- Water quality Excellent sampled 4 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 15.8 °C surface, modelled
- Air 14 °C Partly cloudy
- Wind 19 mph from NW · gust 34
- Next tide Low 23:28 today · 0.6 m
Dramatic cliff-backed beach beneath Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne (National Trust).
Conditions now
Air
14°C
Partly cloudy
Sea temp
15.8°C
surface, modelled
Wind
19mph
from NW · gust 34 mph
Sea state2.7 mperiod 8 s · NW
Swell1.5 m9 s · NW
Rain, 48 h4 mm
Water quality
Latest sample 4 Sep 2026: Excellent — E. coli 16, intestinal enterococci 21 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 2026 | 16 | 21 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Sep 2026 | 23 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2026 | 26 | 16 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2026 | 170 | 140 | Good | — |
| 12 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Jul 2026 | 10 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2026 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 7 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2026 | 250 | 40 | Excellent | — |
| 23 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2026 | 12 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jun 2026 | 27 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 27 May 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Sep 2025 | 0 | 0 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Sep 2025 | 0 | 0 | NoBathing | yes |
| 15 Sep 2025 | 230 | 50 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Sep 2025 | 20 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Sep 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2025 | 22 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 25 Jul 2025 | 14 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2025 | 900 | 100 | Satisfactory | — |
| 26 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 23 Jun 2025 | 32 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Jun 2025 | 54 | 26 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 27 May 2025 | 60 | 12 | 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 — 2 rated Unsatisfactory · 4 monitored. Modelled ~136 spills/year combined.
Nearest 5
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downhill Roadside WwPS → Roe |
210 yd | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Castlerock Coastguard WwPS → Roe |
1.1 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~32 | yes |
| Umbra Waterfall WwPS → Roe |
1.1 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| Main Street Swimming Pool CSO → Roe |
1.2 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~104 | yes |
| Ballywoodock WwPS → Roe |
1.2 mi | Satisfactory | — | yes |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Ballyhacket Road 2-8 ST (1.0 mi → Roe) · Longs Glebe WwTW (1.7 mi → Lower Bann).
Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.
Amenities nearby & features
Blue Flag 2026
RNLI lifeguards in season
Dogs, access & rules
Seasonal dog restrictions
Cars allowed on the sand
- Dogs: Dogs excluded from the bathing strand 1 May–30 September under Causeway Coast & Glens byelaws; under control elsewhere. Council byelaw
- Vehicles on the sand: Vehicle access to the sand by the slipway below Mussenden Temple, tide permitting. (Editorial)
Parking
3
Toilets
2
Cafes & food
e.g. Temple Cove Coffee Bar
2
Showers
1
Picnic tables
6
Benches
4
Viewpoints
e.g. viewpoint on Beach
1
Information
e.g. Downhill Beach
6
Bins
3
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Portstewart 4.3 mi
- Portrush 7.0 mi
- Portandhu 7.3 mi
- Portballintrae 11.5 mi
- Dunseverick 16.3 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 Magilligan
- SAC Magilligan
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.