The five best British beaches to visit with your dog this summer – from Cornwall to Scotland

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Travel writer Lottie Gross reveals her top 5 hidden gems to visit with your dog in the UK this summer, and also shares her number one packing item every owner needs

There’s nothing quite like finding a hidden gem in Britain – and with the help of travel writer Lottie Goss, you now know five.

Lottie is the owner of two-year-old Manchester Terrier, Arty, and together the pair have embarked on a number of country-wide adventures to find the best dog-friendly spots.

Lottie told The Mirror: “My favorite part about traveling with Arty is seeing the world through his eyes. Going to the beach and climbing mountains all take on a different dynamic when you have a dog.

“I also love the conversations you have with new people and how approachable it makes you. Often when you travel alone you don’t speak to anyone in a day, but with Arty I always do.”

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Lottie’s essential pack is a dicky bag – a small waterproof pouch that you clip to a pocket or belt buckle and doubles as a portable bin.

“You no longer have to carry the poop bag in your hand and you don’t leave it lying around. I’ve been walking without poop for five years!” said Lotti.

Lottie’s new book Dog-friendly weekends was inspired by her first dog, Milo, who was a “pretty terrible traveller.”

She explained: “We’ve had some stressful trips that caused me to think, “why hasn’t anyone written a guide to this?” – and I did.”

The following top 5 beaches have been adopted by Lottie’s Dog-friendly weekends.

Isles of Scilly, Cornwall

When: May – October

Highlights: White sandy beaches for lazy days in the sun, exciting wildlife and abundant local seafood.

The Isles of Scilly are Britain’s little paradise. Much is said about the microclimate here – these low-lying islands, 55km off the Cornish coast, enjoy warmer and more predictable weather than the rest of the nation thanks to their location on the Gulf Stream – but they are spectacular in all conditions.

As long as you have rain gear and sunscreen, you can’t go wrong with a weekend (or even a week) in this enchanting archipelago.

Anglesey, Wales

When: May – September

Highlights: Fantastic sandy beaches, beautiful forts and delicious seafood.

Undoubtedly Anglesey – a flat island at the tip of the north-west Welsh coast measuring just 45km by 33km – has some of the best views in Wales.

Not that it has particularly dramatic scenery, but from its edges you can look back towards the mainland to see some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the country.

Holkham & Wells, Norfolk

When: All the year long

Highlights: Wild nature, great beaches and fun at sea, from seal watching to crabbing, plus extensive hiking trails in a magnificent country estate.

Norfolk is Britain’s ‘land of big skies’ and nowhere is this more evident than at Holkham Beach (NR23 1RG) on the north Norfolk coast.

Walk through the pine forest that fringes the beach and a vast golden landscape unfolds before you as you step onto the sand.

This area is part of the hugely important Holkham National Nature Reserve, home to countless seabirds, lugworms and cockles beneath the sand.

It’s a spectacular place to walk the dog (on a leash from April to August to protect the little terns that nest on the ground) – especially at sunrise.

Isle of Mull, Scotland

When: May – September

Highlights: Explore the coast on exciting boat trips, laze on pristine beaches and savor the amazing local produce.

Separated from the mainland by the nearly 30km long Sound of Mull, Mull is a wonderfully remote and wild island off the west coast of Scotland.

It’s not huge – measuring about 40km north to south – but the variety of landscapes is impressive, with flaxen white sandy beaches lining its coastline and towering Munros with rocky peaks looming in its midst.

North Northumberland

When: March – September

Highlights: A majestic seaside fortress, endless beaches and spectacular island walks.

No matter what angle you approach Bamburgh from, its imposing castle really makes an impression.

Arriving from the village of Seahouses to the south, you turn the corner with the grassy dunes on your right and fields on your left and it just looms around the bend, regal and red, with its battlements and lording it over the sea beyond .

There’s no other word for it: it’s just great.

To learn more about each location, you can buy Lottie’s Dog-friendly weekends in all good bookstores.

Hear Lottie talk about her favorite UK hotspots dog festival Tatton Park, Belvoir Castle and Knebworth House.

Do you have a dog story for sale? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.