Written by Jenny Ho
Pets play a massive part in our lives. If you’re a dog parent, you’ll know that from the moment we hit our pillow, to the moment we wake up, they’re there with their tail swaying from side to side and their tongue hanging out.
With Spring in full swing, seaside towns have been eagerly welcoming visitors back to their beaches. The UK might not be known for the best beaches in the world, but there are some hidden gems that will pleasantly surprise you. With so many amazing dog-friendly beaches to choose from, it can be difficult knowing where to begin, so let us help you decide with our study.
The results are in, and the UK’s most Instagrammable dog-friendly beaches are…
United Kingdom
| Beach | City | Total |
| West Kirby | Merseyside | 117,416 |
| Lytham St Annes | Lancashire | 81, 306 |
| Dalmore beach | Hebrides | 76, 721 |
| Moreton | Merseyside | 72, 278 |
| Crosby (Hall Road West) | Merseyside | 70, 631 |
| Ballycastle | County Antrim | 67, 433 |
| Gourock West Bay | Strathclyde | 56, 052 |
| Findhorn | Grampian | 50, 111 |
| Belhaven Dunbar | Lothian | 49, 747 |
| Lossiemouth East | Grampian | 49, 593 |
Claiming the title of UK’s most Instagrammable dog beach is West Kirby, Merseyside, which has been tagged in 117,416 posts. Sitting on the Wirral Peninsula, it offers an incredible view across the Dee Estuary. While the beach is only 300 metres long, it has been deemed to be very popular across Instagram.
Lytham St Annes beach in Lancashire is the second most Instagrammable dog beach with 81,306 hashtags associated with its name. Home to a Victorian pier, fairs, and donkey rides, it’s the perfect place to take your dog for a walk along the prom or run across the beach.
With 76,721 tagged photos on Instagram, Dalmore beach in Hebrides Scotland comes in third place. This beach is sandy with the most beautiful rock pools.
Also in the top ten: Moreton (72, 278), Crosby (70,631), Ballycastle (67,433), Gourock West Bay (56,052), Findhorn (50,111), Belhaven Dunbar (49, 747), and Lossiemouth East (49,593).
England
| Beach | City | Total |
| West Kirby | Merseyside | 117,416 |
| Lytham St Annes | Lancashire | 81, 306 |
| Moreton | Merseyside | 72, 278 |
| Crosby (Hall Road West) | Merseyside | 70, 631 |
| Workington | Cumbria | 41, 252 |
| Arnside | Cumbria | 27, 285 |
| St Bees | Cumbria | 25, 578 |
| Heysham (Half Moon Bay) | Lancashire | 24, 310 |
| Grange-Over-Sands | Cumbria | 20, 407 |
| Hightown | Merseyside | 19, 127 |
West Kirby and Lytham St Annes beach have both made their way onto England’s first and second place for the most Instagrammable dog beach. Followed by Moreton (third) and Crosby (fourth) beach in Merseyside.
In fifth place is Workington, Cumbria. South of the mouth of River Derwent, this coastal town has a rich industrial heritage. This sandy beach is perfect for your pet, with grassy banks and an armour of pebbles.
Also in the top ten: Arnside (27,285), St Bees (25,578), Heysham (24,310), Grange-Over-Sands (20,407) and Hightown (19,127).
Scotland
| Beach | City | Total |
| Dalmore Beach | Hebrides | 76, 721 |
| Gourock West Bay | Strathclyde | 56, 052 |
| Findhorn | Grampian | 50, 111 |
| Belhaven Dunbar | Lothian | 49, 747 |
| Lossiemouth East | Grampian | 49, 593 |
| Prestwick | Strathclyde | 42, 667 |
| Cramond | Lothian | 41, 446 |
| Loch Morlich | Highlands | 39, 762 |
| Dornoch | Highlands | 39, 170 |
| Thurso Bay | Highlands | 37, 362 |
Not only is Dalmore the UK’s third most Intagrammable dog beach in the UK, but it takes first place in Scotland. This magnificent sandy beach on the Atlantic Coast of the Isle of Lewis is super dog friendly. In the summer, there is a ferry (CalMac) that sails to the outer Hebrides that allows your pet to be aboard – there’s no excuse not to take your best friend!
With 56,052 tagged photos on Instagram, Gourock West Bay comes second place. This shingle beach has the best panoramic views of the Upper Firth of Clyde making it impossible to not stop to take a photo.
And if you like to finish your day off with a walk along the prom while the sun goes down, this one’s for you.
Also in the top ten: Findhorn (50,111), Belhaven Dunbar (49,747), Lossiemouth East (49, 593), Prestwick (42,667), Cramond (41,446), Loch Morlich (39,762), Dornoch (39, 170) and Thurso Bay (37,362).
Wales
| Beach | City | Total |
| Aberystwyth | Ceredigion | 284, 780 |
| Little Island Bay (Barry Island) | Glamorgan | 147, 021 |
| Abersoch | Gwynedd | 134, 735 |
| Newry Beach | Anglesey | 117, 031 |
| Beaumaris | Anglesey | 98, 067 |
| St Davids | Anglesey | 92, 439 |
| Colwyn Bay | Clwyd | 63, 567 |
| Saundersfoot | Pembrokeshire | 56, 739 |
| Shell Island | Gwynedd | 51, 011 |
| Ogmore | Glamorgan | 38, 056 |
At top spot for the most Instagrammable dog beach in Wales goes to, Aberystwyth. Home to Aberystwyth castle, this area is popular with tourists. Beaming with activities you can find donkey rides, sailing, and surfing on this coast. Perfect for a family holiday and no need for your dog to miss out as this beach is dog-friendly.
Also in the top ten: Little Island Bay (147,021), Abersoch (134,735), Newry (117,031), Beaumaris (98,067), St Davids (92,439), Colwyn Bay (63,567), Saundersfoot (56,739), Shell island (51,011) and Ogmore (38,056).
Northern Ireland
| Beach | City | Total |
| Ballycastle | County Antrim | 67, 433 |
| Nicholsons Strand (Cranfield) | County Down | 15, 092 |
| Waterfoot | County Antrim | 11, 986 |
| Carnlough | County Antrim | 10, 278 |
| Ballywalter | County Down | 5, 917 |
| Ballyhalbert | County Down | 1, 962 |
| Rossglass | County Down | 1, 322 |
| Downhill Strand | County Londonberry | 828 |
| Mill Strand Portrush | County Antrim | 34 |
| The Strand Portstewart | County Londonberry | 14 |
Claiming the spot of the most Instagrammable dog beach in Northern Ireland is Ballycastle, which is on the Antrim Coast. Known for its marina and visiting vessels this beach has become popular with tourists. There is a bridge that stretches out into the sea, which makes a very Insta-worthy photo – even more so with your furry friend.
In second place is Nicholsons Strand in County Down. With crystal clear water, it makes the perfect beach to take your dog down for a bathe, especially if the sun is out. The third-place goes to Waterfoot, Country Antrim situated in a small village. Step across the sandy beach and walk along the boardwalk through to Glenariff nature reserve.
Also in the top ten: Carnlough (10,278), Ballywalter (5,917), Ballyhalbert (1,962), Rossglass (1,322), Downhill Strand (828), Mill Strand Portrush (34), and The Strand Portstewart (14).
So, whether you’re looking for an action-packed adventure or a slightly more relaxing trip with your dog, there is something for everyone. Get ready to take some seriously Insta-worthy snaps of your pup on one of these epic beaches!
Methodology
To determine the most Instagrammable dog-friendly beach, the team at IWOOT built a list of over 100 dog-friendly beaches across the UK using thebeachguide.co.uk/dog-friendly. We then looked at the number of photos posted on Instagram that feature the name of the beach in a hashtag, as well as associated hashtags (e.g. #westkirbybeach, #westkirbypromenade etc.) We then combined the numbers to get our total, before cutting down to the top 10 most Instagrammable dog-friendly beaches in UK.
If you go to one of the beaches mentioned, make sure you post a picture with your pet using #IWOOTpet
While you’re here, why not check out IWOOT’s collection of pet gifts?
