BEACHES

While the Ards has a beautiful coastline and beautiful beaches to match, not all of them are in Council ownership or maintained by the Council.

The Council does have responsibility for cleaning a number of foreshores along the Outer Ards coastline. Classified as a Natura 2000 site, the Outer Ards Peninsula is the most sheltered stretch of open rocky coast in Northern Ireland. The rocky intertidal zone is generally comprised of low platforms, up to 200m across, separated by wide areas of mobile sediments. Other habitats represented include intertidal areas of boulder, cobble, gravel, sand and mud-flats, together with dune and maritime grassland, maritime heath and cliff ledge vegetation, as well as saltmarsh, tidal and non-tidal fens and wet flushes.

The Copeland Islands hold breeding seabird populations of European importance, including Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea. In winter, the site is of importance for its population of Light-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla hrota, as well as the waders Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria, Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula and Turnstone Arenaria interpres.

With this in mind, and working in line with the requirements of the Environment and Heritage Service, a sensitive beach cleaning operation is carried out between April and September each year, on each of the following beaches:

Ballyferris
Ballywalter
Knockinelder
Millisle
Portavogie

For further information on beach cleaning, contact Bryan Seeds, Parks and Cemeteries Manager, Tel: 028 9182 4014/15, E: bryan.seeds@ards-council.gov.uk

Related Pages
Welcome to the Ards Experience!