Beaches in Northern Ireland where you can let your dog off the lead to play

While some beaches in Northern Ireland require dogs to remain on the lead there are other shorelines where dogs are given licence to play.

A lot of coastal areas in the Province have rules which meant dogs are not allowed in certain areas during summer months, and officials have been sent out to make sure owners are abiding by the rules.

In the Ards and North Down Council area dogs are permitted off-lead at all beaches under the jurisdiction unless subject to a seasonal dog control order. There are presently two seasonal ‘dogs on leads’ orders that are in effect from June 1 to August 31, between 11am and 8pm, at a section of Ballyholme Beach and Groomsport Beach.

At Ballyholme Promenade the council is trialling new signs to “remind” dog owners of the need to keep their pets on a lead in designated areas.

It is worth noting that some beaches in the borough, such as Crawfordsburn Beach, do not fall under council jurisdiction and may operate different rules.

According to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, the shoreline areas at Hazelbank and Loughshore, Jordanstown, have no restrictions, allowing dogs to run freely off lead.

Dogs are excluded from children’s play areas and recreational grounds such as football pitches, skate park, etc, which are all clearly signposted.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council have provided an interactive map on their website showing all the dog control order areas. This includes beaches where dogs are allowed all year round and areas of beaches where dogs are excluded from June to September.

One of the most popular destination for dogs is Portstewart Strand with two miles of golden sand to enjoy.

According to the National Trust dogs on leads are welcome on the beach and owners are able to let their dog off the lead past the ‘post 10’ marker.

Meanwhile at Murlough Nature Reserve dogs must be kept on leads at all times.

At the nearby strand in Newcastle dogs are not allowed on certain sections of the beach from April 1 until September 30.