Barley Cove
Goleen · Ireland South · Ireland
Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Barley Cove (wave height, swell, wind, tide and a 0–10 rating for every hour of the next 16 days) are only shown on SurfCams. They change every hour, so this text doesn’t contain them. To check today’s surf, open https://surf-cams.com/spot/barley-cove.
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A stunning south-facing beach near Mizen Head, with big dunes and a tidal lagoon behind it. The surf is usually small. Sandbars at the river mouth help any swell that reaches the bay to break well.
- Level
- Beginners
- Break
- Beach break, sand
- Waves
- Lefts and rights
- Crowd
- Quiet
- Season
- autumn, winter, spring
- Boards
- A longboard, funboard or fish.
When it works
✓ A south-west to south swell of 1–1.5 m with a north-east wind, on a rising tide.
When it doesn't
✕ Southerly winds; northerly and westerly swells miss it.
Watch out for
- rips
Best months
March, April, May, September, October, November
Local tips
It doesn't break every day, so pick your moment; when a swell arrives, it can be very good. When the tide is going out, look out for currents. In summer the car park fills up.
Getting there
From Goleen head towards Crookhaven and take the signed right turn to Barley Cove. Park in the car park and cross the floating bridge over the lagoon.
Travel notes
- How often it works
- Fairly consistent in south-westerly groundswells; the bay keeps it small.
- Crowd and vibe
- Usually empty in the water; very busy with families on summer days.
- Facilities
- Car park, toilets and a summer lifeguard (EPA). Surfnerd mentions camping close by.
- Water quality
- Rated Excellent by the EPA in 2025 and holds a Blue Flag.
Ideal conditions
- Swell
- S–SW best, S–WSW works
- Size
- 0.8–1.6 m offshore swell; starts at 0.4 m, holds to 2 m
- Period
- 10 s minimum, best from 13 s
- Wind
- Offshore N–NE; handles onshore up to 10 km/h
- Tide
- mid, high best, on the rising tide
- Faces
- S (175°)
Live cam
No cam at this spot yet: the forecast and the guide are on the map.
Nearby spots
- Derrynane 41 km · Beginner
- Owenahincha 55 km · Intermediate
- St Finian's Bay 57 km · Intermediate
- Long Strand (Castlefreke) 57 km · Intermediate
- Red Strand 60 km · Intermediate
- Inchydoney 65 km · Beginner