98% of Scotland’s beaches are safe to swim off!

From SEPA today

Scotland’s summers are known for both sunshine and showers – but whatever the weather the country’s environment regulator will be collecting and analysing water samples, predicting water quality and keeping beach users informed over the next three and a half months.

The Scottish bathing water season begins on 1st June and runs until 15th September, with 1,500 water samples taken by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) staff at bathing waters around the country. In 2023 locals and visitors have more options than ever to choose from – with one brand new beach joining the list, and the nation’s first re-designation following decisions by Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition, Màiri McAllan.

Wardie Bay in Edinburgh has become the latest bathing water to join the list of 89 in total, following an application by a local community group. It joins alongside Fisherrow Sands in East Lothian, which has been re-designated following improvement works to improve water quality. Both beaches will have their water quality formally monitored and reported and will receive an official classification for the 2024 season.

2023 not only sees the highest number of bathing waters ever in Scotland, but the highest number rated excellent for water quality – and a total of 98% of locations achieving a classification of sufficient or better.

Full list of 2023 designations

Highland and Islands - 8 excellent, 7 good, 1 sufficient, 0 poor  
 
Achmelvich          Excellent  
Dores     Sufficient
Dornoch                  Excellent
Dunnet  Excellent
Ettrick   Bay            Good
Findhorn                 Excellent
Gairloch Beach   Excellent
Ganavan                 Excellent
Loch Morlich       Excellent
Lossiemouth (East)  Good
Machrihanish      Good
Nairn (Central)   Good
Nairn (East)         Good
Rosemarkie         Good
Sand Beach          Excellent
Thurso   Good
      
Lothian, mid Scotland and Fife - 10 excellent, 3 good, 2 sufficient, 2 poor  
Aberdour (Silversands)   Excellent
Aberdour Harbour (Black Sands)  Good
Anstruther (Billow Ness)           Excellent
Burntisland          Good
Crail (Roome Bay)           Excellent
Elie (Harbour) and Earlsferry  Excellent
Elie (Ruby Bay)  Excellent
Kinghorn (Harbour Beach)  Poor
Kinghorn (Pettycur)         Excellent
Kingsbarns           Excellent
Kirkcaldy (Seafield)  Excellent
Leven     Sufficient
Lower LargoPoor
Portobello (Central)         Good
Portobello  (West)             Sufficient
St Andrews (East Sands)  Excellent
St Andrews (West Sands)  Excellent
    
North East Scotland – 11 excellent, 6 good, 0 sufficient, 0 poor  
Aberdeen            Excellent
Arbroath (West Links)     Good
Balmedie                Excellent
Broughty Ferry   Excellent
Carnoustie           Good
Collieston               Good
Cruden Bay          Good
Cullen Bay              Excellent
Fraserburgh (Philorth)    Excellent
Fraserburgh (Tiger Hill)    Excellent
Inverboyndie      Excellent
Lunan Bay            Excellent
Monifieth               Good
Montrose               Excellent
Peterhead (Lido)            Excellent
Rosehearty          Excellent
Stonehaven        Good
      
Solway – 1 excellent, 5 good, 1 sufficient, 0 poor  
Brighouse Bay  Good
Carrick  Good
Dhoon Bay  Sufficient
Mossyard  Excellent
Rockcliffe  Good
Sandyhills  Good
Southerness  Good
      
South East Scotland - 7 excellent, 5 good, 3 sufficient, 0 poor  
Broad Sands        Good
Coldingham         Excellent
Dunbar (Belhaven)           Good
Dunbar (East)     Good
Yellow Craig         Sufficient
Eyemouth            Sufficient
Gullane  Excellent
Longniddry          Good
North Berwick (Milsey Bay)           Sufficient
North Berwick (West)     Excellent
Pease Bay             Excellent
Seacliff  Excellent
Seton Sands        Good
Thorntonloch      Excellent
Whitesands         Excellent
      
West Scotland – 1 excellent, 9 good, 5 sufficient, 0 poor  
Ayr (South Beach)             Good
Barassie BaySufficient
Culzean  Good
Girvan  Sufficient
Heads of Ayr  Good
Irvine     Sufficient
Largs (Pencil Beach)         Good
Lunderston Bay  Good
Luss Bay                  Sufficient
Maidens  Sufficient
Millport Bay        Good
Prestwick  Excellent
Saltcoats/Ardrossan        Good
Seamill   Good
Troon (South Beach)  Good

16 thoughts on “98% of Scotland’s beaches are safe to swim off!”

  1. If Glenn, Juan, Tom and Co are to be believed, taking DRossie and Starwars to ANY beach would be a waste of time, as—–

    They can walk on the water and therefore CANNOT go “fur a dook”!

    In any case as they talk a load of horse manure and p!sh, we wouldnt want them to pollute Scotia’s pristine seas, do we?

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  2. Expect the BBC , ACH , DRoss and other assorted doomsayers NOT to be praising the quality of Scottish beaches .
    But they will be trying to associate the shocking state of England’s waters with ours !

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. By coincidence, a friend of mine who teaches creative writing ran a class in Lower Largo yesterday. He used to work for BBC Scotland!!! …. however, he is well acquainted with their British/English nationalist perfidy and that was the reason he left! By the way, there was an MI5 officer on site who had to be consulted on some stories.

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  4. Great news on the excellent state of Scotland’s beaches.

    I am sure that BBC Scotland will be headlining this tonight. I will set the VCR as I always seem to miss the BBC Scotland’s positive news items, no idea why? 😉

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. Oh aye Bob, I gave up on the open reel to reel stuff a few years ago, its all high tech compact cartridges now. Betamax is the way to go.

        I still miss the 8 track in the car right enough.

        Liked by 1 person

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