Beaches

Beaches on the north coast of the Isle of Wight

Shingle shores on the Solent, best for watching the yachts. Every beach with parking, dogs and water quality.

By Steve Dumas
Published

Appley BeachBembridge (Lane End)Priory BayRyde SandsSeagrove BaySt Helens DuverSandown BeachShanklin BeachWhitecliff BayYaverlandSteephill CoveVentnor BeachBrook BayCompton Bay and Hanover PointFreshwater BayAlum BayColwell BayTotland BayYarmouth beachCowes seafront and Egypt PointEast Cowes beachGurnard

What counts: Shingle shores on the Solent, best for watching the yachts. 3 of the 22 beaches we cover qualify. None has lifeguards. 3 were rated Excellent for water quality in the latest Environment Agency classification. 3 allow dogs on at least part of the beach all year.

Cowes seafront and Egypt Point

Cowes seafront and Egypt Point

A pebbly town beach below Princes Green and the promenade to Egypt Point, better for watching yachts and walking the seafront than for a full beach day.

  • Shingle
  • Excellent water
  • Dog zones in summer
East Cowes beach

East Cowes beach

A quiet sand-and-shingle beach along the East Cowes Esplanade with a paddling pool, play area and views across to Cowes, good for families with small children at lower tides.

  • Sand and shingle
  • Excellent water
  • Dog zones in summer
Gurnard

Gurnard

A shingle village beach west of Cowes with beach huts, a sailing club and free seafront parking, best for an evening swim or sunset with the Solent shipping going past.

  • Shingle
  • Excellent water
  • Dog zones in summer

At a glance

BeachTypeWater qualityLifeguardsDogs
Cowes seafront and Egypt PointShingleExcellent (2025)NoCowes is covered by the council's dog exclusion order from 1 May to 30 September (confirmed for 2026). The council's published zone runs from the public slipway at the bottom of Egypt Hill east to a point level with the eastern edge of Princes Green, so the shore west of Egypt Hill towards Gurnard is outside it. That zone wording comes from a 2015 council leaflet, as the current PSPO maps could not be opened during research; follow the signs. Dogs must be on a lead on Princes Green itself all year. The whole beach is open to dogs from October to April.
East Cowes beachSand and shingleExcellent (2025)NoEast Cowes is covered by the council's dog exclusion order from 1 May to 30 September (confirmed for 2026). The council's published zone is short: from the slipway opposite the Esplanade toilets to the first set of steps past the toilets, between the groynes. The rest of the beach is outside it. That zone wording comes from a 2015 council leaflet, as the current PSPO maps could not be opened during research, so follow the signs. Dogs must be on a lead on the Esplanade all year.
GurnardShingleExcellent (2025)NoGurnard is one of the beaches covered by the council's dog exclusion order from 1 May to 30 September (confirmed for 2026). The council's published zone description puts the banned stretch from the eastern edge of the public slipway where Shore Road meets the promenade, east to the groyne by the Princes Esplanade fountain; the shore either side is outside the zone. That zone wording comes from a 2015 council leaflet, as the current PSPO maps on the council website could not be opened during research, so follow the signs on the sea wall. Dogs are allowed on the whole beach from October to April.

From our beach data, last checked 2026-10-16. A dash means we haven’t confirmed it yet.

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