Beach · County Wicklow
Brittas Bay South
Can I swim here? Outside the bathing season
The bathing season runs from 1 June to 15 September. Outside it the water is not tested weekly and lifeguards are not on duty. The last sample, on 7 September 2026, was excellent. Live status on beaches.ie, which the EPA updates hourly in season.
Brittas Bay South Beach is a long, gently sloping, sandy beach backing onto hilly sand dune area. The Buckroney-Brittas Dunes and Fen Special Area of Conservation (SAC 00729) encompass the length of beach and part of its catchment to the west. The dunes support a wide variety of plant species including some rare species. Activities include surfing, windsurfing, canoeing, and snorkelling.
Excellent (2025): The highest standard: results over four years were consistently very clean.
The record, year by year
| Year | EPA classification | Samples | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Excellent | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Excellent | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Excellent | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Excellent | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | — | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | Yes | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | |
| Parking | Yes | |
| Wheelchair access | No | |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | Yes | Available at Lifeguard station |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | |
| Information board | Yes | |
| Activity zones | Yes | Separate Area for Water Sport Activities |
| Litter bins | Yes | |
| Recycling | Yes |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs are not allowedNot allowed within lifeguard patrol zone/bathing area below high tide mark.
- No cars on the beach
Latest sample (2026-09-07): E. coli <10, intestinal enterococci 1 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
Outdoors in County Wicklow this week
Best day outdoors: Sat, 10 Oct — dry by day, breezy, up to 13°C
- Fri, 9 Oct14° / 9°Light rain
- Sat, 10 Oct13° / 8°Sun with light cloud
- Sun, 11 Oct14° / 13°Sun with light cloud
Make a day of it
The nearest trails, beaches, woods and heritage within 25 km.
Trails & walks
Beaches & bathing waters
Parks, gardens & islands
Nature spot · 2.3 km awayBrittas Bay North BeachBeachBrittas Bay North is a beautiful long sandy beach in County Wicklow, approximately 16km from Wicklow Town.
Nature spot · 8.2 km awayNational Botanic Gardens - KilmacurraghGardenKnown for its towering rhododendrons, the National Botanic Gardens Kilmacurragh in County Wicklow is one of Ireland’s foremost heritage gardens, with a collection of old and unusual trees, wildflower meadows and double herbaceous borders.