White Strand, Miltown Malbay
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
White Strand beach is a relatively small sandy beach at the end of a narrow rock-flanked bay. Due to the presence of offshore reefs the force of wave action is greatly reduced once they reach the shoreline. There is a variety of marine wildlife including fish and shellfish and also a variety of marine vegetation. Motorised watercraft, surfing and the use of canoes and kayaks are 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
White Strand, Miltown Malbay is in Clare, about 12 km from Ennistimon. White Strand, Miltown Malbay 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 White Strand, Miltown Malbay was under a short-term pollution restriction on 28 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 213 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 1 September 2025. 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 | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 24 Aug | 10 | 20 | Excellent |
| 10 Aug | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 20 Jul | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 13 Jul | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 6 Jul | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
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.
White Strand, Miltown Malbay is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. White Strand, Miltown Malbay 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 White Strand, Miltown Malbay right now?
- White Strand, Miltown Malbay 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 White Strand, Miltown Malbay?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified White Strand, Miltown Malbay 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 White Strand, Miltown Malbay?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for White Strand, Miltown Malbay. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at White Strand, Miltown Malbay?
- Yes — White Strand, Miltown Malbay has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at White Strand, Miltown Malbay?
- White Strand, Miltown Malbay has toilets, parking, accessible entry. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).
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Nearby swimming spots
See all swimming spots near Ennistimon — about 12 km away.