Monitored bathing water

Ballygally

Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
Water qualityExcellent NIEA
Blue Flag 2026No
Seaside AwardNo
DogsYear-round
Always verify the car-park location on arrival. Road and access conditions may change.

About Ballygally

Ballygally is a sandy beach on the Antrim Coast Road a few miles north of Larne, at the southern gateway to the Glens of Antrim. Backed by the village and overlooked by 17th-century Ballygally Castle — now a hotel with a well-worn reputation for being the most haunted in Ireland — it is a pleasant, accessible strand with views across the sea towards Scotland on a clear day. A DAERA-identified bathing water rated Excellent in the latest classification, it makes an easy stop on one of Ireland's most scenic coastal drives, with the dramatic Glens scenery unfolding to the north.

Get directions to the car park

This searches for the named car park on Google Maps — a place-name match, not yet a GPS-confirmed pin.

📍 Find Ballygally Beach car park, Larne on Google Maps

Named from official sources but not yet pin-verified — always confirm on arrival.

Map

Approximate location, auto-geocoded from a named car park — not yet a GPS-verified pin. Always verify on arrival.

Activity suitability

  • Surfing — No surf
  • Walking — Good walk (1–3km)
  • Lifeguard (summer) — No
  • Not yet confirmed: Swimming

Facilities

  • Toilets — Seasonal
  • Car park — Free
  • Lifeguard — No
  • Not yet confirmed: Disabled access, Shower, Café nearby

Facilities confirmed from the local council and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and Discover Northern Ireland Source.

Water quality

Water quality information is sourced from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Northern Ireland and is updated annually. During the bathing season real-time water quality updates are available at nidirect.gov.uk. Always check nidirect.gov.uk and local signage at the beach before swimming, particularly after heavy rainfall. IrishBeaches.ie accepts no liability for water quality conditions at the time of your visit.

NIEA classification: Excellent (latest annual bathing-water assessment). Always check nidirect.gov.uk for the current rating.

Where to stay nearby

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