Ards Tide Clock

NEW for 2026!

Ards sits on a sheltered corner of the Donegal coast, where low hills, sand hills and saltmarsh wrap around a series of quiet inlets and beaches. Ards Bay, Ards Strand, Ards Friary and Eel Strand look across calm, shallow water towards Binnagorm Point, Horse Park Point and the outer rocks and bars that guard the entrance from the open sea.

This coastline carries a long human story, from the old monastic tradition at Ards Friary to Doe Castle watching over the narrows between wooded shores and scattered townlands. Fishing, farming and small local piers have shaped daily life here, and the map preserves that gentle, lived-in character in the names of strands, points and loughs that ring the bay.

What is a tide clock?

A tide clock is a device that tells you if the tide is high or low, and how much time is left before it changes. It works by synchronising with the lunar cycle, which influences the tides. The tide clock has a single hand that rotates once every 12 hours and 25 minutes, which is the average time between two high tides or two low tides. The dial of the tide clock is divided into sections that indicate the state of the tide: high, low, rising, or falling. By looking at the position of the hand, you can tell what the tide is doing and how long it will take to change.

Why use a tide clock?

A tide clock can help you plan your activities around Ards by letting you know when the water is high enough or low enough for your preferred activity. For example, if you want to swim, you might want to avoid low tide, when the water is shallow and cold, and more sandbanks and mudflats are exposed. If you want to fish, you might want to avoid high tide, when the water is deep and fast, and the fish are more dispersed. Going sailing, paddleboarding, or kayaking? You might want to choose a time when the tide is rising or falling, which often creates more favourable conditions for these sports. If you want to walk along the shore, you might want to choose a time when the tide is low, which reveals more of the beach, channels and wildlife.

What is a marine chart?

A marine chart is a map of the sea and shoreline that shows water depths, hazards, and features you can use to understand the geography and infrastructure of a coastal location. It uses symbols and numbers to show how deep the water is at different places, where rocks, sandbanks, or wrecks are, and where channels are safer for boats. The chart marks landmarks on land—like lighthouses, piers, and headlands—so you can match what you see to the map.

What are the details of the Ards tide clock?

• 260 mm x 260 mm and 45mm deep. (10″ x 10″ x 1.75″)
  
• Heavy duty professionally printed canvas.
• Solid-wood frame. Select from either black or white.
• Real glass
  
• Delivered in a presentation box with “Who knows what the tide may bring” printed on it.

The Ards tide clock contains full instructions on how to set and how to read a tide clock.

This is not a navigation device.