Ballyhiernan, Fanad
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
13.6°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
Ballyhiernan beach is a north facing, long sandy beach consisting of sandy dunes. There are three bays on the beach Carrickachurdin Bay, Kinlackagh Bay and Trabane Bay. Ballyhiernan Beach has a wide variety of wildlife including a vast variety of birds and two notable animal species have been spotted on the site, the Common Frog and Irish Hare. Activities include swimming, kayaking, boating, surfing, windsurfing, sailing, power boating, jet skiing, diving and other land based activities on the beach.
This spot’s record
Ballyhiernan, Fanad is in Donegal, about 18 km from Milford. Ballyhiernan, Fanad has been rated Excellent in each of the 4 bathing seasons classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), 2022 through 2025. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 20 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 2 June 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Sept | 10 | 3 | Excellent |
| 11 Aug | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 14 Jul | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 23 Jun | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 2 Jun | 20 | 1 | Excellent |
| 26 May | 10 | 1 | 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
- No
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- No
- Accessible entry
- No
- Dogs
- Yes
- Public transport
- No
Official water quality
Classified Excellent in 2025.
Ballyhiernan, Fanad is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Ballyhiernan, Fanad 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 Ballyhiernan, Fanad right now?
- Ballyhiernan, Fanad 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 Ballyhiernan, Fanad?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Ballyhiernan, Fanad 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 Ballyhiernan, Fanad?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Ballyhiernan, Fanad. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Ballyhiernan, Fanad?
- No lifeguard cover is listed for Ballyhiernan, Fanad. Never swim alone at an unguarded spot.
- What facilities are there at Ballyhiernan, Fanad?
- Ballyhiernan, Fanad has parking. 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 Milford — about 18 km away.