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Scotland’s bathing water season begins with 90 sites monitored across the country

Designated bathing waters are important local spaces supporting recreation, tourism and access to nature across Scotland.  

Throughout the season, which runs until 15th September, SEPA take regular water samples and provide information including water quality classifications, monitoring results and pollution risk forecasts to help people make informed choices about where and when to bathe. 

This year includes the addition of Ballachulish Peninsula, following its designation as a bathing water by Scottish Ministers earlier this year. It will receive its first classification at the end of this bathing season. 

Bathing water classifications for the 2026 season were confirmed in November 2025, with: 

• 47 Excellent 
• 26 Good 
• 13 Sufficient 
• 3 Poor 

Bathing water classifications are based on four years of monitoring data and are designed to provide a longer-term picture of water quality over time. 

Wet weather is one of the biggest factors affecting bathing water quality in Scotland. Heavy rainfall can temporarily affect bathing waters by washing pollution into rivers, lochs and coastal waters from across wider catchments, while also influencing more localised sources such as surface water drainage and sewage discharges. For this reason, people are advised not to bathe during, or one to two days after, heavy rain.  

SEPA issue daily pollution risk forecasts at some bathing waters where water quality has previously been shown to be more vulnerable to short-term pollution following wet weather. Available on SEPA’s website and on electronic messaging signs at these locations, these forecasts advise the public whether conditions are likely to be good or whether there is an increased risk of temporarily reduced water quality.  

Scottish Water’s near real-time overflow map also provides additional information on wastewater overflow activity. 

Water quality is influenced by activity across the wider catchment surrounding a bathing water. SEPA use microbial source tracking techniques at some locations to help identify whether sources of pollution are linked to human waste, livestock, birds or dogs. This information can then be used to help locate pollution sources and direct improvements.  

Over the past 30 years, SEPA’s monitoring, scientific investigations and regulatory work have helped identify the sources of pollution affecting bathing waters and supported targeted improvement work across Scotland. This work includes investigating pressures linked to wastewater infrastructure (whether public or private),urban drainage and rural diffuse pollution. This evidence targets action and investment where it is most needed and has contributed to sustained improvements over time, with the number of bathing waters rated excellent rising from 17 in 2015 to 47 in 2026. While progress has been made, continued action remains important and, where necessary, SEPA will also use regulatory and enforcement powers to address activities impacting Scotland’s water environment.  

For the 2026 season, Kinghorn (Harbour Beach) and Lower Largo in Fife, and Fisherrow Sands in East Lothian, remain classified as Poor. Improvement work continues at all three sites, involving SEPA, Scottish Water, local authorities and other partners where appropriate. 

Kinghorn (Harbour Beach) achieved sufficient classification in 2019 and 2021 following targeted action informed by monitoring and investigation. Since returning to a poor classification from 2022, monitoring identified continuing pressures affecting water quality in the Lady Burn. Scottish Water have since carried out extensive investigations of the sewer network, removed cross connections and repaired the sewer where issues have been found. Ongoing monitoring and updated modelling will help assess the impact of these actions and identify whether further measures are required to support longer-term improvements.  

Since Lower Largo was designated as a bathing water in 2022, work has been underway to better understand and improve water quality. Investigations identified and resolved an incorrectly connected sewer pipe serving a number of properties, and Scottish Water are now progressing investment in a new treatment system expected to begin operating later this summer. Continued monitoring and assessment will help determine whether these measures support longer-term improvements in bathing water quality. 

Fisherrow Sands returned as a designated bathing water in 2023 following partnership work to improve water quality, including identifying and correcting misconnections alongside improvements to wastewater infrastructure. As a result of this work, Fisherrow Sands achieved a good classification. In 2024 the poor classification was mainly due to a single, very high sample result, for which no clear cause was identified. In 2025, another high result was recorded, which microbial source tracking indicated was likely due to contamination from gulls. Assessment against a full four-year dataset at the end of the 2026 season will provide a clearer picture of long-term trends.  

Ruth Stidson, Principal Specialist Scientist at SEPA, said: 

“Bathing waters are important places for communities across Scotland and people rightly want clear information about water quality and the factors that can affect it. 

“SEPA’s monitoring, forecasting and investigative work help people make informed choices throughout the bathing water season, while also helping us better understand the pressures affecting Scotland’s bathing waters over time. Improving water quality is not always straightforward. Conditions can be influenced by rainfall, wastewater infrastructure, runoff and activity across wider catchments and those pressures can vary from place to place. 

“For 30 years, SEPA’s scientific monitoring and evidence have supported long-term improvements at bathing waters across Scotland, and we continue to work with partners to identify pollution risks and target action where improvements are still needed.” 

People visiting Scotland’s bathing waters can also help protect local water environments by disposing of litter responsibly, avoiding feeding gulls, clearing up after dogs and helping prevent sewer blockages by not flushing wet wipes, fats, oils and grease into drains and toilets. 

Information on Scotland’s bathing waters, including classifications, monitoring results, pollution risk forecasts and advice for visitors, is available on SEPA’s website throughout the bathing water season. 

Notes to editor

• In 2015 Scotland had 84 designated bathing waters: Excellent: 17 Good: 38 Sufficient: 12 Poor: 17 
• In 2026 Scotland has 90 designated bathing waters: Excellent: 47 Good: 26 Sufficient: 13 Poor: 3 (one not classified as new this year) 

Find more information about Scotland’s bathing waters, including locations, profiles and classifications, on SEPA's bathing waters pages. 

Scottish Water’s overflow map can be accessed at Overflow Map - Scottish Water 

Bathing water classifications are calculated in accordance with rules and standards prescribed in The Bathing Waters (Scotland) Regulations 2008. This transposed the revised EU Bathing Directive into Scottish law. Find more information about bathing waters legislation. 

Classifications for 2026 were calculated at the end of the 2025 season using data across the previous four years, from 2022-2025. 

Water Safety Scotland was founded by RoSPA in 2014 and is a partnership organisation whose purpose is to influence, coordinate and lead the aims set out in Scotland's Drowning Prevention Strategy. Water Safety Scotland and its partners promote the need to stay safe whilst around water Water Safety Scotland 

Scottish Water’s campaign work with customers and food service establishments aims to drive a reduction in sewer choke numbers and protect bathing waters from instances of pollution. Find out more about the Nature Calls campaign and how to help protect the network and Scotland’s water environment on Scottish Water’s website. 

Classifications for 2026 

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