- Water quality Excellent sampled 4 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 14.9 °C surface, modelled
- Air 13 °C Partly cloudy
- Wind 12 mph from NW · gust 24
- Next tide Low 03:18 tomorrow · 0.5 m
Sheltered crescent bay on the County Down side of Belfast Lough.
Conditions now
Air
13°C
Partly cloudy
Sea temp
14.9°C
surface, modelled
Wind
12mph
from NW · gust 24 mph
Sea state0.9 mperiod 5 s · NW
Swell0.6 m5 s · N
Rain, 48 h1 mm
Water quality
Latest sample 4 Sep 2026: Excellent — E. coli 170, intestinal enterococci 27 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 2026 | 170 | 27 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Sep 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2026 | 500 | 300 | Satisfactory | — |
| 24 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2026 | 400 | 700 | Satisfactory | — |
| 12 Aug 2026 | 130 | 35 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Aug 2026 | 37 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 27 Jul 2026 | 52 | 56 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Jul 2026 | 44 | 18 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2026 | 52 | 46 | Excellent | — |
| 7 Jul 2026 | 18 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2026 | 42 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 23 Jun 2026 | 42 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2026 | 10 | 16 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 27 May 2026 | 12 | 20 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Sep 2025 | 20 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Sep 2025 | 57 | 12 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Sep 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Aug 2025 | 14 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Aug 2025 | 70 | 40 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Aug 2025 | 10 | 90 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Aug 2025 | 56 | 50 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2025 | 25 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 25 Jul 2025 | 60 | 25 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jul 2025 | 10 | 12 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2025 | 74 | 36 | Excellent | — |
| 26 Jun 2025 | 12 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 23 Jun 2025 | 24 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 27 May 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 May 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Apr 2025 | 80 | 150 | Good | — |
Weekly lab samples, not real-time. Avoid bathing for 48 h after heavy rain. Bathing Water Profile (PDF).
Sewage & storm overflows
10 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi · 8 monitored.
Nearest 10
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandhurst WwPS → Ballyholme River |
500 yd | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Seacliff Road Playground CSO → Belfast Lough Outer |
570 yd | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Fruithill Park CSO → Ballyholme River |
650 yd | To be Determined | — | — |
| Ashley Park 2 WwPS → Ballyholme River |
830 yd | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Lukes Point WwPS → Belfast Lough Outer |
840 yd | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Riverside Road Bangor CSO → Ballyholme River |
0.6 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| Bangor Marina WwPS → Belfast Lough Outer |
0.8 mi | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Cherrymount Bangor WwPS → Ballyholme River |
0.9 mi | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Gransha Bangor WwPS → Belfast Lough |
1.1 mi | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Castle Park Bangor 2 WwPS → Belfast Lough |
1.2 mi | To be Determined | — | yes |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Ballycrochan Road ST (2.0 mi → Ballyholme River) · North Down WwTW (2.3 mi → Belfast Lough Outer).
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: Ards & North Down Dog Control Orders exclude dogs from Ballyholme bathing beach 1 May–30 September; on a lead on the promenade. Council byelaw
Parking
21
Toilets
3
Drinking water
1
Cafes & food
e.g. Esplanade Bar and Restaurant
7
Pubs & bars
e.g. The Jamaica Inn
1
Shops
1
Picnic tables
6
Benches
29
Information
3
Bins
13
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Bangor 1.0 mi
- Bangor 1.0 mi
- Groomsport 1.5 mi
- Donaghadee 4.9 mi
- Unknown 6.0 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 Outer Ards
- SPA Outer Ards
- Ramsar Outer Ards
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.
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.