Beach · County Cork
Cape Clear North Harbour
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.
Cape Clear North Harbour Beach , is a gently sloping sandy beach facing North, towards Schull on the Southern coast of Ireland. Access to the beach on the island is by ferry from Schull or Baltimore on the mainland. The beach is within walking distance of the ferry landing point on the island.
The record, year by year
| Year | EPA classification | Samples | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | No | |
| Parking | No | |
| Wheelchair access | No | |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | No | |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | |
| Information board | No | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | Yes | |
| Recycling | No |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs on a lead
Latest sample (2026-09-07): E. coli 41, intestinal enterococci 13 (cfu/100 ml).
Outdoors in County Cork this week
Best day outdoors: Sat, 10 Oct — dry by day, breezy, up to 13°C
- Fri, 9 Oct14° / 8°Sun with light cloud
- Sat, 10 Oct13° / 7°Sun with light cloud
- Sun, 11 Oct15° / 14°Light rain
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 · 900 m awayCape Clear Island - Oileán ChléireIslandCape Clear IslandThe Gaeltacht island of Cléire, or Cape Clear, is Ireland’s southernmost island and is a paradise of solitude and inspiration. West of the island stands the iconic Fastnet Rock and to the northwest stretches Mizen Head.
Nature spot · 7.2 km awayInis FadaLong IslandIslandLong IslandTake a quick pause from the vibrant mainland and relax on the shores of Long Island in County Cork.