The Cove Greystones
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
14.4°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
1.3 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.
About this spot
The Cove Greystones is a naturally formed cove with shingle beach nestled in rock foreshore 350m south of Greystones Marina..
This spot’s record
The Cove Greystones is in Wicklow, about 7 km from Bray. The Cove Greystones was rated Excellent in 2025 by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). In the previous bathing season The Cove Greystones was under a short-term pollution restriction on 6 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 85 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sept | 10 | 2 | Excellent |
| 24 Aug | 20 | 1 | Excellent |
| 17 Aug | 51 | 1 | Excellent |
| 10 Aug | 10 | 3 | Excellent |
| 27 Jul | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 13 Jul | 52 | 3 | 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 2 years
- Not classified2024
- Excellent2025
This water has improved, from Not classified in 2024 to Excellent in 2025.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- No
- Parking
- No
- Toilets
- No
- Accessible entry
- No
- Dogs
- No
- Public transport
- No
Official water quality
Classified Excellent in 2025.
The Cove Greystones is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on assessment of bacteriological results fro the period 2024 to 2025. The Cove Greystones was newly identified in 2024 as a beach for monitoring, management and assessment under the requirements of the 2008 Bathing Water Quality Regulations. 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 The Cove Greystones right now?
- The Cove Greystones 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 The Cove Greystones?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified The Cove Greystones 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 The Cove Greystones?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for The Cove Greystones. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at The Cove Greystones?
- No lifeguard cover is listed for The Cove Greystones. Never swim alone at an unguarded spot.
This spot is also in
Get told when this changes
We’ll email you when the swim status at The Cove Greystones 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 Bray — about 7 km away.