- Sea temp 15.0 °C surface, modelled
- Air 13 °C Partly cloudy
- Wind 8 mph from W · gust 15
- Next tide Low 03:34 tomorrow · 0.9 m
Ballykeel Bay is a coastal beach on the South Down coast. It is not a designated bathing water, so there is no routine water-quality monitoring here.
Conditions now
Air
13°C
Partly cloudy
Sea temp
15.0°C
surface, modelled
Wind
8mph
from W · gust 15 mph
Sea state0.5 mperiod 3 s · W
Swell0.1 m4 s · SW
Rain, 48 h10 mm
Water quality
Not a designated bathing water — not routinely sampled.
No published samples for this site yet.
Weekly lab samples, not real-time. Avoid bathing for 48 h after heavy rain.
Sewage & storm overflows
4 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi — 4 rated Unsatisfactory. Modelled ~53 spills/year combined.
Nearest 4
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballymartin Village WwPS → South Down |
0.6 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~33 | — |
| Leestone One WwPS → Mourne Coast |
0.8 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~20 | — |
| Leestone Two WwPS → Mourne Coast |
1.1 mi | Unsatisfactory | — | — |
| Mourneview Kilkeel WwPS → South Down |
1.1 mi | Unsatisfactory | — | — |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Ballymartin New ST (860 yd → Mourne Coast) · Kilkeel WwTW (1.5 mi → Mourne Coast).
Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.
Amenities nearby & features
Parking
1
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Kilkeel 1.6 mi
- Annalong 3.5 mi
- Greencastle 6.3 mi
- Newcastle 9.3 mi
- Warrenpoint 12.1 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
No ASSI, SAC, SPA, MCZ or Ramsar boundary within 0.6 mi of this point.
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.