← Rock Pool Directory/ Ireland/ Cranfield Beach

Cranfield Beach

Northern Ireland / Tuaisceart Éireann · Ireland

What have people found?

Saw wrack and atlantic dogwhelk turn up here more than at our other rock pools. Common sea star, european green crab and snakelocks anemone are the usual finds. ~34 distinct species have been recorded here. More has been recorded at Balbriggan, 47 kilometers away.

What is the best time to visit today?

Download the app to see the 7-day schedule.

See low tide times at Cranfield Beach for the next three days
  1. Sun 15 Nov~8:30in the dark~21:00
  2. Mon 16 Nov~9:00in the dark~22:00
  3. Tue 17 Nov~10:30in the dark~23:00

Every low tide each day, in local time at the shore.

Plan the week in Intertidal
  • A tide chart for every day, with the best window marked
  • Identify what you find from a photo
  • An alert when a good daylight low is coming

When do people visit?

JFMAMJJASOND

Most observations come from February and April.

What should you know before visiting?

Customer parking is about 300 meters away.
Arrive 45 minutes to an hour before low tide and leave as it turns. The water comes back faster than it left.
Grippy shoes beat sandals. Wet rock and algae are more slippery than they look. Rock pool safety
A rock pool is a fragile place. Look and photograph, take nothing. The rockpooling code

What lives at Cranfield Beach?

Species records from iNaturalist

Common Sea StarAsterias rubens
European Green CrabCarcinus maenas
snakelocks anemoneAnemonia viridis
Saw WrackFucus serratus
Atlantic DogwhelkNucella lapillus
Edible CrabCancer pagurus
Irish MossChondrus crispus
Japanese WireweedSargassum muticum
Sugar KelpSaccharina latissima
Bread-crumb SpongeHalichondria panicea
Sea-oakHalidrys siliquosa
Daisy AnemoneCereus pedunculatus
Sagartia undataSagartia undata
bladder wrackFucus vesiculosus
European Flat OysterOstrea edulis
Scan this rock pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.