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The cleanest beaches in South Down

5 of the 7 bathing waters in South Down were rated Excellent for 2025, the top of the four official grades.

A classification is not a reading of today’s water. It is worked out from samples taken across the last three or four bathing seasons, so it describes how a beach usually behaves — and a beach rated Excellent can still be one to stay out of the afternoon after a storm overflow discharges. That is what the verdict on each card below is for, and it is worked out fresh every half hour.

Beaches rated Excellent

The other 2 bathing waters in South Down are on the South Down area page, with the same readings.

What the four classifications actually mean.