- Sea temp 14.7 °C surface, modelled
- Air 13 °C Partly cloudy
- Wind 6 mph from W · gust 11
- Next tide Low 03:34 tomorrow · 0.9 m
Kilhorn 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
14.7°C
surface, modelled
Wind
6mph
from W · gust 11 mph
Sea state0.5 mperiod 3 s · W
Swell0.2 m3 s · SW
Rain, 48 h11 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 — 1 rated Unsatisfactory. Modelled ~109 spills/year combined.
Nearest 4
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour Main Street CSO → South Down |
320 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~16 | — |
| Kilkeel Road CSO → South Down |
490 yd | Satisfactory | — | — |
| Halfway House CSO → Annalong River |
520 yd | Satisfactory | ~10 | — |
| The Cornmill CSO → South Down |
580 yd | Satisfactory | ~83 | — |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Annalong Coastal WwTW (600 yd → Mourne Coast) · Glasdrumman Annalong WwTW (1.4 mi → South Down).
Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.
Amenities nearby & features
Parking
12
Toilets
1
Cafes & food
e.g. The Galley
4
Shops
2
Picnic tables
6
Benches
22
Information
7
Bins
18
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Annalong 400 yd
- Kilkeel 4.9 mi
- Newcastle 6.5 mi
- Greencastle 9.5 mi
- Dundrum 10.8 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 Samuel's Port
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.
Heavy rain in the last 48 hours (~11 mm)live
DAERA's guidance is to avoid bathing during, and for up to 48 hours after, heavy rainfall: run-off and storm overflows push bacteria levels up, and the weekly sample result predates the rain. This warning is derived from the Open-Meteo rainfall total, not from a water sample.
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.