Dog-Friendly Sunderland: Beaches, Walks, Pubs and Cafes

Sunderland has a long seafront, riverside paths and country parks, and plenty of places to stop for a drink with a dog afterwards. There are some rules to know, especially on the beaches in summer. This guide covers where dogs can go, where they cannot, and pubs and cafes that welcome them. Policies at individual venues can change, so it is worth checking before you visit.

Beaches and the summer restrictions

Sunderland City Council uses a Public Spaces Protection Order to control dogs in some public places. Under it, dogs are excluded from parts of the beaches at Roker and Seaburn during the summer, which in recent years has meant 1 May to 30 September. Outside those dates dogs can use the beaches again. The restrictions cover set stretches of sand rather than the whole coastline, and a fixed penalty can be issued for breaching the order.

Dates and boundaries can change when the order is reviewed, so check the current rules on the council's PSPO page before a summer visit. Owners are expected to pick up after their dogs everywhere in the city.

Best for: In summer, keep to the promenade or the unrestricted parts of the beach and check the council's current rules.

Walks with a dog

The promenade from Roker Pier past Seaburn towards Whitburn is popular with dog walkers all year. It is flat and surfaced, so it suits older dogs, and there are pubs and cafes at both Roker and Seaburn for a break. For a longer, traffic-free route, the former Consett and Sunderland Railway Path, part of the C2C, runs level into the city from the west and is shared with cyclists. In the centre, the riverside path from the Keel Crossing towards St Peter's Church and the marina gives a change from the coast. Our guide to walks in Sunderland covers it in more detail.

Penshaw Monument allows dogs. The National Trust asks owners to keep dogs under close control, and on a lead around grazing cattle. Herrington Country Park, next door, has a lake and open paths and makes a good pairing with the climb. The park is busy with runners on Saturday mornings during its parkrun, so a later start can be quieter.

Rainton Meadows, Durham Wildlife Trust's reserve near Houghton-le-Spring, welcomes dogs on a lead. Exmoor ponies, cattle and sheep graze parts of the reserve, so take care around livestock.

In the city, Barnes Park, Mowbray Park, Roker Park and Backhouse Park all have paths and green space for a daily walk, and Tunstall Hills, Hylton Dene and James Steel Park in Washington offer something wilder. Our guide to parks and green spaces in Sunderland has more on each.

One place to leave the dog at home is WWT Washington Wetland Centre, which does not allow dogs or other pets apart from trained assistance dogs.

Best for: Use a lead near livestock at Penshaw and Rainton Meadows, and leave dogs at home for WWT Washington.

Pubs and cafes on the seafront

At Roker, Grannie Annie's Pub & Pantry on Marine Walk is family and dog friendly, which makes it a regular stop for people walking between Roker Pier and Seaburn. Also on Marine Walk, Elephant Rock Cafe Bar is family and dog friendly, with step-free access.

Close to the pier, Tin of Sardines on Pier View has welcomed children and dogs. Further north, The Seaburn Inn on Whitburn Road has a beer garden and a dog-friendly area.

Best for: Roker's Marine Walk has two dog-friendly options side by side, handy after a promenade walk.

Pubs and cafes in the city centre

The Canny Lad on Green Terrace, near the university's City Campus, is a dog-friendly pub that shows live sport. Cafe Floriana on Burdon Road, close to Mowbray Park, welcomes dogs and marks gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options on its menu, which makes it a useful stop after a walk in the park.

Best for: Cafe Floriana pairs well with a lap of Mowbray Park.

Practical tips

Carry water in warm weather, as there are not always bowls outside. Keep dogs on a lead near cliffs, roads, livestock and wildlife reserves. Many venues allow dogs only in certain areas, such as the bar or the garden, so ask staff when you arrive. For more ideas, see our outdoors hub.

Know a place we have missed? Get in touch.