- Water quality NoBathing sampled 24 Aug 2026
- Air 12 °C Partly cloudy
- Wind 9 mph from NW · gust 18
- Next tide Low 03:24 tomorrow · 0.5 m
Rea's Wood is a inland beach on the Inland coast, in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Conditions now
Air
12°C
Partly cloudy
Wind
9mph
from NW · gust 18 mph
Sea state– mperiod – s ·
Swell– m– s ·
Rain, 48 h3 mm
Water quality
Latest sample 24 Aug 2026: NoBathing — E. coli 700, intestinal enterococci 400 CFU/100 ml blue-green algae present
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Aug 2026 | 700 | 400 | NoBathing | yes |
| 29 Jul 2026 | 280 | 250 | NoBathing | yes |
| 21 Jul 2026 | 240 | 18 | NoBathing | yes |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 320 | 27 | NoBathing | — |
| 16 Jul 2026 | 300 | 8100 | NoBathing | — |
| 7 Jul 2026 | 110 | 13 | NoBathing | yes |
| 1 Jul 2026 | 400 | 40 | NoBathing | yes |
| 23 Jun 2026 | 100 | 10 | NoBathing | yes |
| 19 Jun 2026 | 110 | 23 | NoBathing | yes |
| 15 Jun 2026 | 64 | 10 | NoBathing | yes |
| 6 Jun 2026 | 140 | 13 | NoBathing | yes |
| 5 Jun 2026 | 120 | 0 | NoBathing | — |
| 5 Jun 2026 | 2800 | 1000 | NoBathing | yes |
| 4 Jun 2026 | 10000 | 2300 | NoBathing | yes |
| 3 Jun 2026 | 4000 | 600 | NoBathing | yes |
| 27 May 2026 | 37 | 10 | NoBathing | yes |
| 26 May 2026 | 0 | 0 | NoBathing | yes |
| 3 Nov 2025 | 0 | 0 | Satisfactory | — |
| 9 Sep 2025 | 130 | 50 | NoBathing | yes |
| 1 Sep 2025 | 210 | 60 | NoBathing | yes |
| 29 Aug 2025 | 140 | 70 | NoBathing | yes |
| 21 Aug 2025 | 170 | 120 | NoBathing | yes |
| 18 Aug 2025 | 56 | 15 | NoBathing | yes |
| 12 Aug 2025 | 460 | 10 | NoBathing | yes |
| 6 Aug 2025 | 130 | 10 | NoBathing | yes |
| 1 Aug 2025 | 130 | 18 | NoBathing | yes |
| 28 Jul 2025 | 470 | 30 | NoBathing | yes |
| 25 Jul 2025 | 140 | 50 | NoBathing | yes |
| 17 Jul 2025 | 380 | 40 | NoBathing | yes |
| 9 Jul 2025 | 0 | 0 | NoBathing | yes |
| 9 Jul 2025 | 27 | 57 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jul 2025 | 510 | 90 | Good | — |
| 26 Jun 2025 | 170 | 33 | Excellent | — |
| 23 Jun 2025 | 120 | 20 | Excellent | — |
| 19 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Jun 2025 | 1200 | 900 | Satisfactory | — |
| 11 Jun 2025 | 70 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2025 | 100 | 12 | Excellent | — |
| 27 May 2025 | 1900 | 900 | Satisfactory | — |
| 19 May 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
7 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi — 3 rated Unsatisfactory. Modelled ~111 spills/year combined.
Nearest 7
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umry Lodge CSO → Holywell Burn |
0.6 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~18 | — |
| Massereene Lough Road WwPS → Six mile Water (Antrim) |
0.6 mi | Satisfactory | ~3 | — |
| Masserene Bridge CSO → Six mile Water (Antrim) |
0.7 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | — |
| Briar Hill CSO → Six mile Water (Antrim) |
0.8 mi | Satisfactory | ~71 | — |
| Dublin Road Antrim WwPS → Six mile Water (Antrim) |
0.9 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~14 | — |
| Belmont Hall Antrim WwPS → Six mile Water (Antrim) |
1.0 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| Antrim FFT CSO | 1.2 mi | Satisfactory | ~4 | — |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Antrim Milltown WwTW (1.0 mi → Lough Neagh) · Dunore Point 2 ST (2.2 mi).
Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.
Amenities nearby & features
Parking
e.g. Lough Shore Car Park
8
Toilets
2
Cafes & food
e.g. Mann's Garden Kitchen
1
Benches
3
Viewpoints
1
Information
e.g. Millennium Milepost
1
Bins
1
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Belfast 14.9 mi
- Belfast 15.2 mi
- Carrickfergus 17.0 mi
- Carrickfergus 17.2 mi
- Larne 19.7 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
Blue-green algae recorded in the latest samplelive
The DAERA sample on 24 Aug 2026 flagged blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) present. Blooms can produce toxins that are dangerous to dogs and children: keep pets out of the water and off scummy sand, and avoid contact. Blooms change fast — check current signage.
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.