Visiting Studland Bay with your dog

A small dog on the lead standing at the beach — Dog on the lead at the beach | © National Trust Images / James Dobson

Well-behaved dogs are welcome at Studland Bay all year round, with over four miles of dog walking routes along the water’s edge. Take a coastal stroll to Old Harry Rocks or head inland through the dunes and heathland. Wherever you choose to go with your four-legged friend please follow the guidance below to ensure everyone has a good visit.

Our pawprint rating system

We’ve been working on making it easier for you to find out how dog-friendly your visit will be before you and your four-legged friend arrive. To help with this, we've created a new pawprint rating system and given all the places in our care a rating. You can find this information in the National Trust members’ handbook.

Studland Bay is a two pawprint rated place.

These places have water bowls, dog bins and dog-friendly walks. You’ll be able to take your dog into some areas, but not everywhere. If there’s a food and beverage outlet, you can have a cup of tea with them, probably outside. Read on to discover exactly where you can take your dog.

Dog access guidance

Well-behaved dogs are welcome at Studland Bay all year round, with over four miles of dog walking routes along the water’s edge.

1 October to 30 April: Dogs can be walked on the beach off the lead.

1 May to 30 September: Dogs should be on a lead of less than 2m anywhere on the beach.

1 March to 31 July: Dogs on leads in the heathland and dunes to protect ground-nesting birds.

We have signage to ask visitors to avoid disturbing over-wintering birds on the most sensitive area of Brand’s Bay (the inner harbour, not the main beaches). This includes putting dogs on leads if they are likely to chase birds. Repeatedly being flushing into flight causes these birds stress and uses energy they need to keep warm and feed. The signs offer a nature-friendly alternative circular route encompassing the foreshore at Bramble Bush Bay, the heathland, dunes and beach.

The Canine Code at Studland Bay

Do keep to the paths: heathland is home to ticks and adders and your dog will be safer on the path. If your dog is bitten by an adder, visit the vet immediately.
Do respect other visitors and keep your dog in sight: not everyone loves dogs, so before letting your best friend approach other people, please check with them first.
Do bag it and bin it: dog waste can be disposed of in all blue general waste bins which you’ll find in every car park. Please do not bag and then leave your dog waste in this special place, it can be very harmful to local wildlife and children playing.
Do protect nesting birds on heathland: rare birds nest on or near the ground so please keep your dog on a short lead when on the heath between March and July.
Do keep your dog on a lead near cliffs: every year dogs fall from the cliffs and some are fatally injured. Please don’t let your dog become a casualty.

Dog and child playing in the waves at the beach — Visit Studland Bay with your dog | © Megan Taylor

Keeping control of your dog

Our definition of close or effective control is:

Being able to recall your dogs in any situation at the first call
Being able to clearly see your dog at all times (not just knowing they have gone into the undergrowth or over the crest of the hill). In practice, this means keeping them on a footpath if the surrounding vegetation is too dense for your dog to be visible
Not allowing them to approach other visitors without their consent
Having a lead with you to use if you encounter livestock or wildlife, or if you are asked to use one