beaches once October arrives that we absolutely love.

The summer crowds have disappeared, the light changes, cafés become places to warm up rather than to escape the sun, and on many of Dorset’s most popular beaches, the seasonal dog restrictions end.

For us, it means some of our favourite walks with Smarty are returning.

We’ve walked these beaches in almost every kind of weather. Bright October mornings when you could almost believe it was still summer, freezing January days when the sea is grey and wild, and those first spring mornings when you suddenly realise winter is nearly over.

While Dorset has some wonderful beaches where dogs are welcome throughout the year, there’s something particularly enjoyable about 1 October, when many of the big sandy beaches become available to dogs again.

If you’re planning an autumn, winter or early-spring break in one of our dog-friendly cottages in Dorset, here are some of the beach walks we’d choose ourselves.

When are dogs allowed back on Dorset’s beaches?

There isn’t a single rule that applies to every Dorset beach.

Across many Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole beaches, restrictions run from 1 May to 30 September, meaning dogs can return to restricted sections from 1 October.

That includes the main beach areas such as Weymouth, Swanage, Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs and Branksome Chine.

Studland is slightly different. Dogs are welcome on its beaches throughout the year, but must be kept on a lead from May to September. From October to April, dogs can be off lead on the beach, provided they’re under close control.

Other beaches, including Ringstead Bay, Bowleaze Cove, Kimmeridge Bay, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, welcome dogs throughout the year.

Rules can change, so we always recommend checking the current council, National Trust or beach information before setting out.

But once October arrives, the choice of a really good sandy dog walk becomes considerably greater.

These are some of our favourites.

Studland Bay. Probably our favourite autumn and winter dog walk

If we had to choose just one?

Studland would be very hard to beat.

There are about four miles of beautiful sandy shoreline here, running from South Beach and Middle Beach, past Knoll Beach, and north towards Shell Bay and the Sandbanks Ferry.

Dogs are welcome on Studland’s beaches throughout the year, but from 1 October to 30 April they no longer need to be on a lead on the beach, provided they’re under close control.

That’s when we especially love it.

In summer, Studland can understandably become extremely busy. Come back on a crisp November morning, and it can feel like a completely different place.

We’ve taken Smarty on this walk countless times.

Shell Bay to Knoll Beach

One of our favourite routes starts at the National Trust car park near the Sandbanks Ferry at Shell Bay.

From there, head south along the beach.

There aren’t many complicated directions required – just keep the sea beside you and walk.

The views across Poole Bay are wonderful, and on a clear winter day you can see the whole way along the coast.

Eventually you reach Knoll Beach, where the National Trust café offers the incentive Smarty doesn’t necessarily need but we certainly do.

Coffee and cake.

Then turn around and walk all the way back.

It’s roughly a four-mile return walk, depending on exactly where you start and how much wandering your dog considers necessary along the way.

This is exactly our sort of winter beach walk: long enough to feel you’ve earned the cake, but not so long as to become an expedition.

Or start at Middle Beach

Sometimes we do something far less ambitious.

We’ll start around Middle Beach and simply walk north along the sand towards Knoll.

How far?

That largely depends on Smarty.

There usually comes a point when he decides he’s walked far enough, turns around, and makes his feelings fairly obvious.

We take the hint.

And there’s another reason we like starting around Middle Beach: returning for something to eat or drink with a view over Studland Bay. The Sandy Salt Pig is fantastic and a real favourite of ours. It’s where even a simple coffee after a cold walk feels like part of the day. They serve excellent pasties and sausage rolls, as well as fantastic bacon sandwiches. 

Why we love it: miles of sand, huge skies, wonderful views and a completely different atmosphere outside summer.

Best for: a proper long beach walk.

Are Studland’s beaches accessible?

Studland is also one of the beaches we’d highlight for guests seeking more accessible ways to experience the Dorset coast.

At Knoll Beach, there is designated accessible parking, an accessible toilet and a Changing Places facility, level access to the café and shop, plus beach wheelchairs and an all-terrain electric wheelchair available to hire.

The National Trust also provides a Tramper mobility vehicle at South Beach.

While the natural beach and heathland inevitably include areas of uneven terrain, Knoll Beach in particular offers considerably more support than many of Dorset’s wilder beaches.

For guests staying in one of our accessible holiday cottages in Dorset, it’s well worth considering when planning a day by the sea.

Sandbanks to Branksome. One of Dorset’s great winter beach walks

This one brings back many memories for us.

Before moving to our current part of Dorset, we lived around Bournemouth and Poole, and we’ve walked this stretch of coast more times than we can count.

We still go back.

And if you’ve never walked from Sandbanks towards Canford Cliffs and Branksome Chine on a clear winter morning, add it to the list.

These are among Britain’s finest sandy beaches.

From 1 October, dogs are allowed back on all BCP beaches, opening up one enormous stretch of golden sand for walking.

Park near Sandbanks and head east.

You’ll pass Shore Road and Canford Cliffs before finally reaching Branksome Chine.

A Sandbanks-to-Branksome-and-back beach walk is roughly four miles, depending on your exact starting point, enough to stretch everyone’s legs without taking up most of the day.

The beauty of this one lies in its simplicity.

No muddy footpaths, stiles, or complicated navigation.

Just miles of sand and sea.

And there’s a very good halfway stop.

Branksome has changed considerably since the days when we first walked here.

Today you’ll find Rockwater Branksome right on the beach.

That makes it an excellent turning point.

Stop for coffee, breakfast or lunch with sea views before walking back towards Sandbanks.

Rockwater is dog-friendly too, although its own dog policy applies.

There are also Rockwater shacks at Sandbanks, giving you another excuse for coffee at the start or end.

Why we love it: one of Dorset’s great stretches of uninterrupted sandy coastline.

Best for: a long, easy winter walk followed by something delicious to eat.

Weymouth Beach: completely different once October arrives

We see Weymouth Beach throughout the year, but we think it becomes especially lovely once autumn arrives.

During the summer, dogs aren’t permitted on the central section between Greenhill Groyne and the designated dog exercise area near the Pavilion.

Then comes 1 October.

Suddenly, the main beach is available again.

It’s a fantastic dog walk.

The obvious thing is simply to walk along the shoreline from one end of Weymouth’s sweeping bay to the other.

On a still winter morning, when there are only a handful of people on the sand, it’s hard to reconcile it with the busy resort beach you see in August.

We often combine the beach with the harbour.

Walk along the sand, continue around towards Weymouth Harbour, and stop for coffee or something to eat before heading back. If you plan to make more of your walk, we’ve recommended some of the best places to eat in our Weymouth Harbour guide. 

There are plenty of choices along the seafront and around the harbour, which is another reason Weymouth works so well for a spontaneous dog walk rather than a carefully planned expedition.

Sometimes we’ll just pick up a coffee from one of the seafront kiosks, with The Boat Café among our favourites, and sit looking back across the bay.

It’s simple, but that’s rather the point.

If you’re staying in one of our Weymouth holiday cottages, you don’t need every day to involve driving somewhere.

Why we love it: a beautiful sandy beach with the harbour and town at one end.

Best for: combining a beach walk with coffee, lunch or a wander around Weymouth Harbour.

Swanage Beach. A classic seaside walk without the summer crowds

Swanage is another beach that changes character completely outside the summer season.

Dogs are restricted from the main beach during the summer, but can return from 1 October to 30 April.

And this is when we think Swanage is at its best for walking.

The bay has that wonderful sweeping shape, with the Purbeck Hills wrapping around behind it.

Walk along the sand towards the town, continue along the seafront and pier, or simply turn around whenever you’ve had enough.

As with Weymouth, one of the advantages is having a proper town by the beach.

You’re never far from somewhere to get coffee or lunch.

And in autumn and winter, you can slow down and appreciate Swanage rather than negotiating the summer crowds.

For guests staying around Purbeck or at Silverlake Estate, we’d consider Swanage alongside Studland for a proper sandy beach walk.

You can easily turn it into a longer Purbeck day out, perhaps by combining the beach with Corfe Castle or by taking a drive through the surrounding countryside.

Why we love it: classic seaside Dorset with beautiful Purbeck scenery.

Best for: a relaxed beach walk followed by lunch in Swanage.

Ringstead Bay. We’d rather be somewhere wilder

Not every great dog walk needs to wait until October.

Ringstead Bay welcomes dogs throughout the year and is one of our longstanding favourites with Smarty. We often walk to nearby Bran Point and back.

It couldn’t feel any more different from Sandbanks.

Instead of cafés, beach huts and a promenade, you get shingle, sea, cliffs and the vast sweep of the Jurassic Coast.

It’s particularly beautiful on those clear autumn days when the sky seems enormous.

You can simply walk along the shoreline or make it part of something more ambitious along the coast.

Ringstead is also conveniently located for guests staying in our Dorchester holiday cottages, as well as for those in Weymouth or on the Silverlake Estate.

The Reef Café is a favourite stop when it’s open, though it operates seasonally, so always check before setting off in the colder months.

Why we love it: the wild, uncomplicated Dorset coast.

Best for: dogs, and owners, who prefer beaches without promenades and resort bustle.

Bowleaze Cove. Our easy, year-round Weymouth option

Bowleaze Cove is another beach where dogs are welcome year-round.

It’s pebbly rather than sandy, so it doesn’t have quite the same appeal as Weymouth’s main beach once the restrictions are lifted.

But it has one major advantage.

Convenience.

If we simply fancy some sea air and a walk with Smarty without making a whole day of it, Bowleaze will do.

You can also continue along the coast if you want something more energetic.

We’d particularly recommend it to guests staying near Weymouth who arrive before October and find that the main central section of Weymouth Beach still has its summer restrictions in place.

Why we love it: easy, informal and available year-round.

Best for: a quick coastal walk near Weymouth. And always a good excuse to walk up the hill to the excellent Lookout Café. 

Kimmeridge Bay. For dogs who prefer exploring to running on sand

Another of our year-round options is Kimmeridge Bay.

This isn’t somewhere we’d choose if Smarty simply needed a vast expanse of sand to run across.

Kimmeridge is about exploration.

Rock ledges stretch out at low tide, the cliffs frame the bay, and the whole landscape feels unmistakably Jurassic.

Dogs are welcome throughout the year.

Combine it with a coastal walk, spend some time exploring the bay, and perhaps visit Kimmeridge village afterwards.

For guests at Silverlake Estate, it’s also an excellent option, as Kimmeridge and the wider Purbeck coastline are within easy reach.

Why we love it: completely different from Dorset’s resort beaches.

Best for: a proper coastal day rather than simply exercising the dog.

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door: dog-friendly year-round

Few Dorset beach walks offer a more dramatic backdrop.

Dogs are welcome throughout the year at both Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, making them useful alternatives in summer and wonderful places to visit in autumn and winter.

For us, though, they’re considerably more enjoyable outside the peak months.

There’s something special about Lulworth on a cold, clear morning, when the crowds have disappeared.

Durdle Door requires more effort, including a steep walk and steps down to the beach, but the scenery is extraordinary.

We’d choose Lulworth for an easier stroll and Durdle Door when everyone, including the dog, is feeling energetic.

Why we love them: this is the Jurassic Coast at its most dramatic.

Best for: combining a dog walk with one of Dorset’s great landscapes.

So, which Dorset dog-friendly beach would we choose?

It depends on the day.

If we wanted a long, sandy walk, we’d choose Studland.

For coffee, lunch and miles of beach, we’d walk along Sandbanks towards Branksome.

If we didn’t want to drive far from home, we’d walk along Weymouth Beach and the harbour.

For something wilder and quieter, Ringstead.

For a Purbeck day out, we’d choose Swanage, Studland, or Kimmeridge.

And if we simply wanted one of those extraordinary Dorset views that remind us why we live here?

Lulworth or Durdle Door.

The wonderful thing is that from October onwards, you don’t really have to choose just one.

Why we love Dorset’s beaches outside summer

Summer understandably attracts most of the attention.

But if you have a dog, we’d make a case for autumn, winter and early spring as some of the best times to visit Dorset.

You can walk further.

The beaches are quieter.

Parking is usually easier.

The dog has considerably more freedom than before.

And there’s something immensely satisfying about coming off a windswept beach, finding a good café or pub, and warming up with coffee or lunch.

If you’re browsing for Dorset holiday cottages for an autumn or winter escape, bringing the dog doesn’t restrict the holiday.

Quite often, it helps you discover Dorset at its best.

Our collection of dog-friendly cottages in Dorset has been chosen for exactly that sort of break. Days spent outdoors exploring, followed by somewhere comfortable to return to when everyone, including the dog, is tired.

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