Porthamish — NI Beaches

Conditions now

Air 12°C Partly cloudy

Sea temp 14.7°C surface, modelled

Wind 11mph from NW · gust 19 mph

Sea state0.7 mperiod 4 s · W

Swell0.2 m4 s · SW

Rain, 48 h4 mm

Weever fish Midges and clegs Jellyfish Seasonal dog restrictions

Water quality

Not a designated bathing water — not routinely sampled.

No published samples for this site yet.

Weekly lab samples, not real-time. Avoid bathing for 48 h after heavy rain.

Sewage & storm overflows

3 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi · 2 monitored.

Nearest 3

Overflow	Distance	Classification	Spills/yr	Monitored
Ballyhornan South TPS → Ards Penninsula	300 yd	To be Determined	—	yes
Ballyhornan North WwPS → Ards Penninsula	680 yd	To be Determined	—	—
Bishopscourt WwPS → Ballyarnet Burn	0.9 mi	To be Determined	—	yes

Nearest wastewater treatment works: Ballyhornan Outfall WwTW (270 yd → Ards Penninsula) · Ardglass WwTW (2.1 mi → Dundrum Bay Outer).

Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.

Amenities nearby & features

Parking 1

Toilets 1

Cafes & food 1

Pubs & bars e.g. The Cable Bar 1

Shops 1

Picnic tables e.g. Ballyhornan Picnic Site 10

Benches 8

Information 5

Bins 2

Boating — nearest harbours & marinas

Ardglass Harbour · Unknown · Newry Mourne and Down 2.9 mi
Killough Harbour · Council · Newry Mourne and Down 4.3 mi
Strangford Harbour · Unknown · Newry Mourne and Down 5.4 mi
Portaferry Harbour · Unknown · Ards and North Down 5.6 mi
Dundrum Harbour · Unknown · Newry Mourne and Down 11.7 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:

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.