Dog Walking on the Thanet Coast

Dogs & their owners are WELCOME on the following beaches/promenade:

GRENHAM BAY, Birchington EPPLE BAY, Birchington

FULSAM ROCK, Margate SACKETTS GAP, Cliftonville

PALM BAY, Cliftonville FORENESS BAY Cliftonville

KINGSGATE BAY, Broadstairs DUMPTON GAP, Broadstairs

EASTCLIFF, Ramsgate WESTERN UNDERCLIFF, Ramsgate

WINTER BIRDS ALERT (October to March): You can help our important coastal bird life by avoiding these beaches/lower promenades during high tide - 1.5hrs before, to 0.5hrs after high water, and at night. Please avoid putting the birds to flight and using up valuable energy when they should be resting & feeding, as they need the energy to migrate. This is an increasing problem as numbers living and using our coast for recreational walks has increased dramatically over the last few years. We need to share our beaches with coastal birds and wildlife. See Turnstones.

Owners are requested to ensure their dog(s) are kept under control at all times & do not cause distress to other beach/promenade users, and are reminded to always clean up after their dog(s). Any offence not to pick up can result in £100 on the spot fine (fixed penalty notices) or prosecution with a maximum fine of £1,000.

PSPO for Dog fouling & control - coastal sites

From 1 May to 30 September dogs are NOT ALLOWED at any time on the following beaches for recreational tourism & public health reasons:

MINNIS BAY, Birchington (main area)

MARGATE MAIN SANDS

VIKING BAY, Broadstairs

RAMSGATE MAIN SANDS (harbour end)

From 1 May to 30 September, dogs are NOT ALLOWED between 10am to 6pm on the following beaches:

WEST BAY, Westgate

ST MILDRED’S BAY, Westgate

BOTANY BAY, Broadstairs

JOSS BAY, Broadstairs

STONE BAY, Broadstairs

From 1 May to 30 September dogs are ALLOWED ON LEAD between 10am to 6pm on the following beaches:

LOUISA BAY, Broadstairs

WALPOLE BAY, Cliftonville

WESTBROOK BAY, Westbrook

Dogs are ALLOWED ON A LEAD at any time (24 hours) all year round, at:

PEGWELL BAY

on the upper chalk shore

BUT NOT ALLOWED all year round at:

PEGWELL BAY

mudflats & saltmarsh

All dogs on the lower promenades adjacent to these beaches must be kept on a lead.

From 1 October until 30 April dogs are welcome on beaches - except Pegwell Bay - subject to the cleaning up after any dog-fouling, under control, & help in avoiding the high tide winter bird roosts.

CLICK here to see the full Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for Dog Controls by Thanet District Council 2017-20; renewed in 2020 with 3 proposed amendments: consultation (ends 22-12-2020)

Map: Dogs on our Beaches (TDC, 2018)

Pegwell Bay: a natural treasure!

Dogs & walkers can help our impressive coastal bird life by avoiding the mudflats and saltmarsh of Sandwich & Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve to give them the space to rest & feed. Access is available along the cliff top (part of the English Coastal Path) or for ‘dogs on lead’ along the chalk near the base of the cliff at low tide.

Sandwich & Pegwell Bay NNR leaflet - Cover 1a (PDF, 1,291KB)

Sandwich & Pegwell Bay NNR leaflet- Cover 1b (PDF, 1,202KB)

Sandwich & Pegwell Bay NNR leaflet - inside (PDF, 3,973KB)

Information: Sandwich & Pegwell Bay - birds (NE/ECP PDF, 1,583KB)

Access Restrictions - Western Undercliff signs (PDF, 117KB)

Sandwich & Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve (NNR) - revised Management Plan: The Sandwich & Pegwell Bay NNR Steering Group are currently developing a new recreational strategy for the NNR as part of the revised NNR Management Plan (2018-20). This study and work is led by the Kent Wildlife Trust on behalf of all the NNR landowners/partners.

Parks & Open Spaces

Dogs & walkers can also access our impressive coastal cliff top grassland and promenades and Parks. These extensive grass areas include places such as as Warre & Boundary Road Rec or Ellington and King George VI Parks in Ramsgate; Memorial and St Peters Rec, or Holmes or Pierremont Park in Broadstairs,; to Dane Valley Rec, or Northdown, Dane or Hartsdown Park in Margate; to Lymington Road Rec in Westgate or Crispe Park in Birchington.

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Doggie 'pit-stops' & guided walk - Pegwell Bay NNR

These events helped with advise on hand to help local dog walkers with tips about looking after their dogs, where to go and about how to help wildlife in Pegwell Bay - Kent's largest national nature reserve. The events were linked to the new English Coastal Path that is due to opened around the Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve in July 2016.

Further information: Calling all Canines (PDF, 155KB)

Images from the 2016 events:

11 March - Pit-Stop;

12 March -Pit-stop;

12 March Pit-stop & walk {click hyperlinks to see images of these events}

Doggie 'Meet & Greet': Launch of Tikspac

28 October: Near The Look Out Cafe, Government Acre, Ramsgate

New: 2019 & in perpetuity - SAMM: 'BirdWise East Kent'

During the Jan/Feb 2019, Thanet and Canterbury Councils commissioned a ‘baseline’ count by consultants ‘Footprint Ecology’ for a bird and people count with some face to face interviews with people at 8 locations around the NE Kent MPA. This is all part of the mitigation measures for future development and new people pressure in the future (‘SAMM’). More information.see 'Strategic Access Management and Monitoring' plan (SAMM; & Birdwise East Kent. below):

Thanet SAMM

Thanet wader & visitor survey report (31 July 2019)

Birdwise East Kent (facebook)

Further information:

Dog Walking Thanet Coastal Code

Dog on our beaches (link, TDC)

Dog Friendly beaches - Canterbury coastline (Whitstable to Herne Bay)