Dipper › Co. Donegal

Ballyhiernan, Fanad

Excellent Quality 2025 Green Coast faces N

🌊 Dip🏄 Surf
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Dip score now
56
Fresh · gentle breeze, dry
Waves
2.0 m
10 s period from NW · model cell 1.5 km out
Sea
15.2°
Grand. M2 buoy, Irish Sea east of Dublin, 245 km away.
Tide
1.4 m
Low tide. Low at 04:50.
Wind
14 km/h
Gentle breeze, SSW, offshore, gusts 25
Daylight
07:36
Sunrise. Sunset 19:03. Air 10°C.

Best dip each day

Daylight hours
Today
13:00
Fresh 59/100
gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.8 m · 1.8 m · 17 km/h
▼ 04:50 ▲ 11:20 ▼ 17:55
Sun, 4 Oct
08:00
Fresh 55/100
moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry · 2.1 m · 21 km/h
▲ 00:35 ▼ 06:05 ▲ 13:20 ▼ 20:00
Mon, 5 Oct
19:00
Fresh 57/100
light winds, showers possible, big sea 2.5 m · 2.5 m · 12 km/h
▲ 02:20 ▼ 08:00 ▲ 15:00 ▼ 21:40
Tue, 6 Oct
10:00
Fresh 48/100
gentle breeze, showers possible, big sea 2.0 m · 2.0 m · 16 km/h
▲ 03:35 ▼ 09:25 ▲ 16:05 ▼ 22:35
Wed, 7 Oct
10:00
Blowy 33/100
moderate breeze, rain, big sea 1.5 m · 1.5 m · 27 km/h
▲ 04:40 ▼ 10:25 ▲ 16:55 ▼ 23:15
Thu, 8 Oct
10:00
Grand 97/100
light winds, dry, low tide · 10 km/h
▲ 05:20 ▼ 11:10 ▲ 17:40 ▼ 23:55
Fri, 9 Oct
13:00
Blowy 43/100
fresh breeze, rain, low tide · 38 km/h
▲ 05:55 ▼ 11:45 ▲ 18:05

Week at a glance

Tap or drag to pick an hour. Everything below follows.
Sat 05:0056 · Freshgentle breeze · dry
Sat 3Sun 4Mon 5Tue 6Wed 7Thu 8Fri 90003060912151821Sat 02:00 · 46 Fresh · nightSat 03:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSat 04:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSat 05:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSat 06:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSat 07:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSat 08:00 · 56 FreshSat 09:00 · 56 FreshSat 10:00 · 56 FreshSat 11:00 · 56 FreshSat 12:00 · 56 FreshSat 13:00 · 59 FreshSat 14:00 · 59 FreshSat 15:00 · 59 FreshSat 16:00 · 59 FreshSat 17:00 · 59 FreshSat 18:00 · 59 FreshSat 19:00 · 56 FreshSat 20:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSat 21:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSat 22:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSat 23:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSun 00:00 · 52 Fresh · nightSun 01:00 · 52 Fresh · nightSun 02:00 · 52 Fresh · nightSun 03:00 · 56 Fresh · nightSun 04:00 · 55 Fresh · nightSun 05:00 · 55 Fresh · nightSun 06:00 · 55 Fresh · nightSun 07:00 · 55 Fresh · nightSun 08:00 · 55 FreshSun 09:00 · 55 FreshSun 10:00 · 39 BlowySun 11:00 · 55 FreshSun 12:00 · 39 BlowySun 13:00 · 39 BlowySun 14:00 · 55 FreshSun 15:00 · 55 FreshSun 16:00 · 55 FreshSun 17:00 · 55 FreshSun 18:00 · 49 FreshSun 19:00 · 55 FreshSun 20:00 · 55 Fresh · nightSun 21:00 · 55 Fresh · nightSun 22:00 · 33 Blowy · nightSun 23:00 · 33 Blowy · nightMon 00:00 · 33 Blowy · nightMon 01:00 · 13 Grim · nightMon 02:00 · 13 Grim · nightMon 03:00 · 13 Grim · nightMon 04:00 · 13 Grim · nightMon 05:00 · 13 Grim · nightMon 06:00 · 13 Grim · nightMon 07:00 · 13 Grim · nightMon 08:00 · 13 GrimMon 09:00 · 33 BlowyMon 10:00 · 33 BlowyMon 11:00 · 33 BlowyMon 12:00 · 33 BlowyMon 13:00 · 33 BlowyMon 14:00 · 41 BlowyMon 15:00 · 41 BlowyMon 16:00 · 41 BlowyMon 17:00 · 51 FreshMon 18:00 · 51 FreshMon 19:00 · 57 FreshMon 20:00 · 37 Blowy · nightMon 21:00 · 37 Blowy · nightMon 22:00 · 31 Blowy · nightMon 23:00 · 31 Blowy · nightTue 00:00 · 28 Blowy · nightTue 01:00 · 34 Blowy · nightTue 02:00 · 34 Blowy · nightTue 03:00 · 54 Fresh · nightTue 04:00 · 54 Fresh · nightTue 05:00 · 54 Fresh · nightTue 06:00 · 54 Fresh · nightTue 07:00 · 48 Fresh · nightTue 10:00 · 48 FreshTue 13:00 · 48 FreshTue 16:00 · 38 BlowyTue 19:00 · 38 BlowyTue 22:00 · 55 Fresh · nightWed 01:00 · 51 Fresh · nightWed 04:00 · 51 Fresh · nightWed 07:00 · 50 Fresh · nightWed 10:00 · 33 BlowyWed 13:00 · 33 BlowyWed 16:00 · 12 GrimWed 19:00 · 28 BlowyWed 22:00 · 32 Blowy · nightThu 01:00 · 48 Fresh · nightThu 04:00 · 91 Grand · nightThu 07:00 · 97 Grand · nightThu 10:00 · 97 GrandThu 13:00 · 83 GrandThu 19:00 · 63 DecentFri 01:00 · 23 Grim · nightFri 07:00 · 11 Grim · nightFri 13:00 · 43 BlowyFri 19:00 · 42 Blowy

Sat, 3 Oct, 05:00

56 Fresh
  • gentle breeze
  • dry
  • big sea 2.0 m
  • low tide
  • offshore wind
NESWsunrisesunset2.0 m14 km/h
faces 353° N · wind offshore
Waves
2.0 m @ 10 s from NW
Wind
14 km/h SSW · gusts 25
Tide
1.4 m · low
Air
10°C · dry

Meteogram

Score, waves, wind (green offshore, amber cross, red onshore), rain and air, tide

Hour by hour

Next 48 hours
TimeDipWavesPeriodFromWindGustTideRainAirWhy
Today
04:0056 Fresh2.0 m (1.2 swell)10 sNW13 km/h S281.6 m ▼dry11°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 2.0 m
05:0056 Fresh2.0 m (1.2 swell)10 sNW14 km/h SSW251.4 m ▼dry10°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 2.0 m
06:0056 Fresh2.0 m (1.2 swell)10 sNW14 km/h SSW241.5 m ▼dry10°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 2.0 m
07:0056 Fresh2.0 m (1.1 swell)10 sNW17 km/h SSW251.9 m dry11°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 2.0 m
08:0056 Fresh1.9 m (1.1 swell)10 sNW14 km/h SSW262.3 m dry11°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.9 m
09:0056 Fresh1.9 m (1.1 swell)10 sNW15 km/h S262.8 m dry11°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.9 m
10:0056 Fresh1.9 m (1.1 swell)10 sNW14 km/h SW283.2 m dry11°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.9 m
11:0056 Fresh1.8 m (1.0 swell)10 sNW15 km/h WSW313.4 m ▲dry13°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.8 m
12:0056 Fresh1.8 m (1.0 swell)10 sNW18 km/h WSW313.4 m ▲dry13°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.8 m
13:0059 Fresh1.8 m (0.9 swell)10 sNW17 km/h WSW303.3 m dry14°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.8 m
14:0059 Fresh1.7 m (0.9 swell)10 sNW18 km/h WSW293.0 m dry14°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.7 m
15:0059 Fresh1.7 m (0.9 swell)10 sNW17 km/h WSW282.5 m dry15°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.7 m
16:0059 Fresh1.7 m (0.9 swell)10 sNW16 km/h SW282.0 m dry15°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.7 m
17:0059 Fresh1.7 m (1.0 swell)10 sNW15 km/h SW261.7 m ▼dry15°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.7 m
18:0059 Fresh1.7 m (1.0 swell)10 sNW15 km/h SSW241.6 m ▼dry14°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.7 m
19:0056 Fresh1.8 m (1.1 swell)10 sNW13 km/h S211.6 m ▼dry13°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.8 m
20:0056 Fresh1.8 m (1.1 swell)10 sNW13 km/h S211.9 m dry12°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.8 m
21:0056 Fresh1.8 m (1.2 swell)10 sNW15 km/h S232.2 m dry12°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.8 m
22:0056 Fresh1.9 m (1.2 swell)10 sNW15 km/h S252.6 m dry11°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.9 m
23:0056 Fresh1.9 m (1.2 swell)10 sNW18 km/h S272.9 m dry11°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.9 m
Sunday, 4 October
00:0052 Fresh1.9 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW20 km/h S313.1 m ▲dry10°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
01:0052 Fresh1.9 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW22 km/h S343.1 m ▲dry11°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
02:0052 Fresh1.9 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW23 km/h S373.0 m dry12°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
03:0056 Fresh2.0 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW19 km/h S402.6 m dry13°gentle breeze, dry, big sea 2.0 m
04:0055 Fresh2.0 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW22 km/h S422.2 m dry13°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
05:0055 Fresh2.0 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW26 km/h S421.8 m dry13°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
06:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW24 km/h S421.6 m ▼dry13°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
07:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW21 km/h S411.7 m ▼dry14°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
08:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW21 km/h SSW411.9 m dry14°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
09:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW27 km/h SSW402.2 m dry16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
10:0039 Blowy2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW29 km/h SSW402.5 m dry16°fresh breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
11:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW28 km/h SSW402.9 m 0.1 mm16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
12:0039 Blowy2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW30 km/h SSW413.2 m ▲dry16°fresh breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
13:0039 Blowy2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW30 km/h SSW423.3 m ▲0.1 mm16°fresh breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
14:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW28 km/h SSW433.3 m ▲dry16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
15:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW26 km/h SW443.1 m dry16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
16:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW27 km/h SSW452.8 m dry16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
17:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW27 km/h SW452.4 m dry16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
18:0049 Fresh2.1 m (1.3 swell)10 sNW28 km/h SW442.0 m dry16°moderate breeze, dry, big sea 2.1 m
19:0055 Fresh2.1 m (1.4 swell)10 sNW23 km/h SW431.7 m ▼dry16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
20:0055 Fresh2.2 m (1.4 swell)10 sNW24 km/h SW431.6 m ▼dry16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
21:0055 Fresh2.2 m (1.5 swell)10 sNW26 km/h SW431.7 m ▼dry16°moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
22:0033 Blowy2.3 m (1.6 swell)11 sNW29 km/h SW441.9 m dry16°fresh breeze, dry, big sea 2.3 m
23:0033 Blowy2.4 m (1.7 swell)11 sNW29 km/h SW462.2 m dry16°fresh breeze, dry, big sea 2.4 m
Monday, 5 October
00:0033 Blowy2.5 m (1.8 swell)11 sNW35 km/h WSW462.6 m dry16°fresh breeze, dry, big sea 2.5 m
01:0013 Grim2.6 m (1.9 swell)11 sNW31 km/h SW482.9 m dry16°fresh breeze, dry, heavy sea 2.6 m
02:0013 Grim2.6 m (1.9 swell)11 sNW35 km/h WSW503.0 m ▲dry15°fresh breeze, dry, heavy sea 2.6 m
03:0013 Grim2.6 m (2.0 swell)11 sNW32 km/h SW503.0 m ▲dry15°fresh breeze, dry, heavy sea 2.6 m

Where the energy comes from

Wave energy (H²·T) this week by direction, against the swell window

Swell arriving between W and E reaches this spot; anything else is blocked by land and counts for much less.

Tide today

Buncrana, 20 km away · metres above chart datum
04:5011:2017:55
Low 04:50 · 1.4 mHigh 11:20 · 3.4 mLow 17:55 · 1.6 m

The spot

Faces
353° N
Swell window
W 280° → E 80°
Exposure
Open coast · model cell 1.5 km out
Water
Excellent Quality

Facing and swell window are derived from the wave model's coastline around the spot, not surveyed. Know better? Tell us.

Water quality

Recent grades: 2024 Excellent, 2023 Excellent, 2022 Excellent. The EPA flags a short-term pollution risk here after heavy rain.

Beach profile (PDF) · beaches.ie

On the ground

No lifeguard listedNo toiletsParkingDogs on lead

As listed by Donegal County Council. Open in Maps.

Sauna after?

The Hot Barrel Sauna · Portsalon Pier (also Kerrykeel Pier) · 7 km · mobile

itSaunatrailer · The Wee Beach, Marble Hill, Dunfanaghy · 15 km · fixed

Cocoon Sauna · Portnablagh Pier, Dunfanaghy · 16 km · fixed

The Swilly Sauna · Main Beach car park, Rathmullan · 20 km · mobile

Ballyhiernan beach is a north facing, long sandy beach consisting of sandy dunes. There are three bays on the beach Carrickachurdin Bay, Kinlackagh Bay and Trabane Bay. Ballyhiernan Beach has a wide variety of wildlife including a vast variety of birds and two notable animal species have been spotted on the site, the Common Frog and Irish Hare. Activities include swimming, kayaking, boating, surfing, windsurfing, sailing, power boating, jet skiing, diving and other land based activities on the beach.

Put Ballyhiernan, Fanad in your calendar

Dipper Plus drops the best dip hour here into your phone every day, with waves, sea temperature, tide and a 45-minute nudge. Up to three spots.

Set up Dipper Plus
🌊 Ballyhiernan, Fanad dip · Fresh · sea 15° · 1.8 mSat, 3 Oct 12:30–13:30 · gentle breeze, dry, big sea 1.8 m
🌊 Ballyhiernan, Fanad dip · Fresh · sea 15° · 2.1 mSun, 4 Oct 07:30–08:30 · moderate breeze, offshore, flatter inshore, dry
🌊 Ballyhiernan, Fanad dip · Fresh · sea 15° · 2.5 mMon, 5 Oct 18:30–19:30 · light winds, showers possible, big sea 2.5 m

Nearby spots

Kinny Lough

2 km · Co. Donegal · Not classified

Magheradromman Lough

2 km · Co. Donegal · Not classified

Kindrum Lough

2 km · Co. Donegal · Not classified

Shannagh Lough

2 km · Co. Donegal · Not classified

Score is Dipper's own blend. It rates comfort, not safety. Forecast: Met Éireann. Waves: Marine Institute Irish Shelf wave model.