A long, clean sweep of sand on the quiet east coast of the Ards Peninsula — wide-open Irish Sea views, dunes and a boardwalk rest area, and one of Ireland's most easterly links golf courses right alongside. Free to walk, open all year.
What you'll do — stroll the roughly 1.5 miles of firm sand, paddle in the shallow bay, watch the wind-surfers and kite-surfers who love it here, sit out on the decked rest area with the sea in front of you, or play a round at the Kirkistown Castle links next door.
How long & who for — allow an hour or two for a good beach walk, longer on a sunny day. Easy, flat and open — great for all ages and a proper bucket-and-spade beach when it's warm.
Cost & parking — free to walk, with free parking close by and a long car park behind the beach. There's a children's playpark and a small village shop for the essentials.
Bring the lot — walking shoes or wellies, a coat for the sea breeze, water and a picnic, plus buckets and spades and a towel in summer. Bring a hat and something to drink when the sun's out.
Dogs restricted in summer. Dogs are banned from the beach 1 June to 15 September, 10am–6pm. Welcome the rest of the year and outside those hours — check the signs on the day.
No lifeguard. This is an open, unpatrolled beach — the bay is wide and shallow, but always mind the tide and the kids, and take care if you're swimming.
Plan your visit
Can I just turn up? Yes — it's free.
The beach is open and free to walk any day of the year in daylight — no booking, no ticket, no charge. There's free parking nearby and a long car park behind the beach, plus newly installed boardwalks at the northern and southern ends and a decked rest area with coastal views. The village has a children's playpark and a small shop, and Cloughey is well known for the water quality on the beach — wind-surfers, kite-surfers and all-year swimmers use the bay. Facilities are limited, so come stocked up.
Boardwalk access & rest areaFree parking nearbyChildren's playpark in the villageKirkistown links golf next door
Come prepared:
There's a small shop in the village but no café on the beach itself, so bring water, snacks and everything for the sand. Dogs are restricted in the summer daytime — confirm the current dog and any facility signs on the day.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
🥾Sturdy shoes or welliesFirm sand and grassy dunes underfoot — comfy footwear you don't mind getting sandy.
🧥A coat for the breezeIt's an open east coast — a fresh, bracing walk in any weather, gorgeous when the sun's out. Layer up and enjoy it.
🧺A picnic & waterThe village shop covers the basics, but pack your own — the beach and rest area are made for it.
🪣Buckets, spades & a towelIt's a proper wide sandy beach with a paddle in the shallow bay on a warm day.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free to walk, with free parking nearby — no booking or ticket needed.
Opening
The beach is open all year in daylight hours; you can walk it any time.
What you'll see
A long sweep of clean sand, a wide shallow bay, marram-grass dunes, boardwalk access at both ends and a decked rest area, and big Irish Sea views. The south end is good for birdwatching, especially in winter, and the dunes are a designated Area of Special Scientific Interest. The Kirkistown Castle links golf course sits right alongside.
Toilets
Limited on-site facilities — plan ahead and use the village before you head down to the sand. Confirm on the day.
Dogs
Dogs are banned from the beach between 1 June and 15 September, 10am–6pm. Outside that window — and the rest of the year — they're welcome. Watch for the signs. Nearby Ballywalter and Millisle beaches are dog-friendly all year if you're visiting in high summer.
Accessibility
Honest steer: it's a natural beach with soft sand, but the newer boardwalks at the northern and southern ends and the decked rest area make it easier to get close to the sea and enjoy the view without crossing deep sand.
Prams
Soft sand is hard going for a light stroller, but the boardwalks and rest area are manageable. A sling or back-carrier is easiest onto the beach itself with little ones.
Food
A small shop in the village for the basics; nothing on the beach itself. Bring a picnic, or head up the peninsula to Portaferry or into Kircubbin for a proper bite after.
How long
Allow an hour or two for a good walk along the sand and out to the rest area — easily longer if the sun's out and the kids get into the beach.
Questions
Before you go
Is it free?
Yes — the beach is free to walk any day of the year, and there's free parking nearby. No ticket, no booking.
Do I need to book?
No — just turn up and walk. There's no ticket or booking for the beach.
Can I bring the dog?
Yes, most of the year — but dogs are banned from the beach between 1 June and 15 September, 10am to 6pm. Outside those hours and dates they're welcome. If you're visiting in high summer, Ballywalter and Millisle beaches nearby are dog-friendly all year.
Is there a lifeguard?
No — Cloughey is an open, unpatrolled beach. The bay is wide and shallow, which suits paddling and gentle bathing, but always mind the tide, watch the kids, and take care if you're swimming.
Is it good for prams and wheelchairs?
It's a natural beach with soft sand, so the sand itself is tough for wheels. The newer boardwalks at both ends and the decked rest area help you get close to the sea and take in the view. A carrier works best for little ones onto the sand.
What's the golf course next door?
The Kirkistown Castle links — a James Braid-designed course from 1934, reckoned to be the most easterly 18-hole course on the island of Ireland and the nearest links to Belfast. Right beside the beach if you fancy a round.
Getting there
Cloughey Beach, Cloughey, on the east coast of the Ards Peninsula in County Down — down the A2 past Kircubbin and Portavogie, with free parking and a long car park behind the beach.
Cloughey sits out on the east coast of the Ards Peninsula, facing the open Irish Sea — the quiet side, away from the tour buses. It's a picturesque little village that grew up around fishing and farming, and it's still best known for two things: a long, clean sandy beach with famously good water quality, and the Kirkistown Castle links that runs right beside it.
That golf course is a proper piece of history — laid out by the legendary James Braid in 1934, it's reckoned to be the most easterly 18-hole course on the island of Ireland and the nearest links to Belfast. The dunes behind the beach are protected as an Area of Special Scientific Interest, the south end draws birdwatchers in winter, and the boardwalks and rest area let you sit and take in the sea without crossing the deep sand. It's a beach for a walk, a paddle and a proper lungful of sea air — then the whole peninsula to explore afterwards.