It's no secret that some of Wales' beaches are known for being among the best in the world and this has been further proven with 85 of them getting a top mark from Natural Resources Wales for their water quality. The watchdog conducts annual testing during the summer months and compares findings against EU standards.
And this year's results show that 85 beaches received the top mark of 'excellent', which is up from 2021. Of the 106 designated bathing water sites that water quality samples were taken from during the 2022 bathing season just one – Marine Lake in Rhyl, an artificial lake used mainly for water sports – is the only site to be classified as poor.
Categorised as either ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Sufficient’, or ‘Poor’, 85 of the 106 water bodies assessed across Wales achieved the top grade. That means that all 22 Blue Flag Award beaches can apply to retain their status for the 2023 bathing season with Aberporth, Llandonna, and Nolton Haven beaches also achieving an ‘excellent’ classification – an improvement on last year’s results.
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First-time entrants Penarth and Col-Huw beach in the Vale of Glamorgan made their debut by moving straight into the top-ranked category with the former’s application having been submitted by local resident and wild swimming enthusiast James Tennet. Penarth has recently become a firm favourite among bathers with early-rising swimming group Dawnstalkers growing day by day. You can read about the success of Dawnstalkers by those who love open-water swimming here. Speaking of Penarth's result in the ratings Dawnstalkers co-founder Grant Zehtmayer said: “I hope this opens up opportunities for our lovely seafront and Penarth in general, while giving confidence that our muddy sea is perfectly good to swim in."
Here are the 85 beaches and lakes in Wales that were rated excellent
Vale of Glamorgan
- Penarth beach
- Cold Knap, Barry
- Col-Huw beach (Llantwit Major)
Bridgend
- Southerndown
- Trecco Bay, Porthcawl
- Sandy Bay, Porthcawl
- Rest Bay, Porthcawl
Swansea
- Bracelet Bay
- Langland Bay
- Caswell Bay
- Oxwich Bay
- Port Eynon Bay
- Rhossili
Carmarthenshire
- Pembrey
- Pendine
Pembrokeshire
- Amroth Central
- Coppet Hall
- Saundersfoot
- Castle Beach, Tenby
- Tenby South
- Penally
- Lydstep
- Manorbier
- Freshwater East
- Barafundle
- Broad Haven (South)
- Freshwater West
- West Angle
- Sandy Haven
- Dale
- Marloes Sands
- Little Haven
- Broad Haven (Central)
- Druidston Haven
- Nolton Haven
- Newgale
- Caerfai
- Whitesands
- Abereiddy
- Abermawr
- Newport North
Ceredigion
- Poppit West
- Mwnt
- Aberporth
- Tresaith
- Penbryn
- Llangrannog
- Cilborth
- Traeth Gwyn New Quay
- Llanrhystud
- Aberystwyth South
- Borth
Gwynedd
- Aberdyfi Rural
- Tywyn
- Fairbourne
- Barmouth
- Tal-y-Bont
- Dyffryn (Llanendwyn)
- Llandanwg
- Harlech
- Craig Du Beach Central
- Glan Don Beach
- Pwllheli
- Abersoch
- Porth Neigwl
- Aberdaron
- Morfa Nefyn
- Morfa Dinlle
- Llyn Padarn
- Llanddwyn
Isle of Anglesey
- Aberffraw
- Rhosneigr
- Silver Bay Rhoscolyn
- Borth Wen
- Trearddur Bay
- Porth Dafarch
- Church Bay
- Benllech
- St Davids - Benllech
- Llanddona
Conwy
- Llanfairfechan
- Penmaenmawr
- Llandudno West Shore
- Colwyn Bay Porth Eirias
- Abergele (Pensarn)
Denbighshire
- Prestatyn
Natural Resources Wales chief executive Clare Pillman said: “Wales has some of the best beaches and bathing waters in the UK. They’re incredibly important to us – boosting tourism and local economies, enhancing the health and wellbeing of our communities, and supporting rich biodiversity and ecosystems. We’re incredibly proud of the improvements we’ve seen in our bathing waters in recent decades and to see the majority of our bathing waters again this year meeting the excellent criteria.
“But we know there is more to be done. Climate change, pollution, and the way we live our lives are all challenges facing our waters and we must take a 'team Wales' approach if we are to achieve our ambition of delivering the waters we want for current and future generations.”
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