The Kintyre Forum

I see Machrihanish has made it onto a list of the UK's worst beaches.

http://environment.uk.msn.com/green-liv ... ageindex=9

Cant say I have seen any cleaning or anything else being done by the Council to make it a bit more appealing !

Nice scenery, but not much else there to draw people to it....

maxmix

maxmix wrote:Cant say I have seen any cleaning or anything else being done by the Council to make it a bit more appealing !

I think the rank is in relation to water quality - as opposed to litter.etc on the beach

But I might be wrong.

Seems totally at odds with this then

http://news.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/d ... s_8137.pdf

maxmix wrote:Cant say I have seen any cleaning or anything else being done by the Council to make it a bit more appealing !

Nice scenery, but not much else there to draw people to it....

maxmix

especially since the shop and pub closed

Sheik Yir Erse wrote:

maxmix wrote:Cant say I have seen any cleaning or anything else being done by the Council to make it a bit more appealing !

I think the rank is in relation to water quality - as opposed to litter.etc on the beach

But I might be wrong.

Ah I see, I never knew that, I wonder of all the bathers know that !

maxmix

EMDEE wrote:I see Machrihanish has made it onto a list of the UK's worst beaches.

http://environment.uk.msn.com/green-liv ... ageindex=9

Certainly doesn't relate to Machrihanish Beach and shows a photo of Westport! (which I might add looks brilliant just now too)

As pointed out by Barney McGrew Machrihanish Beach was recently awarded the Seaside Award for the sixth year in a row so at odds too over this report.

Machrihanish Beach was awarded the Rural Seaside Award in June 2009. To be awarded a Rural Seaside Award the beach must meet 15 criteria including:
• excellent environmental management policies
• excellent litter management procedures
• excellent or good bathing water quality
• information boards by the beach
• lifesaving equipment

If the flag is not flying, or certificate is not on display, it may mean that at least one award criterion is not being met. Once all criteria are met again the flag can be raised and certificate reinstated.

The following thread was posted recently viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8137

In all the years that I have visited Machrihanish I can never recall it being as clean as it is just now.

Here are some photos taken in the last couple of weeks and the flag flying high!

Kintyre Forum News wrote:As pointed out by Barney McGrew Machrihanish Beach was recently awarded the Seaside Award for the sixth year in a row so at odds too over this report.

Machrihanish Beach was awarded the Rural Seaside Award in June 2009. To be awarded a Rural Seaside Award the beach must meet 15 criteria including:
• excellent environmental management policies
• excellent litter management procedures
• excellent or good bathing water quality
• information boards by the beach
• lifesaving equipment

If the flag is not flying, or certificate is not on display, it may mean that at least one award criterion is not being met. Once all criteria are met again the flag can be raised and certificate reinstated.

The article (link) posted in the OP states it was due to poor water quality....is the flag still flying then? Obviously the 2009 Seaside Award wouldn't have been given if that particular criteria was NOT met. Did something happen out at sea between then & now, to pollute the waters?? And if the article is wrong someone there should absolutely point that out to them & have a retraction published. This is not good publicity, & given all the work the recent beach cleanup volunteers put in it's a shame for this negative publicity to follow so soon after...or at all!

The beach itself looks fantastic from here, btw )!!!

The water quality on the beaches around here is usually of a good standard. It may depend on where and when a water sample was taken, sometimes you get heavy rainfall which comes down the burn at Machrihanish which can make a difference in the water quality. As someone who spends alot of time in the water i cant say ive had any ear, nose or throat infections/problems for a long time so it can't be that bad.

According to the grab trust and a council representative, there has been an error with the posting on the worst beach site. They are looking into in to have it amended.

kintyre 84 wrote:According to the grab trust and a council representative, there has been an error with the posting on the worst beach site. They are looking into in to have it amended.

Glad to hear that .

Just in from walk on beach and its looking its best ever . So clean and the sand is golden with not a single piece of rubbish on it . I was reading the notice board at the first Tee entrance and the water quality was last tested on the 1st July 2009 ( 4 days ago) by SEPA and it was graded 'excellent ' in terms of quality.

maxmix wrote:Nice scenery, but not much else there to draw people to it....
maxmix

The surfers and the golfers seem to like it Maxmix!!
I'm glad the error is being sorted!

Ags wrote:I'm glad the error is being sorted!

Me too

I was out that way on Sunday and noticed cars had been banned from the beach. There was a notice on the fence stating cars were not permitted and referred to the notice on the board adjacent. The notice referred to enviromental and other factors.
I personaly think this is a short sighted stance, what harm does a few surfers/wind surfers/canoeists trundling across the beach, setting up their gear and enjoying their sport make?

I must admit to not liking to see cars on a beach, it does rather detract from the beauty of it all.

I think the probllem with the vehicles on the beach is the large numbers of them lately which go back and forward all day. It doesnt help when you get cars parked up yards from the first tee instead of moing up past the flag pole. Its not that hard to park up and walk down to the beach, apart from when it's really busy and then there isnt enough parking places on the front.