- Water quality Satisfactory sampled 4 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 15.5 °C surface, modelled
- Air 13 °C Partly cloudy
- Wind 23 mph from NW · gust 38
- Next tide Low 23:28 today · 0.6 m
Portballintrae is a small seaside village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is four miles east of Portrush and two miles west of the Giant's Causeway. In the 2021 census, Portballintrae had a population of 500. It lies within the Causeway Coast and Glens District Council area.
Adapted from Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Conditions now
Air
13°C
Partly cloudy
Sea temp
15.5°C
surface, modelled
Wind
23mph
from NW · gust 38 mph
Sea state3.5 mperiod 8 s · NW
Swell1.4 m9 s · NW
Rain, 48 h4 mm
Water quality
Latest sample 4 Sep 2026: Satisfactory — E. coli 120, intestinal enterococci 260 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 2026 | 120 | 260 | Satisfactory | — |
| 1 Sep 2026 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2026 | 55 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2026 | 330 | 100 | Good | — |
| 12 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Jul 2026 | 38 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 7 Jul 2026 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2026 | 620 | 20 | Satisfactory | — |
| 23 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 27 May 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Sep 2025 | 10 | 19 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Sep 2025 | 200 | 140 | Good | — |
| 1 Sep 2025 | 10 | 80 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Aug 2025 | 15 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Aug 2025 | 17 | 40 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 25 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2025 | 45 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 23 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2025 | 30 | 18 | Excellent | — |
| 27 May 2025 | 130 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 19 May 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 7 Apr 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
13 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi — 9 rated Unsatisfactory · 8 monitored. Modelled ~70 spills/year combined.
Nearest 12
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastguard Road Lissanduff CSO → Bush |
210 yd | Satisfactory | — | yes |
| Doonans Corner WwPS → Bush |
250 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | — |
| Portballintrae CSO → North Coast |
640 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~5 | yes |
| Portballintrae Seapark WwPS → North Coast |
640 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | yes |
| Bushfoot WwPS → Bush River (Bushmills) |
670 yd | Unsatisfactory | — | yes |
| Portballintrae Caravan Park WwPS | 770 yd | Satisfactory | — | yes |
| Bushmills FFT CSO | 0.9 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~28 | — |
| Bushmills FA CSO | 0.9 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~12 | — |
| Main Street Bushmills CSO → Bush River (Bushmills) |
1.1 mi | Satisfactory | — | yes |
| Riverdale Lodge WwPS → Bush River (Bushmills) |
1.1 mi | Satisfactory | — | yes |
| Runkerry Road Bushmills WwPS → Bush |
1.2 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~23 | yes |
| Dundarave WwPS → Bush River (Bushmills) |
1.2 mi | Unsatisfactory | — | — |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Bushmills WwTW (0.9 mi → Bush River (Bushmills)) · Causeway Road 15 ST (1.2 mi → Bush).
Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.
Amenities nearby & features
Dogs, access & rules
Dogs on leads
- Dogs: Small strand: keep dogs under close control; the bathing-beach dog exclusion applies to the main Causeway-coast strands rather than here. Council byelaw
Parking
e.g. Beach Road
8
Toilets
1
Pubs & bars
e.g. Boat House
1
Shops
e.g. Day-Today
1
Picnic tables
5
Benches
14
Information
3
Bins
3
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Portballintrae 300 yd
- Portandhu 4.5 mi
- Dunseverick 4.7 mi
- Portrush 4.7 mi
- Portbradden 5.1 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 Portballintrae
- ASSI Runkerry
- SAC Skerries and Causeway
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.