Monitored bathing water

Kilclief

Co. Down, 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 Kilclief

Kilclief is a small beach on the Lecale coast at the very mouth of Strangford Lough, close to Strangford village. A DAERA-identified bathing water rated Excellent, it is overlooked by Kilclief Castle, a 15th-century tower house — one of the oldest of its kind in Ireland — standing right by the shore. The beach looks across the fast, swirling Strangford Narrows, where the tide races between the lough and the open sea, so swimmers should keep to the sheltered sand and respect the currents further out. Quiet and historic, with the Strangford–Portaferry ferry and the whole lough on the doorstep.

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 Kilclief Beach, Strangford 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 — Short walk (under 1km)
Lifeguard (summer) — No
Not yet confirmed: Swimming

Facilities

Car park — Free
Disabled access — No
Lifeguard — No
Not yet confirmed: Toilets, 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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