Monitored bathing water Lakeshore

Rea's Wood (Lough Neagh)

Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland

Water qualityPoor NIEA

Blue Flag 2026No

Seaside AwardNo

DogsYear-round

Always verify the car-park location on arrival. Road and access conditions may change.

⚠ Safety first: Rea's Wood holds a DAERA water-quality classification of Poor, and the advice for 2026 is against bathing here. We list it honestly: it is a lovely lakeshore woodland walk, but not a place to swim — particularly during blue-green algae blooms on Lough Neagh.

About Rea's Wood (Lough Neagh)

Rea's Wood is a lakeshore woodland reserve on the edge of Lough Neagh, the largest lake in the British Isles, right beside Antrim town and its marina. Boardwalk and woodland paths run along the shore through alder carr and reedbed, rich in birdlife, making it a fine short walk with open water views. It is a DAERA-identified bathing water, but its 2025 classification is Poor and the advice is against bathing — Lough Neagh has been affected by recurring blue-green algae. We include it for honesty and for the walk, not as a swimming spot. Enjoy the shore, the birds and the big-sky lake, and keep out of the water.

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 Rea's Wood, Antrim, Lough Neagh on Google Maps

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

Activity suitability

Swimming — Not advised
Surfing — No surf
Walking — Good walk (1–3km)
Lifeguard (summer) — No

Facilities

Car park — Free
Lifeguard — No
Not yet confirmed: Toilets, 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: Poor (latest annual bathing-water assessment). Always check nidirect.gov.uk for the current rating.

Where to stay nearby

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