- Water quality Excellent sampled 15 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 13.2 °C surface, modelled
- Waves 0.5 m period 4 s · N
- Wind 6 mph from NW · gust 12
- Next tide High 04:35 today · 1.6 m
Sandy beach beneath the Garron plateau, at the mouth of the Glenariff river.
Conditions now
Air
7°C
Clear
Swell
0.3m
period 3 s · N
Rain
0mm
last 48 hours
Water quality
A designated bathing water: DAERA samples it weekly through the bathing season (1 June–15 September).
Latest sample 15 Sep 2026: Excellent — E. coli 50, intestinal enterococci 10 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 2026 | 50 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Sep 2026 | 11 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2026 | 180 | 100 | Excellent | — |
| 26 Aug 2026 | 40 | 26 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2026 | 80 | 17 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Aug 2026 | 160 | 35 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 5 Aug 2026 | 33 | 13 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2026 | 28 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 50 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 13 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2026 | 55 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jul 2026 | 190 | 60 | Excellent | — |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 19 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jun 2026 | 190 | 40 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2026 | 110 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 1 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 May 2026 | 100 | 12 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Sep 2025 | 43 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2025 | 22 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2025 | 14 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Aug 2025 | 27 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Jul 2025 | 28 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2025 | 33 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2025 | 440 | 100 | Good | — |
| 8 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jun 2025 | 27 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 18 Jun 2025 | 24 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Jun 2025 | 52 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 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
6 NI Water storm overflows within 1.2 mi.
Measured in 202527 spills284 h · 1 in the bathing season · 2 of 6 monitored
Nearest 6 overflows
| Overflow | Distance | Classification | Modelled spills/yr | Measured 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfoot Main Street WwPS → Glenariff River |
170 yd | To be Determined | — | 2 spills 0 in season · 4 h |
| Glenariff Road WwPS → Glenariff River |
610 yd | To be Determined | — | — |
| Glenvale WwPS → North Channel |
0.6 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| Red Bay WwPS → Glens and Rathlin |
0.7 mi | To be Determined | — | 25 spills 1 in season · 280 h |
| Coast Road Cushendall CSO → Glens and Rathlin |
0.8 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
| Cushendall FA CSO | 1.0 mi | To be Determined | — | — |
How these are counted
“Modelled” is NI Water's hydraulic-model prediction of spills per year. “Measured” is from NI Water's event duration monitors, counted with the industry 12/24 method (discharges within the same 12- or 24-hour block count as one spill); the bathing-season figure (1 Jun–15 Sep) is our count from NI Water's published discharge log. An overflow with no monitor isn't known to be dry. Classification is NI Water's own.
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Cushendall WwTW (1.3 mi → North Channel) · Glasmullen WwTW (2.1 mi → Glenariff River).
Amenities & features
Parking
3
Toilets
1
Cafes & food
e.g. Waterfoot Beach Cafe
2
Pubs & bars
e.g. The Mariner
1
Shops
e.g. Costcutter
1
Picnic tables
10
Benches
1
Information
e.g. The Moyle Way
1
Bins
4
Seaside Award 2026
Dogs, access & rules
Seasonal dog restrictions
- Dogs: Dogs excluded from the bathing strand 1 May–30 September; under control elsewhere. Council byelaw
Rules and dates vary by council and season — check the signage at the entrance.
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Waterfoot 510 yd
- Waterfoot 0.8 mi
- Red Bay 0.8 mi
2 more further away
- Cushendall 0.9 mi
- Carnlough 5.5 mi
Wildlife & designations
This beach lies in or within 0.6 mi of:
- MCZ Waterfoot
1 protected feature
- Subtidal seagrass Zostera marina beds Favourable, 2023
Protected features and their latest condition assessment, from DAERA's 2023 marine protected area review. Only sites with a marine part are assessed there.
Alerts & advisories
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.