At lower tides there is a small band of sand and shingle running along the front of the Promenade. The foreshore here is almost completely rocks - great for rockpooling.
For swimming there is Battery Rocks, the headland behind the Jubilee Pool. From here there are a couple of sets of steps leading down to the water expressly for the purpose of swimming. This area of Mounts Bay is fairly sheltered and generally safe for swimming, although not lifeguarded.
There are no overflows currently identified by either ourselves or the Environment Agency that have the potential to impact the bathing water. Any bacteria in the bathing water could be from other sources, for example agricultural rainwater runoff, dog or bird faeces, private sewerage or property foul waste pipes being misconnected and draining to watercourses. Bacteria levels may be higher after rainfall.
The graphs below show the significant reduction in harmful bacteria in the Environment Agency’s (EA) water samples since the 1990s. E. coli and Intestinal Enterococci exist in all open water - they are found in human and animal poo, and get into the water via sewage spills, road drainage, agricultural livestock, or wildlife and birds. The EA uses the levels of these bacteria to decide whether to award this beach bathing water status.
The beach profiles were created in line with information provided by our partners, Environment Agency, RNLI, Keep Britain Tidy, MCS - Beach Guide and British Beaches.