Beach · County Kerry
White Strand, Caherciveen
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.
White Strand is a small west facing sandy cove (~ 450m in length) exposed to prevailing winds. The beach is sheltered from Atlantic wave action by Beginish Island. Land in the vicinity of the beach is mostly used for agricultural purposes and is predominantly enclosed grassland. The waters of Valentia Harbour (including White Strand) are designated as Special Area of Conservation. The lands immediately to the south of the beach are designated as Special Protection Area. Activities include windsurfing, canoeing and angling. There are restrictions on activities under the Kerry County Council Beach Bye-Laws, 2013.
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 | — | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Excellent | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Excellent | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Excellent | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Excellent | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 14 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | — | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | Yes | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | |
| Parking | Yes | |
| Wheelchair access | Yes | Ramp |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | Yes | Available from Lifeguard hut |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | |
| Information board | Yes | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | Yes | |
| Recycling | Yes |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs are not allowedDogs are not allowed on the Blue-Flag section of the Beach (ie. within the Lifeguard Patrol area) between 11am and 7pm each day from the 1st June to 15th September inclusive.
- No cars on the beach
Latest sample (2026-09-07): E. coli <10, intestinal enterococci 5 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
Outdoors in County Kerry this week
Best day outdoors: Fri, 9 Oct — a little daytime rain, windy, up to 13°C
- Fri, 9 Oct13° / 11°Drizzle
- Sat, 10 Oct13° / 11°Grey 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
Forests & woodlands
Parks, gardens & islands
Nature spot · 8.9 km awayPortmagee HarbourIslandPortmageeTake a quick walk from Portmagee village in County Kerry to Portmagee Harbour to enjoy lovely views of the surrounding coastline.
Nature spot · 12 km awayCoomanaspicIslandVisit Coomanaspic Pass in County Kerry for spectacular panoramic views of the Iveragh peninsula.