- Water quality Excellent sampled 2 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 14.5 °C surface, modelled
- Air 13 °C Drizzle
- Wind 12 mph from NW · gust 21
- Next tide Low 03:17 tomorrow · 0.2 m
Carnlough is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is situated in Mid and East Antrim district, as well the historic barony of Glenarm Lower, and the civil parishes of Ardclinis and Tickmacrevan. The village is on the Antrim coast, 14 miles (23 km) north-east of Ballymena. It had a population of 1,512 people at the 2011 census.
Adapted from Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Conditions now
Air
13°C
Drizzle
Sea temp
14.5°C
surface, modelled
Wind
12mph
from NW · gust 21 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 150, intestinal enterococci 90 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep 2026 | 150 | 90 | Excellent | — |
| 26 Aug 2026 | 26 | 12 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Aug 2026 | 72 | 39 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 5 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2026 | 75 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2026 | 16 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 37 | 12 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jun 2026 | 15 | 14 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2026 | 50 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 May 2026 | 12 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Sep 2025 | 22 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2025 | 150 | 50 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2025 | 60 | 50 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2025 | 40 | 13 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Aug 2025 | 90 | 60 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Jul 2025 | 200 | 70 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2025 | 14 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2025 | 10 | 15 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jun 2025 | 14 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 18 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Jun 2025 | 17 | 24 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 May 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 May 2025 | 10 | 26 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Apr 2025 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
Weekly lab samples, not real-time. Avoid bathing for 48 h after heavy rain. Bathing Water Profile (PDF).
Sewage & storm overflows
5 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi · 4 monitored.
Nearest 5
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnlough Bridge CSO → Carnlough River |
360 yd | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Harphall Manor WwPS → Carnlough River |
480 yd | To be Determined | — | — |
| Carnlough Harbour WwPS → Glens and Rathlin |
740 yd | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Bay Road Carnlough WwPS → Glencloy River |
0.5 mi | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Straidkilly Bay Road WwPS → Glens and Rathlin |
0.8 mi | To be Determined | — | yes |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Tully Road Headworks WwTW (1.7 mi → North Channel) · Munie WwTW (4.0 mi → Glenarm River).
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 Carnlough beach 1 May–30 September; on a lead on the promenade. Council byelaw
Parking
6
Toilets
1
Cafes & food
e.g. Harbour Lights
1
Shops
2
Picnic tables
1
Information
e.g. Millennium Milepost
1
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Carnlough 660 yd
- Glenarm 2.1 mi
- Waterfoot 5.8 mi
- Waterfoot 6.4 mi
- Red Bay 6.4 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.
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.