Spanish Point
- Water temp(satellite):
- 9.5°C
- 2025-01-16
Spanish Point is a beach in Clare. During bathing season, a lifeguard is on duty. There are toilets and a parking spot nearby. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. Beach is accessible for guests with disabilities.
Spanish Point is a sandy beach located west of Milltown Malbay near Quilty to Lahinch road. It offers great views of the Atlantic sea at Mal Bay with a fascinating rocky shoreline and long rocks stretching into the waters. The place is home to diverse marine flora and fauna, including shellfish. Swimming and surfing are common activities while the use of motorised watercraft, surfing, canoes, and kayaks near swimmers is not allowed. A few restrictions apply, such as no horse riding or dogs allowed from 11am-6pm during summers under the beach bye-laws.
Bathing is the main activity at Spanish Point. Surfing is also very popular at this location. Clare County Council introduced Beach byelaws in May 2008 under Part 19 Local Government Act, 2001, & Local Government Act, 2001 (Commencement) Order 2006. Under these bye-laws the following activities are prohibited: • Horse riding (between 11am and 6pm) • Dog walking (between 11am and 6pm) • Any use of motorised watercraft • Surfing in the vicinity of swimmers
The bathing water at Spanish Point is located on the west coast of Clare. Spanish Point is located at Mal Bay within the Shannon Plume (Waterbody Code SH_070_0000). A small stream, Spanish Point Stream enters the designated bathing area just south of the lifeguard hut. Approximately 0.5km north of the designated bathing area another unnamed stream discharges to the sea. This waterbody has not been assigned a code or status under the Water Framework Directive. Further south of the designated bathing area the Annagh river (Waterbody name and code: SH_Annagh_AnnaghMain_1Lower (SH_28_232) discharges to Mal Bay. The designated bathing area is 36m2 approx in size and extends 200m along the shoreline.
The bathing area at Spanish Point lies to the west of Milltown Malbay on the road from Quilty to Lahinch. It is an extensive stretch of sandy beach which forms a straight face onto the open Atlantic sea at Mal Bay. Spanish Point shore can be divided into four zonation patterns. The Splash Zone which only gets wet from the splashing by waves, the Upper Zone which is only covered at high tide, the Middle Zone which is covered and uncovered for about the same length of time and the Lower Zone which is only uncovered at low tide.