- Sea temp 14.9 °C surface, modelled
- Air 13 °C Partly cloudy
- Wind 12 mph from NW · gust 25
- Next tide Low 03:18 tomorrow · 0.5 m
Swineley Bay is a coastal beach on the North Down coast. It is not a designated bathing water, so there is no routine water-quality monitoring here.
Conditions now
Air
13°C
Partly cloudy
Sea temp
14.9°C
surface, modelled
Wind
12mph
from NW · gust 25 mph
Sea state1.0 mperiod 5 s · NW
Swell0.4 m6 s · NW
Rain, 48 h3 mm
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
18 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi — 9 rated Unsatisfactory · 8 monitored. Modelled ~257 spills/year combined.
Nearest 12
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Spills/yr | Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killaire WwPS → Belfast Lough Outer |
600 yd | To be Determined | — | yes |
| Carnalea Golf Club CSO → Belfast Lough |
780 yd | Unsatisfactory | ~89 | — |
| Blackwood Crescent CSO → Crawfordsburn River |
0.7 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~3 | yes |
| Chimera Wood WwPS → Belfast Lough |
0.7 mi | Satisfactory | — | yes |
| Ballyrobert Road CSO → Crawfordsburn River |
0.8 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | yes |
| Main Street Old Mill Close CSO → Crawfordsburn River |
0.8 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | — |
| Main Street Old Mill House CSO → Crawfordsburn River |
0.8 mi | Satisfactory | — | — |
| Crawfordsburn Helens Bay WwPS → Crawfordsburn River |
0.9 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~1 | yes |
| Westburn Crescent CSO → Belfast Lough |
0.9 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~7 | — |
| Carnlea Clinic CSO → Belfast Lough |
0.9 mi | Unsatisfactory | ~68 | — |
| Crawfordsburn Road Glenview CSO → Belfast Lough |
0.9 mi | Satisfactory | ~1 | — |
| Stricklands Glen 1 WwPS → Belfast Lough Outer |
1.0 mi | Satisfactory | — | yes |
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Craigdarragh Road 85-87 ST (2.0 mi → Belfast Lough) · Seahill WwTW (2.0 mi → Belfast Lough Inner).
Spill figures are modelled annual predictions, not measured events. Classification is NI Water's own.
Amenities nearby & features
Parking
18
Toilets
1
Picnic tables
1
Benches
8
Bike parking
1
Information
e.g. Crawfordsburn Country Park
5
Bins
7
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Bangor 1.7 mi
- Bangor 1.7 mi
- Groomsport 4.0 mi
- Carrickfergus 4.7 mi
- Carrickfergus 4.9 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 Outer Ards
- SPA Outer Ards
- Ramsar Outer Ards
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.