The official website of Visit Causeway Coast and Glens
En

Ballycastle Beach

Carrickmore Road, Ballycastle, County Antrim, BT54 6QS

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 349 reviews349 reviews

Add Ballycastle Beach to your Itinerary

View Phone
Number

Close window

Call direct on:

Tel+44 (0) 28 2076 2024

aerial view of Ballycastle Beach
Product Image
Product Image
  • aerial view of Ballycastle Beach
  • Product Image
  • Product Image

Book Tickets Online

About

Ballycastle Beach is a popular tourist destination located on the Causeway Coast Route on the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland. Ballycastle Beach is approximately 1.2 kilometres in length and runs from the pier at Ballycastle Marina at the western end to Pans Rock in the east. Ballycastle Beach is comprised of predominately sand with some shingle. It backs on to Ballycastle Golf Course for most of its length. There is a promenade at the western end. The beach is located near the Marina, less than 1 mile from town centre

There are no restrictions on swimming at this beach and a seasonal lifeguard service is provided by RNLI Beach Lifeguards (July-August 11am-7pm).

Facilities: Car parking, Child friendly areas, Visitor Information Centre nearby, Seasonal RNLI Beach Lifeguards...Read More

About

Ballycastle Beach is a popular tourist destination located on the Causeway Coast Route on the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland. Ballycastle Beach is approximately 1.2 kilometres in length and runs from the pier at Ballycastle Marina at the western end to Pans Rock in the east. Ballycastle Beach is comprised of predominately sand with some shingle. It backs on to Ballycastle Golf Course for most of its length. There is a promenade at the western end. The beach is located near the Marina, less than 1 mile from town centre

There are no restrictions on swimming at this beach and a seasonal lifeguard service is provided by RNLI Beach Lifeguards (July-August 11am-7pm).

Facilities: Car parking, Child friendly areas, Visitor Information Centre nearby, Seasonal RNLI Beach Lifeguards Service (July & August 11am - 7pm daily), Dogs are permitted (restrictions apply 1st June - 15th Sept), wheelchair access, disabled toilets and disabled parking

The eastern end of Ballycastle Beach is part of Ballycastle Coalfield ASSI. Ballycastle Coalfield is the best exposure of a coalfield sequence in Ireland. It contains a series of Carboniferous sedimentary rocks (335-330 million years old) with contemporary lavas and younger Tertiary igneous rocks (60 M.y.). The sedimentary rocks were deposited in a shallow marine bay which gradually developed into a vegetated coastal swamp subject to periodic flooding by the sea. The vegetation was preserved as seams of coal. Fossils that have been found include goniatites (shellfish), fish remains, giant clubmosses and arthropod insects. The Tertiary dykes have metamorphosed the carboniferous shales to produce porcellanite and a range of minerals. The site also contains evidence of early industrial activity: the coals and iron ores were mined between the 16th and 19th centuries.The underlying geology and the spoil heaps give rise to both base rich and acidic habitats, including wet grassland, base-rich flushes and maritime heath. Limited saltmarsh occurs on some of the beaches.

Read Less

Facilities

Establishment Features

  • Toilets

Parking & Transport

  • On site parking

Map & Directions

What's Nearby

  1. Bonamargy Friary

    Remains of Franciscan friary founded around 1500 by Rory MacQuillan. East range of…

    0.55 miles away
  2. inside view of exhibits in museum looking down a passageway with some items attached to wall, some on floor, and a glass fronted display case on left.

    Folk and social history of the Glens in the town's 18th century courthouse. Exhibits…

    1.39 miles away
  3. North Coast Smokehouse Économusée

    We specialise in producing smoked foods naturally, in the picturesque coastal town of…

    1.73 miles away
Previous Next

Map & Directions

Road Directions

Ballycastle Beach is located along the Causeway Coastal Route South from Bushmills, along the A26 and A44 from Ballymena and along the Causeway Coastal Route North A2 from Larne.

Public Transport Directions

The bus station is on Station Road, just east of the Diamond. Ulster Bus Express 217 links Ballymena with Ballycastle and the Goldline Express 218 links Ballymena with Belfast. Bus 172 goes along the Coast Road from Coleraine to Ballycastle via Bushmills, the Giant's Causeway and Ballintoy.  All buses depart from opposite The Marine Hotel on North Street.

View Maps and Visitor Guides
View of what Causeway Coast and Glens has to offer and some of the best things to see and do during a visit.
E-newsletter sign up
Sign up for the Causeway Coastal Route newsletter for inspiration and travel tips.
Back to Top

Tourism Northern Ireland

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
303112345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293012345678910