@livehere.lovehere @isupportlhlh @liveherelovehere [email protected] Blue Flag Award

www.liveherelovehere.org A Blue Flag is a symbol of excellence worldwide. A guide to your summer activities In 2018 Blue Flags flew at 4,558 , marinas and boats in 44 countries. Beaches and marinas with a

sponsored by Coca-Cola HBC Coca-Cola by sponsored Our beaches and Events taking place this summer across Northern . Blue Flag are demonstrating their commitment to sustainability.

Every year Keep Beautiful carry out control See local websites for more details.

from our survey beaches survey our from Main picture: Benone

pieces of litter removed removed litter of pieces

volunteers engaged volunteers visits to ensure each site is fulfilling strict criteria based on

by Gareth Dallas 20, 640 20, 1 million+ 1 water quality, environmental management, education, safety Causeway and Glens Centre: grey seals can be spotted www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk and access. The Blue Flag programme is operated under the marinas’ award around our fantastic JUNE

Foundation for Environmental Education and every year each Below left: litter clean as part of Giant’s Causeway Coast

who have benefitted have who

allocated to projects to allocated Ballintoy number of projects projects of number

Total amount of money money of amount Total awarded beach and marina must provide special activities and the Clean Coasts programme 22 Sportive

477 £630,015 events to help visitors understand the importance of our costal Below centre: Sea kayaking by JULY Craig Holmes The 148th Open golf

and marine environments, and what we can all do to protect programmes 14-21 tournament Royal Portrush

Northern Ireland Northern

groups supported groups them. A Blue Flag can only be flown at sites where all the JU LY Red Sails Festival Summer clean ups across across ups clean

Adopt A Spot Spot A Adopt Blue Flag criteria have been met. 27 Fireworks Portstewart

3,268 314 AUGUST Jo’s Walks: Birds and Butterflies Heart of the Glens at Murlough Beach on June 1st Seaside Awards 3-11 Festival Cushendall organised by the National Trust

Rockpool Ramble on July 16th at Glenarm metric tonnes of rubbish collected rubbish of tonnes metric

volunteers The Seaside Award is the national standard for AUGUST Air Waves Portrush organised by Ulster Wildlife 800+ 553,571 beaches across the UK. The flag ensures visitors are 31 Northern Ireland International Air Show guaranteed to find a clean, safe, attractive and well-managed

coastal environment with varied levels of facilities provided Mid and East Antrim about how to join the growing band of people who truly love where they live. they where love truly who people of band growing the join to how about www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk

depending on the location of the beach. Seaside Award beaches Mid Ulster

area a cleaner, greener and safer space for everyone. Contact us to find out more more out find to us Contact everyone. for space safer and greener cleaner, a area www.midulstercouncil.org There are many ways you can get involved to help make your community or local local or community your make help to involved get can you ways many are There are likely to have facilities such as toilets and parking. JUNE Larne Horse and Wildlife and scenery basking sharks, dolphins, porpoises and a variety

AUGUST Lough Neagh 8 Pony Show continued support! continued Northern Ireland’s coastline has some iconic sights, and of coastal and marine birds feeding on marine 10 Triathlon Carfunnock Country

Green Coast Awards Park, 11am onwards Thank you for your your for you Thank many of our awarded beaches form part of Areas of invertebrates and fish. Rock pools are an excellent

This Award recognises beaches where the local AUGUST Lumarina Festival JUNE

love where they live. live. they where love Outstanding Natural Beauty and/or protected habitats. spot to find marine critters! Starfish, anemones, sea Meet the Peregrines

community has made a commitment to protecting 16 Ballyronan Marina Beach Road Nature show that they truly do do truly they that show 9

You can enjoy guided walkways through dunes, snails and slugs.... they are all waiting to be discovered, Reserve, 10am-12pm people who continually continually who people and promoting the environment rather than developing visitor

woodland and scrubland. Keep your eye but you have to be careful or you’ll scare them JUNE and volunteers – – volunteers and infrastructure. As such this Award aims to recognise more rural, Wild in the Park:

out for butterflies, birds and insects. away! Check out

dedicated partners partners dedicated 22 Remarkable Reptiles

natural beaches that retain their unspoilt character and excellent www.ulsterwildlife.org for more information.

explore/sea-life Carfunnock Country Park possible without without possible Look out to sea and you might bathing water quality.

JUNE This would not be be not would This be lucky enough to spot Beach Bonanza

A combination of beautiful, unspoilt beaches, careful Carnlough Beach, community spaces. spaces. community 23

Marvellous Minibeasts, Belfast’s 11am–3pm clean, green and safe safe and green clean, management and community engagement must be a winner!

Window on Wildlife on September we are creating creating are we 21st organised by the RSPB

By working together together working By Want to drive onto the beach? Ards and North Down

National Trust www.visitardsandnorthdown.com a real difference real a Some beaches allow cars to park on the sand because there is www.nationaltrust.org.uk

not enough parking nearby. At award winning beaches cars are JUNE Sea Bangor

never allowed into the award area, which is marked with flags JUNE Jo’s Walks: Newry, Mourne and Down 1-2 Maritime Festival

5 years of making making of years 5 and bunting. On busy days a beach supervisor will direct you 1 Birds and Butterflies www.newrymournedown.org

Murlough Beach JUNE Portaferry Sails and

to a safe area to park (the tide comes in surprisingly quickly!). JUNE 20-23 Sounds Festival JULY Newcastle Festival

Live Here Love Here: Here: Love Here Live Please take care both in and out of the car, and remember that Bug Detectives 22 of Flight 2019 17 Mount Stewart JULY Seaside Revival the beach is a public place, subject to all the normal traffic laws. JUNE 6 Vintage Festival JULY Rock Pool Picnic Mourne International Walking 26 Mount Stewart 28-30 Festival Newcastle AUGUST Exploris 3rd Live Here Love Here? 15 Birthday Bash JULY-AUG Kite Festival Exploris Aquarium Visit here love here.... 29-4 Downhill Demesne and Hezlett House Murlough Beach at Sunset by John O’Neill Marine litter has become Crawfordsburn and Helen’s AUGUST a huge problem around the Jo’s Walks: Bay Walk and Cultural Trail 3 Heathland Flowers globe. If you come across litter www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles. Award winning Murlough Beach crawfordsburn-country-park- please pick it up and put it in SEPT Castlerock Walkfest helens-bay an appropriate bin, or better yet, 7 Castlerock Beach beaches and bring it home for some recycling. If you’re coming to the beach for a picnic, make sure you take everything home marinas 2019 or dispose of it responsibly. Leave only footprints, take RSPB www.rspb.org.uk only photos. For more information or to book a place on RSPB NI events please Volunteerism! contact [email protected] It’s the new thing! Why not take part in a clean up during MAY Nature Photography your visit to the beach. Volunteering is extremely rewarding 18 Walk Rathlin Island and a brilliant way to meet new people and enjoy the Ulster Wildlife JUNE Window on Wildlife www.ulsterwildlife.org/events surroundings. The Clean Coasts programme runs from 1 Summer Walk 1st–9th June with lots of fun events and activities taking Belfast’s Window JUNE on Wildlife Beach Clean place to help clean up our coastline. There is also the chance 20 Glenarm Strand JULY to take part in the Big Beach Clean on 20th September. Terrific Tern Day Action and adventure 6 Belfast’s Window JULY Rockpool Ramble Visit www.liveherelovehere.org/whatson to find an event EU Swim Project on the water on Wildlife 16 Glenarm AUGUST at your chosen beach. Lough Beg Orchid JULY The EU SWIM project has Our Award winning beaches are the perfect place for a lazy Snorkel Safari 3 Safari Seamus Heaney 20 Portballintrae developed a facility to enable day by the sea. But if you fancy a bit more excitement then Homeplace Safe bathing and AUGUST bathers to check the water quality why not have a go at one of the many activities based around AUGUST Roonivoolin Ramble Snorkel Safari 10 Cranfield Beach water quality of their chosen bathing spots live before taking a dip. During them? You could try surfing on the North Coast, or see the 10 Rathlin Island the bathing water season (June – September 2019) SWIM will All of our award winning beaches are identified as bathing waters country from water level by canoeing in Strangford Lough? SEPT Marvellous by DAERA. Between June and September, DAERA monitors provide invaluable, real-time information on water quality for the If you want to try a new water sport this summer check 21 Minibeasts Belfast’s Window bathing water at 23 sites across Northern Ireland. The sites general public on both sides of the border for 9 designated EU out www.getwetni.com. Kite Festival at Downhill Demesne on Wildlife and Hezlett House organised by the National Trust are monitored weekly and water is classified into one of four SWIM beaches. Maybe you prefer staying dry and walking the coastal categories - ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘satisfactory’ or ‘temporary The information will be available on the website; on a newly paths of the Causeway Coast while taking in the advice issued against bathing’. developed app; and via onsite beach signage. The system will spectacular scenery. You can find a trove of things to try Get up to date information about bathing water quality also make a significant contribution towards meeting the EU’s at www.outdoorrecreationni.com. If all that sounds Bathing Water Directive, and therefore contribute towards our Plan your visit from the NI Direct website www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ a bit too energetic, there are plenty of opportunities to shared seas being safer places to swim and enjoy. have an ice cream and watch other people take part in the bathing-water-quality Nobody wants to go n Check the tides and weather forecast at www.BeachNi.com before you go to the beach University College Dublin (UCD), Agri-Food and Biosciences many events and experiences throughout the summer. to the beach and find n Respect – consider how your actions may impact other visitors Symbols like these show water Institute and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful are partnering on There are lots of ways to experience Northern Ireland’s that their day out is quality at the beach. this INTERREG VA project managed by SEUPB. coast at www.discovernorthernireland.com ruined by something n T ake your litter home (even cigarette butts) or use the bins provided unexpected. We can n T ake only photos – disturbing or touching wildlife and plants can have a devastating impact all do our bit to protect n the environment while Always extinguish your BBQ and place it in the bin when it’s COOLED having a great day out: n Scoop the Poop! – always keep pets under control and observe control orders

www.keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org www.facebook.com/KeepNorthernIrelandBeautiful @KeepNIBeautiful Find out more at www.beachni.com and www.walkni.com and www.discovernorthernireland.com 2019 in the award area of a Blue Flag beach. Outside area in the award

bathing hours. Please clean up after your dog.

mess; your responsibility.

Tollymore Forest Park, Newcastle Park, Forest Tollymore Mount Stewart House and Gardens, Greyabbey House and Gardens, Mount Stewart House Butterfly Tropical Seaford Centre Mourne Maritime Visitor trails and mountain bike Park Forest Kilbroney Kesh Archdale, Castle Roe Valley Park, Limavady Park, Valley Roe Ballintoy Bridge, Rope Carrick-a-Rede Ballygally Park, Carnfunnock Country on Wildlife RSPB Window Marble Arch Caves, Belcoo Caves, Marble Arch NNR, Lurgan Centre Island Discovery Oxford Castle Ward National Trust, Strangford Trust, National Ward Castle Reserve Trail Murlough Nature The Gobbins Coastal Path Gobbins Coastal The Museum, Holywood and Transport Folk Ulster outside Comber centre, Espie WWT Castle award area (and that’s still a lot of beach) and at (and that’s area award

I J L P E B K C H D G G N A O Q M Award winning Award and beaches marinas Taking your dog to the beach dog to your Taking idea, but for your dog to the beach is a great Taking not the hygiene and comfort of other visitors dogs are allowed the Coast beaches local rules apply Seaside and Green during Their Getting to the award winning the award Getting to marinas beaches and winning all of our award is parking at or near There not try travelling by bus instead? beaches, but why a bus stop at or close to the Those beaches with icon next to them. Why not visit entrance have a bus to plan your trip? www.translink.co.uk the sun disappears there When see and do things to more lots are lakes even our coasts and plenty to do around There’s shining. If coasteering, surfing, land when the sun isn’t racing, kite surfing, sea kayaking, yachting, adventure rock climbing don’t deep sea fishing, diving, or rowing, day out, then why not sound like your idea of a relaxing try one of these attractions:

Design by 25 24 Dolphins and porpoise Dolphins and prawns Dublin Bay Maerl beds Seabirds Seals and whales Sharks, orcas Shellfish Blue Flag beach or marina Seaside Award Coast Award Green Access statement available online Beach access chair Bicycle parking facilities Bus stop Cafe Changing facilities Dogs allowed Dogs not allowed Dogs on lead Family friendly area Flotation chair Parking on beach Picnic tables Playground Public phone equipment Public rescue Restaurant Shops Showers Showers (paid) Toilets information Tourist Learn more about our sealife at Learn about our more www.ulsterwildlife.org/ explore/sea-life 20 25 30 35 40 Fewer, or different, conditions may apply or different, Fewer, or at peak times. area, outside the award Facilities available at award beaches award at available Facilities Ballyronan Marina Ballyronan Cranfield West West Cranfield 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 10 15 23 21 s Trail 10 15 20 ne Coastal Route 19 Causeway Coastal Route Mour Sperrins Driving Route St. Patrick’ I 0 5 H Award winning beach or marina Award right) and do (see below Things to see Centres Information Tourist Information Centres Seasonal Tourist Canoe trails Miles 0 5 18 1 A Kilometres D Key to map to Key 17 G 16 22 15 13 F J 14 23 E C Murlough Beach K 12 L M 5 22 11 24 10 N 9 8 B Q Tyrella Portrush West Portrush 4 17 21 25 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 A Bangor Marina Portstewart Strand Portstewart Cloughey 3 16 20 Ballywalter South Ballywalter Crawfordsburn Castlerock 7 2 9 11 15 19 P O Millisle Beach Park Helen’s Bay Helen’s Carnlough Ballycastle Whiterocks Magilligan (Downhill) Magilligan 1 8 6 13 12 18 14 10 Groomsport Carrickfergus Marina Carrickfergus Brown’s Bay Brown’s Ballygally Waterfoot Ballycastle Marina Ballycastle Portrush East Portrush Magilligan (Benone) Magilligan The Northern Ireland beach award programmes are run by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. Beach award programmes in the are run by An Taisce. For more information please visit www.antaisce.org/education/programmes For more run by An Taisce. are in the Republic of Ireland programmes Beautiful. Beach award run by Keep Northern Ireland are programmes beach award The Northern Ireland visit www.discovernorthernireland.com information on Northern Ireland For more Northern Ireland. using a map supplied by Tourism Created