- Water quality Satisfactory sampled 2 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 14.6 °C surface, modelled
- Air 13 °C Partly cloudy
- Wind 12 mph from W · gust 24
- Next tide Low 03:55 tomorrow · 0.7 m
Long promenade beach between the Shimna and Burren rivers, under Slieve Donard.
Conditions now
Air
13°C
Partly cloudy
Sea temp
14.6°C
surface, modelled
Wind
12mph
from W · gust 24 mph
Sea state0.5 mperiod 3 s · W
Swell0.2 m3 s · SW
Rain, 48 h6 mm
Water quality
Latest sample 2 Sep 2026: Satisfactory — E. coli 380, intestinal enterococci 260 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep 2026 | 380 | 260 | Satisfactory | — |
| 26 Aug 2026 | 90 | 47 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2026 | 16 | 22 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Aug 2026 | 110 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Aug 2026 | 10 | 44 | Excellent | — |
| 5 Aug 2026 | 18 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2026 | 32 | 15 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2026 | 26 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jul 2026 | 90 | 41 | Excellent | — |
| 25 Jun 2026 | 20 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jun 2026 | 23 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2026 | 300 | 120 | Good | — |
| 1 Jun 2026 | 26 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 May 2026 | 72 | 14 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Sep 2025 | 150 | 41 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2025 | 28 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2025 | 1100 | 220 | Satisfactory | — |
| 20 Aug 2025 | 30 | 70 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Aug 2025 | 130 | 40 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Aug 2025 | 620 | 1300 | Satisfactory | — |
| 29 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2025 | 25 | 18 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2025 | 67 | 28 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jun 2025 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jun 2025 | 130 | 130 | Good | — |
| 20 Jun 2025 | 42 | 17 | Excellent | — |
| 18 Jun 2025 | 28 | 12 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Jun 2025 | 18 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 May 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 May 2025 | 12 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Apr 2025 | 69 | 110 | Good | — |
Weekly lab samples, not real-time. Avoid bathing for 48 h after heavy rain. Bathing Water Profile (PDF).
Sewage & storm overflows
14 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi — 9 rated Unsatisfactory · 10 monitored. Modelled ~45 spills/year combined.
Nearest 12
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downs Road CSO → South Down |
450 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~2 | yes |
| Castle Bridge WwPS → Shimna River |
570 yd | Satisfactory | — | yes |
| Castle Park Putting Green CSO → South Down |
630 yd | Satisfactory | ~1 | — |
| Burren River Tollymore WwPS → Burren River |
0.5 mi | Satisfactory | ~1 | — |
| Bryansford Grove WwPS → South Down |
0.5 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~4 | yes |
| Bryansford Meadow WwPS → Shimna River |
0.5 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~9 | yes |
| Burrenview Court WwPS → South Down |
0.6 mi | Unsatisfactory | — | yes |
| Central Promenade CSO → South Down |
0.7 mi | Satisfactory | ~3 | yes |
| Tullybrannigan Road CSO → South Down |
0.7 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~9 | yes |
| Rathcillan WwPS → Shimna River |
0.8 mi | Unsatisfactory | — | yes |
| Murlough CSO → Carrigs River |
0.9 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~10 | yes |
| Newcastle Harbour WwPS → South Down |
1.0 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | yes |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Newcastle WwTW (1.3 mi → Dundrum Bay Outer) · Maghera Down WwTW (1.8 mi → Carrigs 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
Accessible parking
- Dogs: Dogs excluded from the central promenade beach at Newcastle in the bathing season; allowed under control towards the harbour and Murlough end. Council byelaw
Parking
e.g. Downs Road Car Park
58
Toilets
5
Cafes & food
e.g. Railway Street Cafe and Brew Bar
38
Pubs & bars
e.g. The Percy French
6
Shops
e.g. Centra
5
Picnic tables
29
Benches
81
Bike parking
10
Information
22
Bins
70
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Newcastle 1.1 mi
- Dundrum 3.5 mi
- Annalong 7.3 mi
- Killough 10.4 mi
- Kilkeel 11.6 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 Murlough
- ASSI Shimna River
- SAC Murlough
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.
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.