Culdaff
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
14.1°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
1.1 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
Culdaff beach consists of a sandy beach with two rock outcrops at the south-east of the beach. The beach is contained to the west by sand dunes and to the north-west by the Culdaff River which has an extensive area of relatively unspoilt coastal habitats which support a range of plant and animal species. The catchment area is an idyllic location for bird watching and ecological activities. Activities include swimming, kayaking, boating, windsurfing, canoeing, surfing, shore angling and land-based activities such as walking, kite flying, rock climbing, etc.
This spot’s record
Culdaff is in Donegal, about 9 km from Carndonagh. Culdaff 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 11 August 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 | 1 | Excellent |
| 25 Aug | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 18 Aug | 20 | 10 | Excellent |
| 11 Aug | 20 | 3 | Excellent |
| 28 Jul | 10 | 3 | Excellent |
| 14 Jul | 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
- Yes
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- Yes
- Accessible entry
- Yes
- Dogs
- YesDogs are not permitted in the Blue Flag Area of the beach from 12 pm to 7 pm (1st June to 15th September annually). Dogs are permitted on leads outside the Blue Flag Area at all times.
- Public transport
- Yes
Official water quality
Classified Excellent in 2025.
Culdaff is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Culdaff 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 Culdaff right now?
- Culdaff 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 Culdaff?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Culdaff 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 Culdaff?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Culdaff. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Culdaff?
- Yes — Culdaff has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at Culdaff?
- Culdaff 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 Carndonagh — about 9 km away.