- Water quality Excellent sampled 14 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 11.5 °C surface, modelled
- Waves 0.8 m period 7 s · NW
- Wind 7 mph from NE · gust 12
- Next tide High 00:51 today · 1.6 m
Dramatic cliff-backed beach beneath Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne (National Trust).
Conditions now
Air
10°C
Partly cloudy
Swell
0.7m
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 10, intestinal enterococci 10 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Sep 2026 | 14 | 22 | Excellent | — |
| 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 | Advice against bathing | 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 | — |
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.
Modelled~136 spills/yrNI Water's prediction, all 5 combined
Measured in 202575 spills151 h · 22 in the bathing season · 5 of 5 monitored
Nearest 5 overflows
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Modelled spills/yr | Measured 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downhill Roadside WwPS → Roe |
210 yd | To be Determined | — | 9 spills 1 in season · 88 h |
| Castlerock Coastguard WwPS → Roe |
1.1 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~32 | 8 spills 1 in season · 18 h |
| Umbra Waterfall WwPS → Roe |
1.1 mi | To be Determined | — | 5 spills 2 in season · 8 h |
| Main Street Swimming Pool CSO → Roe |
1.2 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~104 | 33 spills 14 in season · 12 h |
| Ballywoodock WwPS → Roe |
1.2 mi | Satisfactory | — | 20 spills 4 in season · 25 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 (1.0 mi → Roe) · Longs Glebe WwTW (1.7 mi → Lower Bann).
Amenities & features
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
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)
Rules and dates vary by council and season — check the signage at the entrance.
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Portstewart 4.3 mi
- Portrush 7.0 mi
- Portandhu 7.3 mi
2 more further away
- Portballintrae 11.5 mi
- Dunseverick 16.3 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.