Portballintrae Salmon Rock

BeachCo. Antrim🐾 Dogs allowed — with rules

A small (under 200m), enclosed sandy beach in the sheltered village of Portballintrae, popular with families with small children but not recommended for swimming/surfing due to currents.

📍 View on the map

Beach & safety

Water quality: Excellent

Hazards: Swimming and surfing are specifically not recommended here due to strong currents, and no lifeguard is present - sources are explicit about this despite the sheltered appearance.

Amenities: toilets · car-park

Dogs

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council: dogs prohibited from this beach's car-park area 1 June-15 September per the council's 2024 dog control restrictions announcement; on the footpath/verge outside that zone dogs are required on a lead.

Official source: View the rule at source →

Family

Very sheltered and small, with a village shop, playground and hall right next to the free car park - easy stop for young families, but explicitly not a swim-recommended beach.

Fishing

Antrim and Down rocky margins can support pollack, wrasse, coalfish, summer mackerel and bass, with dogfish after dark.

Species reported: Pollack, Ballan wrasse, Coalfish, Mackerel, Bass, Lesser-spotted dogfish

Crabbing

rock pooling only

Access & parking

Large free car park adjacent to the beach and village hall. Sat-nav: BT57 8SL. Get directions →

Researched 2026-07-24 — sources & disclaimer

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/about-bathing-water-quality

https://causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/news/council-urges-residents-to-abide-by-new-dog-control-restrictions-on-beaches

Rules and conditions change, so always check current signage and tides before you go. We do our best to keep this accurate but can't promise it's error-free.