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The Glens of Antrim

by Colin Turtle

After reading through this article I realise that it sounds very like some sort of tourist information brochure, but for that I am unapologetic. To be totally honest, this article is really just a brief overview, because it would be very easy to produce a full series of articles to cover various aspects of the area I am describing.

I am privileged to have been born and brought up near to the Glens of Antrim and within a stone's throw of the Antrim coastline. This is the area I call home and much of my inspiration comes within a half-hour drive of my birthplace.

So it should come as no surprise that I am just a little biased when I say that even though Northern Ireland has an abundance of natural scenery, nowhere is this more evident than in the Glens of Antrim and The Causeway Coast, and while I accept that there are many beautiful regions in this world, there can surely be no doubt that this area contains spectacular, beautiful and varied scenery that can compete with anywhere!

So this is my feeble attempt to capture some of the majesty of this wonderful part of the world and at the same time try to convey some of the atmosphere of the area.

The great thing is that it is all squeezed into a relatively small area.

You can choose between unspoiled moorland, valleys, beaches, sheer cliffs, wonderful seascapes, wooded glens, waterfalls and picturesque villages. There are plenty of ancient sites and hidden places, beautiful and rugged headlands, and wonderful views across to Scotland - North Antrim has it all.

Getting there is also very easy as it's only about an hour's drive from any of Northern Ireland's airports, and less from the Larne ferry from Scotland.

The biggest feature of the area is the huge moorland of the Antrim Plateau from which flows a series of mountain streams and rivers. These in turn have formed a series of nine glens with some incredibly evocative names.

Each glen is unique in its own right and, while some offer more photographic material than others, they are all beautiful and have unique 'personalities'. Each has a mix of rich history, breathtaking natural drama and beauty and not to mention the legends and folklore and tales of giants, fairies, etc.

The nine Glens of Antrim begin in the south with Glenarm and the village of the same name. Glenarm is just a short drive from the port of Larne. It is a beautiful little village, with the river, forest and the imposing Glenarm Castle. Further on we have Glencloy at the mouth of which is

Carnlough village with its lovely harbour.

Next we reach Glenariff. It is known as The Queen of the Glens and it meets the sea with the village of Waterfoot. Glenariff is beautiful and remembering back to my geography at school, it is a classic example of a U-shaped glacial valley.

The largest of the glens is Glenariff with its forest park and several wonderful waterfalls with evocative names such as Es-na-Crubb (The falling hooves).

Around the coast we have Red Bay and then a little further is Cushendall.

The old Antrim Coast Road passes Loughareema - known as 'the vanishing lake' which randomly drains of water and then fills up again. It is impossible to predict if it will be full or empty when you pass, but is equally beautiful.

At the highest point of the road you can see superb panoramic views over five of the glens and across the Irish Sea to Scotland.

This road winds through Glendun and over the famous Glendun viaduct which provides a 'classic' example of early 19th century bridge design and construction dating to 1832. It also gives some stunning photo material.

From Cushendall to Glencorp we also pass through Glenaan and Glenballyeamon.The large mountain of Knocklayde overlooks Ballycastle and is flanked by Glentaisie and Glenshesk.

So that covers the nine Glens of Antrim which even by themselves could keep any photographer in a lifetime's material or scenery, coastal images and wildlife.

You have an unenviable choice to make when journeying from Cushendall to Ballycastle; there are two routes and both are beautiful in their different ways. There is the mountain route which provides some beautiful views of the Antrim Plateau and the surrounding area or there is the Torr Scenic Route which hugs the coastline for several miles. With its winding, narrow roads and steep drops, it is rugged coastline at its very best.

From the town of Ballycastle (a wonderful place for a bite to eat, some fresh fish, perhaps an ice cream), you can take the ferry to Rathlin Island or continue along the famous Causeway coast.

Rathlin Island is about 4 miles from east to west, and 2half miles from north to south. It lies between North Antrim and Scotland, and is only three miles from Fair Head and 16 miles from the Mull of Kintyre. People have lived there for thousands of years. There are standing stones, cairns, passage tombs, cashels, and ancient church and castle sites scattered across this small area.

It is home to tens of thousands of seabirds who live in the managed nature reserve. Rathlin's cliffs are equally impressive, rising from the deep waters to hundreds of feet tall. The wild coast and rough seas round Rathlin explain why there are three lighthouses.

Giant's Causeway The Giant's Causeway is Northern Ireland's top tourist attraction and only World Heritage Site.

A dramatic coastal landscape steeped in local mythology, the Causeway draws up to half a million visitors a year from around the world. It is owned by the National Trust.

Local folklore offers an alternative explanation for the Causeway's creation. The story goes that it was built by the Irish Giant, Finn MacCool so that he could cross the Irish Sea to Scotland to challenge a rival giant, Benandoner. Finn is also credited with the creation of the Isle of Man, which is said to have been formed when he scooped a massive sod of earth to launch at his rival. The resulting hole filled with water to become Lough Neagh.

With so many views and scenes to see, the Causeway Coast and Glens are impossible to cover in a single visit, so this place just keeps drawing you back!

The Rathlin Sound is a passage that is treacherous to shipping because the North Atlantic pours into the gap and meets the tides of the Irish sea pushing out. The result can be disastrous to the unwary ship - there are dozens of shipwrecks around the island. However, Rathlin is an island of extreme contrasts where the mood of weather, sea and sky can change in an instant. If the Glens of Antrim are stunning in terms of their beauty and serenity, then these few miles of coastline provide a contrast with dramatic seascapes. You could easily walk this coastline and take a different scene every few hundred paces.

You travel north of Rathlin to arrive at the World Heritage Site of the Giant's Causeway but really Ballycastle is where many consider that the famous Causeway Coast begins. The road from Ballycastle to Portrush is not that long but in photographic terms there is a lifetime of scenes to capture.

Dunluce Castle Dunluce Castle is one of the most iconic settings in Northern Ireland, situated precariously on the craggy and treacherous Antrim coast.

It is believed that Dunluce castle was built (or possibly rebuilt) in Anglo Norman times although there is little doubt that it was occupied before this time. The castle is, in fact, quite a large something that is not so apparent from outside views. You can walk down a long series of steps, past the wishing well and the mermaid's cave, to the stone arch with views to the Skerries and Inishowen, Donegal.

Close to Dunluce Castle are the ancient church ruins of St Cuthbert's church which has some interesting headstones telling the story of the area from the 1630s. There are stories that some of those who perished in the Spanish Armada ship, the Girona, are buried here.



Updated 27/04/2026 16:44:22 Last Modified: Monday, 27 April 2026