Around one in every 14 bathing sites in England has poor quality water, according to the Environment Agency (EA). A total of 32 spots received the worst possible rating.
Ratings and Statistics
Each year, the EA assesses water quality at officially designated bathing spots, assigning one of five ratings: Excellent, Good, Sufficient, or Poor. The vast majority of sites are rated Excellent (66%) or Good (21%), leaving 6% as Sufficient and 7% as Poor.
Notable Poor-Rated Locations
Many of the poor-rated sites are inland, including Derwent Water in the Lake District, three rivers in Yorkshire (River Nidd in Knaresborough, Wharfe in Ilkley and Wetherby), and the Ribble at Edisford Bridge in Clitheroe, Lancashire.
Other poor-rated spots include the River Severn in Shrewsbury and Ironbridge, River Teme in Ludlow, Sheep's Green on the River Cam in Cambridge, Wolvercote Mill Stream in Oxford, River Frome at Farleigh Hungerford, River Avon at Fordingbridge, and River Tone at French Weir Park in Taunton.
Blackpool North
Locally, the most notable poor rating is Blackpool North in Lancashire. Blackpool North Shore Beach, a quieter sandy stretch north of North Pier, has been rated poor in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says "bathing is not advised" there.
Full List of Poor-Rated Sites
- Tynemouth Cullercoats, North Tyneside
- Littlehaven Beach, South Tyneside
- Derwent Water at Crow Park, Cumberland
- Haverigg, Cumberland
- Blackpool North, Blackpool
- River Ribble at Edisford Bridge, Ribble Valley
- Nidd at the Lido, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire
- Scarborough South Bay, North Yorkshire
- Wharfe at Cromwheel, Ilkley, Bradford
- Wharfe at Wilderness Carpark, Leeds
- River Severn at Ironbridge, Telford and Wrekin
- River Teme in Ludlow, Shropshire
- River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire
- Sheep's Green, River Cam, Cambridge
- Wolvercote Mill Stream, Oxford
- Bognor Regis (Aldwick), Arun
- Worthing Beach House, Worthing
- Southsea East, City of Portsmouth
- River Avon at Fordingbridge, New Forest
- Dymchurch, Folkestone and Hythe
- Littlestone, Folkestone and Hythe
- Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway, North Somerset
- Weston Main, North Somerset
- Weston-super-Mare Sand Bay, North Somerset
- Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach, Dorset
- River Frome at Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset
- River Tone at French Weir Park, Somerset
- Dunster Beach, Somerset
- Blue Anchor West, Somerset
- Stoke Gabriel, Dart Estuary, South Hams
- Steamer Quay, Dart Estuary, South Hams
- Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary, South Hams
