If you’ve never watched a dog zooming across a beach, have you ever really witnessed true joy? Vast stretches of sand are the perfect setting for a game of fetch and the waves are ideal for a quick cool-off. And then, of course, there’s the abundance of fascinating seaside smells. Could a canine ask for anything more?
If you’re looking for a staycation involving your four-legged friend, bath retailer Showers to You (who definitely know their shit about dogs) has analysed thousands of Google ratings and reviews for UK beaches without restrictions on pets to help you out. The study involved 148 beaches in total but excluded places without Google Maps ratings or reviews.
Claiming the number-one spot was Durdle Door in Dorset. Arguably one of the county’s most famous beaches, Durdle Door was awarded 8.85 out of ten and described as ‘a perfect seaside getaway for dogs and their owners, the famed limestone arch makes a dreamy backdrop to a game of fetch’.
Up next were Man O’War beach, also in Dorset, and Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Peninsula in south Wales, which came second. Overall, Devon had the highest number of dog-friendly beaches, with 22 in the list of 148, followed by Pembrokeshire with 20, then Cornwall with 14.
Here are the top ten dog-friendly beaches in the UK (and their scores out of ten):
- Durdle Door, Dorset – 8.85
- Man O’War Beach, Dorset – 8.30
- Three Cliffs Bay Glamorgan – 8.30
- Marloes Sands, Pembrokeshire – 8.20
- Cuckmere Haven Beach, East Sussex – 8.06
- Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire – 8.03
- Seacliff, Lothian – 7.99
- Porth Joke, Cornwall – 7.96
- Gwynver Beach, Cornwall – 7.93
- Long Sands North Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear – 7.90
ICYMI: This is officially the best beach in England for 2023.
Plus: The ‘world’s deepest hotel’ has just opened in the UK.