While sun-seekers flock to the beaches in the summertime, dogs and their guardians seem to love the off season the most, when restrictions are lifted. In this post, Part 2 of our series about local nature walks, we celebrate beaches!
Pirate’s Cove, Rye
In pulling together my experiences to share, I have learned that this is merely the colloquial name for this beach and not its true title, which may be Wallis Beach – confusingly similar in name to its neighbor (separated by a rock wall): Wallis Sands State Beach. On the shoreside, it is bordered by a concrete wall and private homes. It ends at Concord Point, where multiple waterways from the surrounding marshes converge and meet with the ocean. During the off season, we’ve met many pups and their guardians doing laps or chasing the ball up and down this stretch of sandy shoreline. Low tide is our pups’ favorite, when they have tons of room to run and shallow waves to dabble in. Rye’s town beaches have minimal restrictions during the off-season, as described here. Here is a map of Rye’s other beaches, where the same rules apply. Dogs are prohibited on state beaches at all times.
Seapoint Beach, Kittery
Seapoint is a quiet, secluded beach bordering Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge (meaning guardians must ensure their pups stay on the beach side of the property line!). It is well loved as more of a dog beach than beach that allows dogs. While you may see a pup on leash occasionally, most furry beachgoers are off leash/under voice control (during the allowed hours/times). The north side is sandy and as one walks down towards neighboring Crescent Beach (separated by a small path through beach shrubbery), it becomes littered with increasingly more stones. Parking at the beach is very limited but there is more at the top of the hill, especially in the off season when the residency restrictions are lifted. More guidelines can be found here.
Long Sands, York
Sand for miles! Okay, 1.5 from one end to the other but still impressive! Sheer length is not all that Long Sands is popular for. At low tide, it becomes even more impressive in size, allowing for all out sprints for the tennis ball! At high tide, the beach essentially disappears as waves meet the concrete barrier that can also be seen as a useful safety feature, dividing the beach from Route 1A. There are many more beaches in York that might suit you and your pup’s fancy. You can find them here and the dog regulations at this official town site.
Recent Comments