Bangor Bay — NI Beaches

Conditions now

Air 13°C Partly cloudy

Sea temp 14.9°C surface, modelled

Wind 12mph from NW · gust 24 mph

Sea state1.0 mperiod 5 s · NW

Swell0.4 m6 s · NW

Rain, 48 h2 mm

Weever fish Midges and clegs Jellyfish Seasonal dog restrictions

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

21 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi — 2 rated Unsatisfactory · 8 monitored. Modelled ~144 spills/year combined.

Nearest 12

Overflow	Distance	Classification	Spills/yr	Monitored
Bangor Marina WwPS → Belfast Lough Outer	50 yd	To be Determined	—	yes
Seacourt Lane CSO → Belfast Lough	0.5 mi	To be Determined	—	—
Seacourt WwPS → Belfast Lough	0.5 mi	To be Determined	—	—
Lukes Point WwPS → Belfast Lough Outer	0.6 mi	To be Determined	—	yes
Seacliff Road Playground CSO → Belfast Lough Outer	0.6 mi	To be Determined	—	yes
Maxwell Road Downshire CSO → Belfast Lough Outer	0.7 mi	Satisfactory	~68	—
Brompton Road 1 WwPS → Belfast Lough Outer	0.7 mi	Satisfactory	—	—
Castle Park Bangor 2 WwPS → Belfast Lough	0.7 mi	To be Determined	—	yes
Stricklands Glen 1 WwPS → Belfast Lough Outer	1.0 mi	Satisfactory	—	yes
Avonlea Park CSO → Belfast Lough	1.0 mi	To be Determined	—	—
Sandhurst WwPS → Ballyholme River	1.1 mi	To be Determined	—	yes
Grange Crescent CSO → Belfast Lough	1.1 mi	To be Determined	—	—

Nearest wastewater treatment works: Ballycrochan Road ST (2.4 mi → Ballyholme River) · North Down WwTW (3.0 mi → Belfast Lough Outer).

Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.

Amenities nearby & features

Parking 53

Toilets 7

Cafes & food e.g. Piccola Pizzeria 38

Pubs & bars e.g. The Rabbit Rooms 16

Shops e.g. Wee Shop 6

Picnic tables 18

Benches 41

Bike parking 3

Information 9

Bins 20

Boating — nearest harbours & marinas

Bangor Marina · Ards and North Down 300 yd
Bangor Harbour · Council · Ards and North Down 340 yd
Groomsport Harbour · Council · Ards and North Down 2.2 mi
Unknown Harbour · Unknown · Mid and East Antrim 5.6 mi
Donaghadee Harbour · Council · Ards and North Down 5.7 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.