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World Walkies
A boxer dog walking out of the shallow water on the shingle and sand of Preston Beach, looking back at the camera, with the curve of Weymouth Bay and green hills behind

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Dog-friendly Weymouth

Photo: Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England, CC BY 2.0

Walk the coast path from Bowleaze Cove to Osmington Mills, where the Smugglers Inn lets dogs in, or follow the Rodwell Trail past Sandsfoot Castle. Preston Beach and Bowleaze Cove are open to dogs all year. From May to September the main beach closes to them, apart from the dog area by the Pavilion.

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Where to stay in Weymouth with a dog

4 hotels, inns and B&Bs and 8 cottages and holiday lets that take dogs, each with its dog charge and limits.

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Where to stay

Our picks: the places most welcoming to dogs.

  • Hotel · Seafront

    The Jubilee Hotel

    Dog charge: £10 per dog per night

    A big seafront hotel on the Esplanade with a spa and a smokehouse grill. Your dog can come down to dinner with you in the dog-friendly part of the restaurant.

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  • Hotel · Fleet

    Moonfleet Manor

    Dog charge: £25 per dog per night

    A family hotel at Fleet, west of Weymouth, with plenty of space for a walk before bed. Dogs get their own menu and a wash station for sandy paws.

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  • Cottage · Weymouth

    Markham House

    Dog charge: £30 per dog per night

    A modern house for up to five on the west side of town, with a lawned garden closed in for dogs. Small dogs come by arrangement.

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Weymouth with a dog

Weymouth's Esplanade curves round a sandy bay, with the harbour and its pubs at the southern end and Preston Beach and Bowleaze Cove to the east. Across the water sits Portland, joined to the mainland by the long shingle bank of Chesil Beach.

The coast path climbs east from Bowleaze over the cliffs to Osmington Mills. West of the harbour, the Rodwell Trail follows the old railway line past Sandsfoot Castle, and in the middle of town the RSPB reserve at Radipole Lake has trails for dogs, next to the station.

Beaches

All 5 dog-friendly beaches in Weymouth

Pubs and cafes

All 11 dog-friendly pubs and cafes in Weymouth

Dog walks

  • Bowleaze Cove to Osmington Mills · 3.6 miles (5.8km)

    An up-and-down stretch of the coast path from the car park at Bowleaze Cove to Osmington Mills, where a small waterfall drops onto a beach full of fossils and the Smugglers Inn sits above the shore. Come back the same way, or head inland to Osmington for the bus back to Bowleaze. It can be muddy.

  • Nothe Gardens and the Rodwell Trail · 4.7 miles (7.5km)

    A loop on pavements and firm paths from the Jubilee Clock, past Radipole Lake and over Westham Bridge onto the Rodwell Trail, the old Weymouth to Portland railway line. It passes Sandsfoot Castle, which has a cafe, then comes back by the Nothe Fort and its gardens and round the harbour.

  • Radipole Lake · 1 mile (1.6km)

    A flat, firm trail round the RSPB reserve in the middle of town, with reedbed platforms, a boardwalk and a viewing shelter; look out for bearded tits, kingfishers and otters. Dogs are welcome on the marked dog-friendly trails and in the Discovery Centre, which has a cafe.

The journey

Getting to Weymouth with a dog

The nearest station is Weymouth.

You can take your dog on the train to Weymouth for free: National Rail allows up to two per passenger. Keep them on a lead or in a carrier on the train and at stations.

Weymouth station is a few minutes' walk from the Esplanade and the Jubilee Clock, and right beside Radipole Lake.

Driving in, the Swannery car park beside Radipole Lake is a large council pay and display car park, close to the station and the town centre.

Map of dog-friendly places in Weymouth

S = stay, B = beach, P = pub or cafe, W = walk start. Hover over or tap a pin to see its card.

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Beaches

Pubs and cafes

Good to know

  • From 1 May to 30 September, keep your dog off the main beach between the Pavilion and the Pier Bandstand, and off Greenhill beach. In summer they can still use the dog area by the Pavilion, the beach from Greenhill Groyne to Overcombe, and Bowleaze Cove.
  • From 1 October to the end of April, every part of Weymouth and Greenhill beaches is open to dogs, and they can be off the lead on the sand.
  • Keep your dog on a lead on the promenade all year. The lead can be no longer than 2 metres.
  • On the coast path, clip the lead on around sheep, cows and horses, and keep your dog back from the cliff edges.
  • At Radipole Lake, keep your dog on a short lead and stick to the marked dog-friendly trails.

Quick answers about Weymouth with a dog

Is Weymouth dog friendly?
Yes. Preston Beach and Bowleaze Cove are open to dogs all year, the coast path runs east from Bowleaze to Osmington Mills, and the RSPB reserve at Radipole Lake has trails for dogs in the middle of town. Plenty of pubs let dogs in, from the Ship Inn on the harbour to the Smugglers Inn at Osmington Mills.
Can I take my dog on the train to Weymouth?
Yes. Dogs travel free on National Rail, up to two per passenger, on a lead or in a carrier on the train and at stations. Weymouth station is a few minutes' walk from the beach.
Where can I walk my dog in Weymouth?
Along Preston Beach and on to Bowleaze Cove at any time of year, then up the coast path to Osmington Mills. In town, try the Rodwell Trail on the old Portland railway line, the Nothe Gardens, or the dog-friendly trails at Radipole Lake.