Spanish Point
Good to go
No current pollution alerts — always assess conditions yourself.
Checked against the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) · data last changed 2 months ago.
Sea conditions
Water temperature
14.7°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
1.0 m
Significant wave height offshore; inshore conditions vary.
Tide
Going out
- Low water around UTC
- High 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.
About this spot
Spanish Point lies to the west of Milltown Malbay on the road from Quilty to Lahinch. It is an extensive stretch of sandy beach which forms a straight face onto the open Atlantic sea at Mal Bay. The long spine of rocks which stick out into the sea and the rocky shoreline at the northern end of the strand are very interesting places to observe a variety of plants and animals. There is a small variety of shellfish and marine vegetation. Activities include swimming and surfing. Motorised watercraft, surfing and the use of canoes and kayaks is prohibited in close proximity to swimmers. Beach bye-laws are in place with horse riding and dogs prohibited between 11am and 6pm during the summer season.
This spot’s record
Spanish Point is in Clare, about 14 km from Ennistimon. Spanish Point has been rated Excellent in each of the 4 bathing seasons classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), 2022 through 2025. In the previous bathing season Spanish Point was under a short-term pollution restriction on 24 days. That is last season's record and not a forecast for today. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 259 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 6 July 2026. A classification is calculated from percentiles across four seasons, so no single reading decides how this water is rated.
Recent sample results
The last 12 bacterial samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), most recent on the right. Counts are per 100 ml of water.
Dashed line: 500 E. coli per 100 ml, the Bathing Water Directive guide value for coastal / transitional waters.
| Date | E. coli | Enterococci | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sept | 30 | 20 | Excellent |
| 24 Aug | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 10 Aug | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 20 Jul | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 13 Jul | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 6 Jul | 259 | 60 | Good |
A bathing water's official classification is calculated from percentiles across four bathing seasons, not from any single sample — so one high reading doesn't mean a spot is unsafe, and one low reading doesn't mean it's clean today.
Quality over the last 4 years
- Excellent2022
- Excellent2023
- Excellent2024
- Excellent2025
This water has been rated Excellent in each of the last 4 years.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- Yes
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- Yes
- Accessible entry
- YesRamp leads onto Beach
- Dogs
- YesBefore 11 am and after 6 pm during summer season, otherwise not allowed at all times onto beach during the summer.
- Public transport
- No
Official water quality
Classified Excellent in 2025.
Spanish Point is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Spanish Point has achieved an Excellent Water Quality rating for the four consecutive years 2022 to 2025. Annual water quality ratings are generally calculated using monitoring results over a four-year period and are assessed against stringent bacterial limits to protect bather health.
Official bathing-water profileCommon questions
- Can you swim at Spanish Point right now?
- Spanish Point is currently marked "Good to go". No current pollution alerts — always assess conditions yourself. This reflects the latest data published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). Conditions change quickly — always assess the water yourself before entering.
- What is the water quality like at Spanish Point?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Spanish Point as Excellent 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 Spanish Point?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Spanish Point. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Spanish Point?
- Yes — Spanish Point has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at Spanish Point?
- Spanish Point has toilets, parking, accessible entry. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).
This spot is also in
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Nearby swimming spots
See all swimming spots near Ennistimon — about 14 km away.