Portobello (Central)
Caution
This spot is classified Sufficient — it meets the minimum bathing-water standard, but it's the lowest passing grade.
Checked against the Scottish Environment Protection Agency · data last changed 23 days ago.
Sea conditions
Water temperature
12.8°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
0.1 m
Significant wave height offshore; inshore conditions vary.
Tide
Coming in
- High water around UTC
- Low water around UTC
Modelled values, not measurements — coastal water often differs from the open-sea model, and tide times are approximate to within about half an hour. Use official tide tables for anything that depends on precise timing.
This spot’s record
Portobello (Central) is in Scotland, about 5 km from Edinburgh. Portobello (Central) was rated Sufficient in 2025 by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Facilities & access
- Parking
- YesCar park about 150 m away (OpenStreetMap)
- Toilets
- YesPublic toilets about 450 m away (OpenStreetMap)
Official water quality
Classified Sufficient in 2025.
Official bathing-water profileCommon questions
- Can you swim at Portobello (Central) right now?
- Portobello (Central) is currently marked "Caution". This spot is classified Sufficient — it meets the minimum bathing-water standard, but it's the lowest passing grade. This reflects the latest data published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Conditions change quickly — always assess the water yourself before entering.
- What is the water quality like at Portobello (Central)?
- the Scottish Environment Protection Agency classified Portobello (Central) as Sufficient in 2025. Classifications are a rolling assessment of bacterial samples taken over four bathing seasons, measured against E. coli and intestinal enterococci limits set by the EU Bathing Water Directive.
- Is there a swimming ban or warning at Portobello (Central)?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for Portobello (Central). That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- What facilities are there at Portobello (Central)?
- Portobello (Central) has toilets, parking. Facility information comes from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Get told when this changes
We’ll email you when the swim status at Portobello (Central) moves — a pollution alert opening, or one lifting. Not a newsletter: only this spot, only when it changes, at most once every 12 hours.
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Nearby swimming spots
See all swimming spots near Edinburgh — about 5 km away.