- Water quality Excellent sampled 15 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 12.7 °C surface, modelled
- Waves 1.1 m period 9 s · NW
- Wind 5 mph from N · gust 10
- Next tide High 01:24 today · 0.9 m
Curving town beach at the eastern end of the Causeway Coast, with the Glens of Antrim behind.
Conditions now
Air
7°C
Clear
Swell
1.1m
period 7 s · NW
Rain
2mm
last 48 hours
Water quality
A designated bathing water: DAERA samples it weekly through the bathing season (1 June–15 September).
Latest sample 15 Sep 2026: Excellent — E. coli 170, intestinal enterococci 24 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 2026 | 170 | 24 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Sep 2026 | 15 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2026 | 90 | 22 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Aug 2026 | 10 | 13 | Excellent | — |
| 5 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2026 | 19 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2026 | 16 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 23 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 46 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jul 2026 | 150 | 210 | Satisfactory | — |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 12 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jun 2026 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jun 2026 | 18 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2026 | 900 | 400 | Satisfactory | — |
| 1 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 May 2026 | 10 | 15 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Sep 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Jul 2025 | 42 | 14 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2025 | 17 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2025 | 190 | 24 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2025 | 11 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jun 2025 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jun 2025 | 42 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 18 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 May 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
Weekly lab samples, not real-time. Avoid bathing for 48 h after heavy rain. Bathing Water Profile (PDF).
Sewage & storm overflows
7 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi — 2 rated Unsatisfactory.
Measured in 202555 spills70 h · 14 in the bathing season · 2 of 7 monitored
Nearest 7 overflows
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Modelled spills/yr | Measured 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonamargy WwPS → Glenshesk River |
780 yd | To be Determined | — | 49 spills 11 in season · 53 h |
| Ballycastle IPS → North Coast/Tow River |
0.6 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| Ballycastle FFT CSO | 0.6 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| Ballycastle FA CSO | 0.6 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| Quay Road CSO → Tow River |
0.8 mi | Unsatisfactory | — | 6 spills 3 in season · 17 h |
| Fairhead View Rathlin View CSO → Glens and Rathlin |
1.0 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| The Diamond Ballycastle CSO → Tow River |
1.0 mi | Unsatisfactory | — | monitored |
How these are counted
“Modelled” is NI Water's hydraulic-model prediction of spills per year. “Measured” is from NI Water's event duration monitors, counted with the industry 12/24 method (discharges within the same 12- or 24-hour block count as one spill); the bathing-season figure (1 Jun–15 Sep) is our count from NI Water's published discharge log. An overflow with no monitor isn't known to be dry. Classification is NI Water's own.
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Churchfield Road WwTW (0.7 mi) · Drumavoley Road 39-41 ST (0.9 mi → Glenshesk River).
Amenities & features
Parking
9
Toilets
2
Cafes & food
e.g. Shorebird
9
Pubs & bars
e.g. Harbour Bar
2
Shops
e.g. Spar
1
Picnic tables
1
Benches
3
Viewpoints
1
Information
2
Seaside Award 2026
RNLI lifeguards in season
Dogs, access & rules
Seasonal dog restrictions
- Dogs: Dogs excluded from the bathing strand 1 May–30 September; under control on the rest of the beach. Council byelaw
Rules and dates vary by council and season — check the signage at the entrance.
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Ballycastle 0.5 mi
- Rathlin 6.1 mi
- Ballintoy 6.3 mi
2 more further away
- Portbradden 7.8 mi
- Dunseverick 8.3 mi
Wildlife & designations
This beach lies in or within 0.6 mi of:
Alerts & advisories
Rip currents on surf beaches
The open Atlantic strands generate strong rip currents, particularly around low tide and after big swell. Swim between the red-and-yellow flags at lifeguarded beaches in season, never alone, and if caught in a rip do not swim against it: raise a hand, float, and let it carry you out until it releases.