Swimming

Cloughey boasts a long, beautiful beach about 1.5 miles long, ideal for walkers and watersports enthusiasts; the beach is serviced by a long carpark with a common. Cloughey Bay is very wide, but also shallow, which allows for safer bathing and paddling.

Crawfordsburn is a pleasant, sandy beach (approximately 0.7km in length), flanked by rocks and backed by Crawfordsburn Country Park, with views out across Belfast Lough towards Carrickfergus. The beach is gently sloped and has excellent water quality, making bathing a popular pastime here. However, there is a safety warning sign that all visitors should take notice of before entering the water.

Groomsport Beach is approximately 0.5 km in length and comprised of sand interspersed with rocky outcrops, a smaller sandy cove and a further rocky outcrop.

Ballyholme Beach is a suburb beach at the seaside town of Bangor. The beach is sandy and is approximately 1.3 km in length. There is a typical rocky shore at each end.

Millisle Lagoon has 150 m of golden sand and a seawater lagoon providing a safe bathing area. A jetty, slipways and paddling pool compliment the lagoon area.

Ballywalter Beach is a long, sandy beach which offers enjoyment for all. Bathers and walkers can make use of this expansive stretch at Ballywalter Beach, along with its rock pools ready for children to explore. A small playground is located nearby, along with public toilets. At the Lime Kilns, a raised area provides great views of the Irish Sea coastline.

Helen's Bay Beach is one of two excellent beaches found in Crawfordsburn Country Park. These beautiful sandy beaches are by far the best within the Belfast area and as such are exceptionally popular and well used.