Alum Bay
A shingle beach below the multicoloured sand cliffs at the island's western tip, reached by the Needles chairlift or 185 steps, best for the views of the Needles and a boat trip rather than a day on the sand.
- Shingle
- Dogs all year
Beaches
Beaches on the west coast of the Isle of Wight
Calm, clear water for swimming, sunsets over the Solent and the coloured sands of Alum Bay. Every beach with parking, dogs and water quality.
By Steve Dumas
Published
What counts: Calm, clear water for swimming, sunsets over the Solent and the coloured sands of Alum Bay. 4 of the 22 beaches we cover qualify. None has lifeguards. 2 were rated Excellent for water quality in the latest Environment Agency classification. 4 allow dogs on at least part of the beach all year.
Colwell Bay
A calm Solent beach of sand and shingle that suits swimmers, snorkellers and older children, with dogs welcome all year east of the slipway; go near low tide, as there is very little beach left at high water.
- Sand and shingle
- Excellent water
- Dog zones in summer
Totland Bay
A quiet, west-facing Solent beach of sand and pebbles by Totland Pier, with Excellent water, dogs allowed all year and a pub on the sea wall, but almost no beach at high tide.
- Sand and shingle
- Excellent water
- Dogs all year
Yarmouth beach
A small patch of sand and shingle beside Yarmouth's wooden pier and castle, worth a stop for the view and the pier walk while you are in town rather than as a beach day in itself.
- Sand and shingle
- Dogs all year
At a glance
| Beach | Type | Water quality | Lifeguards | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alum Bay | Shingle | – | No | The Needles Landmark Attraction allows dogs on its site, the beach and the boat trips, on a lead at all times. Dogs cannot ride the chairlift or go indoors (assistance dogs excepted), so take them down the steps. Alum Bay is not in the council's seasonal dog ban. |
| Colwell Bay | Sand and shingle | Excellent (2025) | No | Allowed all year east of the slipway. Banned west of the slipway from 1 May to 30 September under the council's Public Spaces Protection Order; £100 fixed penalty, or up to £1,000 if prosecuted. |
| Totland Bay | Sand and shingle | Excellent (2025) | No | Allowed all year with no seasonal exclusion zone (Isle of Wight Council, April 2026). Some older holiday guides say dogs are restricted here in summer; the council's current list takes precedence. Dogs must be on a lead on roads and pavements. |
| Yarmouth beach | Sand and shingle | – | No | Yarmouth is not among the beaches the council lists under its 1 May to 30 September dog exclusion order for 2026 (Colwell, Cowes, East Cowes, Freshwater Bay, Gurnard, Sandown, Shanklin, Springvale, Ventnor, Yaverland and Ryde), and it was not in the council's earlier list of exclusion areas either. One third-party beach guide says dogs are restricted here from May to October; we have gone with the council's list, but check for signs on the day. Dogs must be on a lead on roads and pavements, and the pier is run separately by Yarmouth Harbour. |
From our beach data, last checked 2026-10-16. A dash means we haven’t confirmed it yet.
More ways to choose a beach
- Dog-friendly beaches
- Sandy beaches
- Isle of Wight beaches with Excellent water quality
- Isle of Wight beaches for fossil hunting
- Isle of Wight beaches for rock pooling
- Family-friendly beaches
- Quiet beaches
- Step-free and accessible beaches
- Beaches on the north-east coast
- Beaches on the east coast
- Beaches on the south-west coast
- Beaches on the north coast
- Dog ban dates