We are off to a show this weekend at Verwood, Dorset, can anyone reccomend a dog friendly beach nearby. I don't want to free run, just to be able to walk on it and show our year old boy the sea!
Thanks,

Isn't there a section at Hengistbury Head that is dog friendly? .......it might be restricted to certains of the year though

I'm interested in the replies to this because we hope to go to Dorset for a week in July, taking a dog. (Can anyone recommend a campsite? Not like Butlins but not an empty field!)

Here you are ladies, lets hope this is up to date :-)

http://www.petsgoeurope.com/Beach_guide/Dorset_beaches.html

Here is another one

http://www.dorsetforyou.com/2803

I know Sandbanks is a lovely beach, but very very crowded in the summer months..
Christchurch is also lovely..
Haven't checked but Boscombe is a nice walk too..

I have to confess, we are very close to the coast, but never go, always making good use of the forest instead! :-)

Excellent links, thank you!

Caravan or tent?

Tent - but a fairly big one.

We have visited two sites with a caravan, the one we are going to this weekend is www.woolsbridgemanorcaravanpark.co.uk it's quite expensve but good facilities it's at 3 Legged Cross which is handy for the show we are doing.
The other is Fillybrook Farm basic, showers on meter and just discovered it's near Bournemouth airport ( which explains why I could hear planes!!)

It would be useful to have a database on here with reccomendations from CD'ers who have visited sites with dogs.
I hope the weather improves this weekend, it is MEANT to be "flaming June!"

Not exactly the beach but all of the Forestry Commision Camp Sites on the New Forest are pretty good though busy in school holidays. They are big but you can tuck yourself in amongst the trees and face the edge of the site. Hengisbury Head beach is okay all year for dogs and is 25 mins from the N.F. However, the forest itself is fantastic for dogs (as long as they don't chase ponies or cattle) with loads of clean streams to keep them cool. Some excellent tea-rooms and pubs. What better place to stay. PS Watch for adders!

Just back from a great weekend in Dorset, we went to Southbourne Beach which is beautiful and this morning it was so hot so we took cover in the forestry commision land and went for a lovely amble.
Back home, batteries recharged :)

I know that Sandy Balls is a great resort style camp site.

I'm trying to think of the one we last stayed at down there, had lots of dogs, which had to be kept on leads on the camp site but had direct tracks out into the forest, near Lyndhurst... Great location.. Will get back to you on that one and its more basic and quiet..

Is that the camp site near to Ashurst or the one on the Beaulieu to Lyndhurst road? ....or are there some others? Not much use am I and I live here :-D

http://www.new-forest-national-park.com/hollands-wood-caravan-park-and-campsite.html

This is the one i spoke about... Obviously nearer Brockenhurst, but still very close to Lyndhurst. We used to go for late night walks as we were in a large group and the dogs came with us..

And Jolene, sometimes we can have less on an idea as to what is going on in our area than others outside.. :-)

Ah yes......................pass that one regularly :-D  'tis 4 miles from home!  .......................a good place to camp/caravan if you're going to B'mouth champ show :-)