Ballycastle is a small seaside town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, in the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Ballycastle means ‘town of the castle’ and is taken from the Irish name ‘Baile an Chaistil’. This traditional, friendly seaside town provides an excellent base to explore famous attractions such as the Giant’s Causeway. We have listed in this article some of the best things to do in Ballycastle.
Giant’s Causeway
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/giants-causeway
Bushmills BT57 8SU
The Giant’s Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns resulting from an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and a landscape of cliffs, for centuries, the Giant’s Causeway has inspired artists. At this UNESCO World Heritage Site, learn how the Causeway was formed by booking a visitor’s experience. You can walk to the stones for free. The onsite car park is reserved for Visitor Experience ticket holders, members and local community pass holders.
Please visit the website for further details.
Seafront Marina
9 Bayview Rd, Ballycastle BT54 6BT
The 74-berth Blue Flag marina is situated within the inner basin of Ballycastle Harbour and provides visiting boats with sheltered pontoon berthing for vessels up to 20 metres. It offers excellent scope for marine travel around Ireland and to Scotland. The most recent addition to the building is a visitor information office on the ground floor with helpful staff that can provide you with all the local information, including travel, attractions, eating out and accommodation.
Ballycastle Beach
Carrickmore Road, Ballycastle, County Antrim, BT54 6QS
Ballycastle Beach is approximately 1.2km in length and runs from the pier at Ballycastle Marina at the western end to Pans Rock in the east. The beach is a popular tourist destination located on the Causeway Coast Route. There is a promenade at the western end. The beach is located near the Marina, less than 1 mile from the town centre. Facilities include car parking, child-friendly areas, a Visitor Information Centre nearby and seasonal RNLI Beach Lifeguards.
Game of Thrones Tour
Ballycastle
This is your opportunity to get the ultimate Game of Thrones filming location tour onboard Aquaholics II, the same boat the film crew used during production.
You will visit Ballintoy Harbour, featured as the fictional Lordsport Harbour on Pyke. On this boat tour, you’ll see the spot where Brienne of Tarth bested Ser Loras Tyrell in a duel, earning her place in Renly’s Kingsguard. You then sail onwards to Murlough Bay, where Davos Seaworth was shipwrecked after the Battle of Blackwater Bay.
Please visit the website for further details
Murlough Bay
Murlough Bay is a bay on the north coast of Northern Ireland between Fair Head and Torr Head. The Murlough Nature Trail is approximately 2.5 miles long and starts and finishes in the National Trust car park. The beach offers a wide range of activities, such as blokarting, horse riding, swimming and walking. It is one of Northern Ireland’s most beautiful bays, and due to its remote location, you can often have it all to yourself.
Torr Head
Ballycastle BT54 6RQ
Torr Head is a rugged headland with dramatic cliff and ocean views, plus remains of Altagore Cashel, an ancient fort. This headland was important in the 1800s for recording the passage of transatlantic ships and relaying the information back to Lloyds of London. It was often the last hope for Scottish clans beckoning aid from allies in Argyllshire—the walls and ruins of Altagore Cashel date back to the sixth century.
Bonamargie Friary
43 Cushendall Rd, Ballycastle BT54 6QR
Bonamargy Friary was built close to the mouth of the Carey and Shesk rivers by Rory MacQuillan in 1500. The rival MacDonnell clan fought for and claimed the friary from the McQuillans in 1588. The cloister, gatehouse, altar, and church are well preserved except for the thatch roof, which once capped the structure.
Whitepark Bay Beach
Whitepark Bay Beach is a sandy beach forming a white arc between two headlands on the North Antrim Coast and by ancient sand dunes. Its secluded location means that there is plenty of room even on a busy day. The landscape in and around the bay took shape between 200 million and 50 million years ago. Fossils like Belemnites, Ammonites and Gryphaea have been revealed through faults, landslides and raised beaches. Look out for Elephant Rock; legend claims this is a woolly mammoth that tried to escape a volcanic eruption!