Fareham and Gosport have excellent coastal walks, country parks and open spaces for dogs, but the rules are not identical on every beach. Restrictions can change by season and sometimes apply to only one signed section, so check the council information and signs at the entrance rather than relying on a social media post.
Hill Head has different summer and winter zones
Fareham Borough Council excludes dogs from Salterns Road Beach between 1 May and 30 September. A separate signed section of Hill Head Beach is excluded between 1 October and 31 March to protect wintering birds. These zones do not cover the entire coast at the same time, but the boundary matters, so read the signs on arrival.
Our Hill Head Beach guide covers parking and facilities. Near Titchfield Haven, keep dogs under particularly close control around birds and sensitive shoreline habitat.
Lee on the Solent and Stokes Bay have signed seasonal sections
Gosport’s current Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order governs beach exclusions and lead requirements. The central, busiest sections of Lee on the Solent and Stokes Bay have seasonal restrictions, while other stretches remain available. Use the council’s current order and the signs on site as the final authority because boundaries are easier to understand on the published maps than from a written landmark description.
For parking, toilets and family facilities, see our guides to Lee on the Solent seafront and Stokes Bay. At either beach, keep a lead ready even where off-lead exercise is permitted. Promenades become busy quickly in good weather.
Alver Valley gives you space away from the seafront
Alver Valley Country Park offers a mixture of open ground, paths, woodland and wetland habitat. It is a useful alternative when the central beaches are busy or restricted. Keep dogs close around wildlife, horses, cyclists and family play areas, and follow any temporary signs or marked dog-free zones.
Holly Hill and Portchester need closer control in places
Holly Hill Woodland Park provides shaded paths and lakeside scenery, but Fareham’s rules require dogs on leads on the path beside the lakes and on the land between that path and the water. Portchester Common also has areas where dogs must be on leads. These are good walks, but not the right choice if the only aim is unrestricted running.
Near Portchester, a quieter outing can combine the common with the outside of Portchester Castle. English Heritage normally welcomes dogs on leads in the grounds, but check the current visitor information before entering paid or indoor areas.
Country paths still need good judgement
On rural paths around Titchfield, Warsash and the River Hamble, use a lead near livestock, nesting birds, roads and narrow shared paths. Tidal mud, steep creek edges and fast cyclists can create risks even where there is no formal dog exclusion.
A simple checklist before leaving home
Check the current council order, weather and tide. Take water, waste bags and a lead, even for a route where dogs can usually exercise freely. In warm weather, avoid hot promenades and exposed midday walks. In winter, respect wildlife refuge areas even if another part of the beach is open.
This guide was checked on 15 October 2026. Dog Control Orders can be renewed or varied, and temporary restrictions may be introduced. Official council notices and signs on site always take precedence over this guide.
