Avon Beach
Sand and shingle at Mudeford with a beach shop, cafe and the lifeboat station, sheltered by the Head and popular with families. A Seaside Award beach, so dogs are excluded from 1 May to 30 September and welcome from 1 October to 30 April. Highcliffe Castle's own visitor information sets out the same dates.
Boscombe Beach
Sand under the Boscombe cliff lift and pier, with the surf reef offshore and beach pods along the promenade. A Seaside Award beach, so BCP Council excludes dogs from 1 May to 30 September; they are welcome from 1 October to 30 April. East of Fisherman's Walk towards Southbourne is open all year if you need somewhere in August.
Bournemouth Beach
Seven miles of sand either side of the pier, the busiest beach in the south and a Seaside Award winner. BCP Council bans dogs from all its Blue Flag and Seaside Award beaches from 1 May to 30 September, and Bournemouth beach is one of them; from 1 October to 30 April dogs are allowed. Middle Chine to Durley Chine, just west, is the nearest stretch open all year.
Canford Cliffs Beach
Sand at the foot of the pine-covered chines below Canford Cliffs village, reached by the zig zag from Canford Cliffs Road. A Blue Flag beach, which under BCP Council's rules means no dogs from 1 May to 30 September; from 1 October to 30 April they are welcome. Dogs must be on the lead on the zig zags and promenade even out of season.
Fisherman's Walk Beach
The beach at the bottom of the Fisherman's Walk cliff lift, where the built-up seafront begins to give way to the Southbourne cliffs. Fisherman's Walk itself is a Blue Flag beach and closed to dogs from 1 May to 30 September, but BCP Council names everything east of it, towards Southbourne, as open all year. The lift saves the climb.
Highcliffe Beach
Sand and shingle below the cliffs at Highcliffe, reached by the zig zag from the castle grounds, with the Isle of Wight filling the horizon. BCP Council names Highcliffe Beach as open to dogs all year with one exception: no dogs between groynes H4 and H8 from 1 May to 30 September. Friars Cliff, between the wave wall and groyne H4, is open all year.
Sandbanks Beach
The Blue Flag sand of the Sandbanks peninsula, the most expensive stretch of coast in Britain and the best swimming beach in Poole Bay. BCP Council closes all its Blue Flag and Seaside Award beaches to dogs from 1 May to 30 September, and Sandbanks is one of them. The exception is the western end of Sandbanks promenade round to Haven Point by the chain ferry, which stays open to dogs all year.
