- Water quality Excellent sampled 2 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 14.7 °C surface, modelled
- Air 13 °C Drizzle
- Wind 16 mph from NW · gust 27
- Next tide Low 03:08 tomorrow · 0.6 m
Ballygally or Ballygalley is a village and holiday resort in County Antrim, Northern Ireland which lies on the Antrim coast, approximately 3 miles north of Larne. It is also a townland of 769 acres and is situated in the civil parish of Carncastle and the historic barony of Glenarm Upper. It had a population of 821 in the 2011 census. It is located within the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area.
Adapted from Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Conditions now
Air
13°C
Drizzle
Sea temp
14.7°C
surface, modelled
Wind
16mph
from NW · gust 27 mph
Sea state1.4 mperiod 5 s · NW
Swell0.5 m8 s · NW
Rain, 48 h3 mm
Water quality
Latest sample 2 Sep 2026: Excellent — E. coli 73, intestinal enterococci 130 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep 2026 | 73 | 130 | Excellent | — |
| 26 Aug 2026 | 10 | 13 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2026 | 16 | 13 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Aug 2026 | 11 | 16 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Aug 2026 | 21 | 31 | Excellent | — |
| 5 Aug 2026 | 37 | 23 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2026 | 26 | 17 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 55 | 28 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2026 | 11 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jul 2026 | 170 | 60 | Excellent | — |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 47 | 14 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jun 2026 | 11 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 5 Jun 2026 | 280 | 23 | Good | — |
| 4 Jun 2026 | 1300 | 190 | NoBathing | — |
| 1 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 May 2026 | 33 | 15 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Sep 2025 | 70 | 40 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2025 | 17 | 29 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2025 | 18 | 70 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Aug 2025 | 11 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Jul 2025 | 16 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2025 | 47 | 15 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2025 | 130 | 50 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jun 2025 | 10 | 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 | — |
| 20 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
4 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi — 4 rated Unsatisfactory · 3 monitored. Modelled ~23 spills/year combined.
Nearest 4
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brustin Lee WwPS → Ballygalley Burn |
250 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | yes |
| Croft Manor WwPS → Ballygalley Burn |
470 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | yes |
| Ballygalley Coast Road CSO → Glens and Rathlin |
540 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~16 | — |
| Ballygalley Slipway WwPS → Glens and Rathlin |
580 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~5 | yes |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Larne WwTW (4.2 mi → Larne Lough North) · Belfast Road 56-58 ST (4.5 mi).
Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.
Amenities nearby & features
Dogs, access & rules
Seasonal dog restrictions
- Dogs: Mid & East Antrim Dog Control Orders exclude dogs from Ballygally beach 1 May–30 September. Council byelaw
Parking
5
Toilets
1
Shops
e.g. Spar
1
Picnic tables
2
Benches
10
Information
e.g. Millennium Milepost
1
Bins
4
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Ballylumford 4.4 mi
- Larne 4.5 mi
- Glenarm 6.1 mi
- Islandmagee 6.3 mi
- Carnlough 8.3 mi
Kind and ownership are DAERA's own classification. The feed carries no per-site facility data — call ahead for berthing, fuel, water or shore power.
Wildlife & designations
This beach lies in or within 0.6 mi of:
- ASSI Ballygalley Head
Alerts & advisories
Weever fish
Lesser weever fish bury themselves in wet sand around the low-tide line in summer and have venomous dorsal spines. Wear beach shoes and shuffle your feet in the shallows. A sting is intensely painful but rarely serious: immerse the foot in water as hot as you can tolerate (about 40 C) for 30-90 minutes and seek help if a spine remains or swelling spreads.
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.
Midges and clegs
Biting midges and clegs (horseflies) are worst on warm, still, overcast days and around dawn and dusk from late spring to early autumn, especially near dunes, marram grass and standing water. A breeze off the sea keeps them down. Cover up or use repellent at the back of the beach.
Jellyfish
Lion's mane and compass jellyfish are common off the Northern Ireland coast in summer and are often blown inshore and stranded after onshore winds. Lion's mane stings can be severe. Do not rub a sting; rinse with seawater, remove tentacles with a gloved hand or card, and use hot water or a cold pack for pain.
Seasonal dog restrictions
Many Northern Ireland councils restrict dogs from the main bathing area, or require dogs on leads, between 1 May and 30 September (Blue Flag beaches usually exclude dogs from the bathing zone entirely in season). Rules and dates vary by beach and council: check the signage at the entrance and your council's bathing-beach byelaws.