Church Ope Cove
Sheltered shingle cove reached down steps through the ruins of Rufus Castle and St Andrew's churchyard, the only proper beach on Portland. Dorset Council lists it as open to dogs all year round. Beach huts, clear water and no vehicle access at all.
The Cove House Inn
Eighteenth-century inn built into the sea wall at Chiswell, looking straight down the length of Chesil Beach. Dogs are permitted in the bar and on the Madeline Tristan side of the restaurant, kept on leads under the table and off the benches. Storms break over the wall in winter, which is when regulars like it best.
Tout Quarry sculpture park and King Barrow
2.8 MI · 1H 30M · 90% OFF-ROADTwo and three quarter miles of wandering through two abandoned Portland stone quarries, an hour and a half, with more than seventy carvings hidden in the rock faces of Tout and a level tramway track running north through King Barrow to a grandstand view over Chesil and the Fleet. Underfoot is stone chippings, bare rock and short turf, with plenty of scrambling if you want it. Start at the free Tout Quarry car park on the hairpin above Chiswell, which takes about twenty cars and has no overflow, so a Sunday afternoon may mean parking in Portland Heights instead. Sheer worked faces and unfenced drops are everywhere among the sculptures, so keep a dog on a lead in the quarry itself; the tramway section beyond the gate is safe enough for a run.