Top 100 best dog-friendly beaches in the UK - see if your favourite made the list

Mudeford Sandbank in Dorset has been named the best dog-friendly beach in the UK, topping a list of 100 spots across the nation.

New research from Cofton Holidays, a dog-friendly holiday park in Devon, has unveiled the top 100 most popular dog-friendly spots by analysing Instagram hashtag data related to man's best friend and UK beaches.

Mudeford Sandbank proved the most popular spot, with heaps of dog owners having shared images from the beach and tagging themselves at the location while out on walks.

Dogs are allowed on the sandy shores year-round, and there are plenty of places to eat nearby, not to mention you can access the beach by car, ferry or train.

Mudeford Sandbank has been named the UK's best dog-friendly beach (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Mudeford wasn't the only spot to impress. West Beach North Berwick in East Lothian took the second spot with dogs also allowed year-round, although they're required to be kept under control or on a lead.

Meanwhile Fistral Beach in Cornwall was close behind in third place, with plenty of facilities and cafes in the area also welcoming pooches, which can be ideal for those summer days when you're looking for a fun day trip.

North Berwick beach (Getty Images)

The research was inspired after the brand found that searches for 'dog treats' rose by 82% year on year in December, with fears that owners could be overfeeding their dogs - so a walk on the beach could be just the exercise pooches need.

Of course there are currently restrictions in place during the pandemic - at the time of writing there are national lockdowns with people being urged to stay at home.

Fistral beach in Cornwall (SWNS)

However, there's no harm in bookmarking some spots near where you live for the day when restrictions do ease and we can start travelling a little further afield again.

(If a beach doesn't appeal during the colder winter days, we've also got a guide to some of the best dog-friendly winter walks at National Trust properties to bookmark for future days out).

In the meantime, you can check out the full list of the UK's 100 best dog-friendly beaches...

UK's 100 best dog-friendly beaches

Watergate Bay took the fourth spot on the list of dog-friendly beaches (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

1. Mudeford Sandbank, Bournemouth, Dorset
2. West Beach North Berwick, East Lothian
3. Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall
4. Watergate Bay, Cornwall
5. Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire
6. Hengistbury West Beach, Bournemouth, Dorset
7. Seahouses North Beach, Northumberland
8. Lifeboat Road Beach, Formby, Merseyside
9. Mawgan Porth Beach, Cornwall
10. Portobello East Beach, City of Edinburgh
11. Lodmoor Beach, Weymouth, Dorset
12. Milford-on-sea Beach, Hampshire
13. Three Cliffs Bay, Swansea
14. Mill Bay, Devon
15. Durdle Door East Beach, Dorset
16. Durdle Door West Beach, Dorset
17. Beadnell Beach, Northumberland
18. Oxwich Bay, Swansea
19. Daymer Bay, Cornwall

20. Druridge Bay North Beach, Northumberland

21. Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire

22. Bamburgh Castle Beach, Northumberland

23. Freshwater West Beach, Pembrokeshire

24. Towan Beach, Newquay, Cornwall

25. Moelfre Beach, Isle of Anglesey

26. Calshot Beach, Hampshire

27. Lunan Bay, Angus

28. Studland Knoll House Beach, Dorset

29. Slapton Sands Monument Beach, Devon

30. Slapton Sands Torcross Beach, Devon

31. Bude Sandymouth Beach, Cornwall

32. Porthcothan Beach, Cornwall

33. Meols Beach, Merseyside

34. Weston-super-Mare Sand Bay, Somerset

35. Summerleaze Beach, Bude, Cornwall

36. St Mary's Bay, Brixham, Devon

37. Fraisthorpe Beach, East Riding of Yorkshire

38. Mother Ivey's Bay, Cornwall

39. Murlough Beach, Down

40. Findhorn Beach, Moray

41. Downderry Beach, Cornwall

42. Hythe Beach, Kent

43. Rhossili North Beach, Swansea

44. Crooklets Beach, Bude, Cornwall

45. Great Western Beach, Newquay, Cornwall

46. Stonehaven Central Beach, Aberdeenshire

47. Porth Neigwl Beach, Gwynedd

48. Aber Mawr Beach, Pembrokeshire

49. Felpham Beach, West Sussex

50. Ringstead Bay, Dorset

51. Spittal Beach, Northumberland

52. Berrow North Beach, Somerset

53. Whitecliff Bay, Isle of Wight

54. Marsden Beach, Tyne and Wear

55. Southwick Beach, West Sussex

56. Seton Sands, East Lothian

57. Cresswell Beach, Northumberland

58. Low Newton Beach, Northumberland

59. Rosemarkie Beach, Highland

60. Beacon Cove, Devon

61. Church Ope Cove, Dorset

62. Gairloch Beach, Highland

63. Gairloch Big Sand, Highland

64. Colwyn Bay Pier Beach, Conwy

65. Caister Point, Norfolk

66. Porthcurnick Beach, Cornwall

67. Cwm yr Eglwys Beach, Pembrokeshire

68. Warkworth Beach, Northumberland

69. Hopeman East Beach, Moray

70. Poole Harbour Lake Beach, Dorset

71. Thurlestone Leasfoot Beach, Devon

72. Thurlestone South Beach, Devon

73. Long Rock Beach, Cornwall

74. Red Point, Highland

75. Conwy Morfa Beach, Conwy

76. Silecroft Beach, Cumbria

77. Mewslade Bay East Beach, Swansea

78. Arbroath Victoria Park Beach, Angus

79. Arbroath West Links Beach, Angus

80. Burry Port Beach, Carmarthenshire

81. Kingsbarns Beach, Fife

82. Newhaven West Quay Beach, East Sussex

83. Easthaven Beach, Angus

84. Ingoldmells Beach, Lincolnshire

85. Gorran Haven Vault Beach, Cornwall

86. St Helens Beach, Isle of Wight

87. Reculver Beach, Kent

88. North Berwick Milsey Bay, East Lothian

89. Coverack Beach, Cornwall

90. Monkstone Beach, Pembrokeshire

91. Wallasey Beach, Merseyside

92. Abergele Pensarn Beach, Conwy

93. Watcombe Beach, Devon

94. Rhoscolyn Borthwen Beach, Isle of Anglesey

95. Porthselau Beach, Pembrokeshire

96. Porth Trecastle Beach, Isle of Anglesey

97. Christchurch Highcliffe Castle Beach, Dorset

98. Lynmouth Beach, Devon

99. Cullen Bay, Moray

100. Thorntonloch Beach, East Lothian

Did your favourite beach make the list? Let us know in the comments below.