Dog-friendly beaches in Essex
We all know that no beach holiday is complete without the family pup in tow and Essex offers a great selection of pooch-friendly shores. Our furry friends love to splash in the waves and bound across the sands, just like us!
Here at Haven, we know that finding dog friendly spots can be one of the greatest challenges of the beach holiday, so we’ve searched them out and composed this little collection of the best dog friendly beaches in Essex.
Irlam’s Beach, Harwich
Dogs allowed: all year round
Just outside of Harwich lies a secluded stretch of shore at Irlam’s Beach. Bordered by rolling sand dunes and wild marshes, this shore is calling out for a visit with your furry family member. Often featured on lists of ‘secret’ beaches in Essex, Irlam’s is a great one if you’re looking to get away from the crowds and let the pooch run wild across the open sands or explore the grassed terrains of the marshland. Watch the ships and trawlers coming into Harwich and Felixstowe ports and the ferries heading out across to Holland whilst your pooch happily splashes in the rocky shallows of this best-kept secret shore.
If you’ve got a patient pooch in tow, Irlam is also a spot for the keen fishers. Keep in mind that there aren’t any amenities at Irlam, so it’s a day for bringing sandwiches, or heading into Harwich for its selection of pubs and restaurants.
Dovercourt Bay Beach, Dovercourt
Dogs allowed: all year round (restrictions in some areas 1 May - 30 Sep)
Marked by two 19th-century cast-iron lighthouses, the shore of Dovercourt Bay is a distinctive and panoramic beach. A bracing dog-walk along the front brings you to Hamford Water National Nature Reserve - a coastal area made up of mudflats, marsh, and sands providing rich and varied scenery. Dovercourt Bay has some areas that allow dogs only from 1st October to 30th April, but the rest of this seaside welcomes your canines all year round, making it one of the best dog friendly beaches in Essex.
There are plenty of other activities to be had at Dovercourt too – a hub for jet-skiing, sailing and windsurfing, you’ll be surprised that the vibe remains quite serene at this sand and shingle beach.
The Naze Beach, Walton-on-the-Naze
Dogs allowed: all year round (on leads May-September)
Not only is The Naze one of Essex’s all-round best beaches, but it also happens to be a haven for the hounds. You’ll definitely be in good company if you take your pooch for a stroll at the Naze and its surrounding nature reserve. Dog walkers are a common sight at this wild and rugged spot, so there’ll be plenty of opportunity for pooches and walkers alike to make new friends. The Naze Beach itself is a sandy shore, great for digging holes and small paws to scamper along sea front.
Walton-on-the-Naze is a real dog-lovers paradise, with many of the cafés offering bowls of water or dog biscuits for sale, to make sure you furry friends feel just as welcome as you do. There are a few areas at the Naze Beach where dogs must be kept on leads during the high season (May-September), so be sure to keep an eye out for the public signage indicating where these are.
Cudmore Grove Beach, Mersea Island
Dogs allowed: all year round
In East Mersea lies another beautiful - though markedly different - beach at Cudmore Grove. This sand and pebble beach is part of a 102-acre nature reserve that offers a wealth of varied landscapes, from salt marshes to grasslands to meadows, making for a diverse and fun-filled dog-walk. Cudmore Grove Beach has been likened to the Caribbean, with its golden sands backed by tall trees and can often feel like you’re walking on your own private beach due to its little-known status.
As a Site of Special Scientific Interest, there’s plenty of wildlife spotting to be had en-route, and an opportunity for fossil-hunting, whilst the children’s play area makes sure that every member of the family is provided for. Both West Mersea and Cudmore are dog friendly beaches in Essex, though the council asks that dogs be kept on leads during the summer months in some sections of the shoreline.
West Mersea Beach, Mersea Island
Dogs allowed: all year round
Mersea is called an island, surrounded by the estuaries of the rivers Blackwater and Colne. However, it is easily accessible by car via ‘The Strood’ – the road, or causeway that keeps it connected to the mainland. Be careful to check the tide times though, as the causeway gets covered periodically for one week each month, making the island true to its name.
West Mersea Beach is a great one for dog walkers – a large stretch of sand and shingle with friendly shallows for the pooch to paddle in. Also known for its crabbing rocks and calm waters that are convenient for paddle-boarding, West Mersea Beach provides for all whims and fancies. If you like seafood, The Company Shed is just a five-minute car journey away and serves locally sourced crab, lobster, fish, mussels, tiger prawns and more.
Start planning your Great British break
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Important information
*New holiday homes from £29,995 – UPDATED 29 August 2024
*Holiday home price is based on a new 3-bedroom ABI Horizon holiday home and includes siting, connections and standard accessories.
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As at 29 August 2024, price is available at selected parks Blue Dolphin, Craig Tara, Cleethorpes Beach, Caister, Combe Haven, Far Grange, Greenacres, Golden Sands, Haggerston, Orchards, and Quay West. Price can be withdrawn at any time.
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Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
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Price excludes 2024 site fees, running costs and add-ons requested at point of sale. Subject to status and availability.
As at 31 July 2024, price is available at Blue Dolphin, Caister, Cleethorpes Beach, Combe Haven, Craig Tara, Far Grange, Greenacres, Golden Sands, Haggeston, Orchards, Quay West, Skegness and Wild Duck.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
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Let2offset is a contractual lettings product that offers eligible owners a guaranteed letting income at a preferential rate (calculated each year) in exchange for a stipulated number of letting breaks. It also allows eligible owners to pay their site fees and receive their letting income in 12 equal monthly instalments; the monthly site fee amount charged by Haven will be after deduction of the letting income.
‘Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031’ is available at 33 Haven parks excluding Burnham, Cardigan View, Far Grange, Garreg Wen, Lydstep Beach, Riviere Sands and Seaview. The letting income received will vary by make, model and location. The monthly site fee payment does not include running costs e.g. utilities, rates & insurance.
“Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031” is applicable to new and existing customer purchases of new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed or equivalent or superior grade holiday home purchases made through Haven where customers have also signed up to Haven’s Let2offset contract. It is not applicable to private sales and cannot be used in conjunction with our free Site Fee promotion. It is available across 40% of eligible Parks and applies when letting a new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home (or equivalent or superior grade for 15 weeks.
An example of how “Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031” operates under Let2offset is the purchase of an Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home at Primrose Valley with a monthly site fee of £585.00 (includes purchasing discount of £45) and monthly letting income of £803.67. The monthly difference equates to £218.67, which will be credited to the owner's account. Both letting income and site fees are subject to yearly pricing reviews and the monthly site fee costs and letting income shown in the example are based on 2024 figures.
Modelled assumptions on expected annual site fee and letting income charges over the 7-year lettable life of the Atlas Sahara 3 Bed indicate that under Let2offset it is anticipated that these customers will continue to receive a monthly credit during this period, however, this is not guaranteed. The modelled assumptions are based on the historical performance of Haven over the past 5 years of trading.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.