- Water quality Excellent sampled 14 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 11.5 °C surface, modelled
- Waves 0.7 m period 7 s · NW
- Wind 7 mph from NE · gust 12
- Next tide High 00:51 today · 1.6 m
Vast Blue Flag strand backed by the Binevenagh cliffs; cars are allowed on the sand.
Conditions now
Air
10°C
Partly cloudy
Swell
0.6m
period 8 s · NW
Rain
1mm
last 48 hours
Water quality
A designated bathing water: DAERA samples it weekly through the bathing season (1 June–15 September).
Latest sample 14 Sep 2026: Excellent — E. coli 30, intestinal enterococci 10 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep 2026 | 30 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Sep 2026 | 32 | 30 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Sep 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Sep 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2026 | 42 | 26 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2026 | 32 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 7 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 23 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Jun 2026 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 27 May 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Sep 2025 | 12 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Sep 2025 | 28 | 12 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Sep 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 25 Aug 2025 | 0 | 0 | Excellent | — |
| 22 Aug 2025 | 0 | 0 | Advice against bathing | yes |
| 21 Aug 2025 | 32 | 10 | Advice against bathing | yes |
| 12 Aug 2025 | 11 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2025 | 21 | 20 | Excellent | — |
| 25 Jul 2025 | 30 | 18 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 Jun 2025 | 14 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 23 Jun 2025 | 25 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Jun 2025 | 72 | 18 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Jun 2025 | 10 | 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.
Measured in 202512 spills17 h · 3 in the bathing season · 5 of 5 monitored
Nearest 5 overflows
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Modelled spills/yr | Measured 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benone Avenue North WwPS → Roe |
680 yd | To be Determined | — | 2 spills 0 in season · 4 h |
| Golden Sands WwPS → Roe |
850 yd | To be Determined | — | 1 spill 0 in season · 4 h |
| Benone Avenue South WwPS → Roe |
0.6 mi | To be Determined | — | 0 spills 0 in season · 0 h |
| Umbra Level Crossing WwPS → Roe |
0.7 mi | To be Determined | — | 4 spills 1 in season · 1 h |
| Umbra Waterfall WwPS → Roe |
1.0 mi | To be Determined | — | 5 spills 2 in season · 8 h |
How these are counted
“Modelled” is NI Water's hydraulic-model prediction of spills per year. “Measured” is from NI Water's event duration monitors, counted with the industry 12/24 method (discharges within the same 12- or 24-hour block count as one spill); the bathing-season figure (1 Jun–15 Sep) is our count from NI Water's published discharge log. An overflow with no monitor isn't known to be dry. Classification is NI Water's own.
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Ballyhacket Road 2-8 ST (2.3 mi → Roe) · Limestone Road One ST (3.3 mi).
Amenities & features
Parking
1
Information
2
Blue Flag 2026
RNLI lifeguards in season
Dogs, access & rules
Seasonal dog restrictions
Step-free / accessible
Accessible parking
Cars on the sand — seasonal permit
- Dogs: Council byelaws exclude dogs from the marked bathing area in summer; allowed under control elsewhere and out of season. Cars use the permit zone, not the dog areas. Council byelaw
- Accessibility: Accessible toilets on site; accessible parking bays Tourism NI (self-assessed)
- Vehicles on the sand: Seasonal vehicle permit and fee; drive and park in the marked zone on the strand. (Editorial)
Rules and dates vary by council and season — check the signage at the entrance.
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Portstewart 6.3 mi
- Portrush 8.9 mi
- Portandhu 9.2 mi
2 more further away
- Portballintrae 13.5 mi
- Londonderry Port 17.7 mi
Wildlife & designations
This beach lies in or within 0.6 mi of:
- ASSI Magilligan
- SAC Magilligan
Alerts & advisories
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.