Wild Swimming
Portobello Beach
Portobello is Edinburgh's beach — a 1.5km sandy stretch on the Firth of Forth, 5km from the city centre, with a bustling promenade, Victorian baths, ice cream shops, and a committed year-round swimming community that swims here on New Year's Day like everywhere else on this coast. The sea is cold, the views across to Fife are real, and the access is as easy as a bus from the Old Town. The Portobello Swim Club hosts regular early-morning and evening swims and welcomes newcomers.
Quick facts
- Type
- Beach
- Region
- Edinburgh & Lothians
- Grid ref
- NT 307 738
- Entry
- Sandy shore
- Depth
- Shallow (wading depth)
- Summer water temp
- 8–16°C
- Midges
- Low
- Dogs
- On lead only
- Water quality
- SEPA monitored
Key hazards
- cold water shock
- occasional combined sewer overflow events (check SEPA status)
- rip currents during onshore swell
Getting there
Buses 15, 26, 45 from Edinburgh city centre. Parking on the promenade (pay and display). No lifeguard June–August, unlike the outdoor pool. The bathing waters act covers the central beach section — check SEPA status after heavy rain.
Parking postcode: EH15 2AT
Safety
SEPA-designated bathing water — water quality is monitored and grades published. Combined sewer overflow events following heavy rain temporarily reduce quality — check the SEPA bathing water status app before swimming after a rainy day. Jellyfish (lion's mane) present August–October.
Best for
- Edinburgh city resident swim
- informal New Year swim
- swim club community
- accessible family beach
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 06:57
- Sunset
- 19:14
- Civil dawn
- 06:20
- Civil dusk
- 19:51
NOAA Solar Calculator · 22 September 2026
Common questions
- Is Portobello Beach water quality good?
- Portobello is a SEPA-designated bathing water and usually achieves Excellent or Good classification. After heavy rainfall combined sewer overflows can temporarily affect quality — check the SEPA Bathing Waters website or app on the day.
- Is the Loony Dook at Portobello?
- No. The Loony Dook is at South Queensferry, about 11 miles west along the Forth, and has been since three locals started it in 1986 — it is free, community-run, and raises money for RNLI Queensferry. Portobello has its own informal New Year swims, as most of this coast does, but they are not the Loony Dook and no permission or entry is needed for either.
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