Spectacular sandy beach forming a white arc between Port Braddan (approx. 2 km east of Dunseverick Castle) and Dundriff headland on the North Antrim Coast, Northern Ireland. Located near Ballintoy, along the Giant’s Causeway Coastal Route (B146 road), 6.5 miles from Bushmills and 7.5 miles from Ballycastle. Part of the Causeway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Beach Gallery
Location
Access Information
Located on the B146. Access to the beach involves a steep path with high gradient steps and slopes via kissing gates. Free but limited car park with rough, uneven surface; overnight parking not allowed. NCN route 93 (cycling) runs past. Served by Causeway Rambler bus (Ulsterbus 402/172).
Beach Details
Activities
- Walking
- Picnicking
- Sandcastle building
- Wildlife watching (Birds
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Flora)
- Fossil hunting (Belemnites in chalk)
- Sightseeing
- Photography
Facilities
- Car Park (free
- small
- rough surface). Dogs allowed on lead due to livestock grazing. No toilets mentioned on National Trust site; facilities are very limited. Food truck sometimes present in car park (mentioned in review).
Environment
Bay, Coast, Beach backed by ancient Sand Dunes (extending ~400m inland), massive land-slipped area backed by high Chalk Cliffs, Sea-stacks, Natural arches. Largely unmodified nature.
Conservation Status
National Trust property (since 1938), Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI - biological and earth science features), Causeway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). No evidence found for SAC or SPA designation.
Views
Views of the North Antrim Coast, Atlantic Ocean, surrounding chalk cliffs, sea stacks/arches, Elephant Rock (nearby landmark).
Wildlife
Rich habitats for bird and animal life. Grazing cattle & sheep often present on beach/dunes. Common lizard, Pygmy shrew, Rabbits. Occasional cetacean strandings, grey seals haul out on rocks. Cliff nesting birds (fulmar, house martin, swift), sand martins, scrub birds (whitethroat, grasshopper warbler), waders (jack snipe), beach nesting birds (ringed plover, oystercatcher), Eider ducks. Notable for orchids (8 species incl. Frog, Pyramidal, Bee) and other rare plants (adder's-tongue, moonwort, meadow crane's-bill, wood vetch, fragrant agrimony, thyme, rare moss Rhodobryum roseum). High diversity of butterflies (13 species incl. dark green fritillary, common blue, small heath, wood white) and moths (six-spot burnet, Mother Shipton). Rare solitary bees/wasps.
Cultural & Historical Significance
Managed by the National Trust since 1938. Site of one of the earliest settlements in Ireland, with evidence of Neolithic settlers continually being exposed on the raised beach and sand dune system. Known for manufacturing and exporting axes and arrowheads from the area. A cairn above the beach is designated as a Scheduled Historic Monument. Mention of 'singing sands'.
Beach Tags
Reviews
Reviews Summary
Overwhelmingly positive reviews praising the stunning beauty, tranquility, golden sand, and scenic views. The steep access path makes it less crowded but challenging for mobility-impaired visitors. Presence of grazing cattle is a unique, often mentioned feature. Limited facilities and warnings against swimming are noted. Neolithic history and low-tide walk to Ballintoy Harbour are mentioned.
(banshee48, Oct 2024) "A favourite visit for my wife. The path down (and up!) is a little steep but worth it! The beach is stunning. You will occasionally encounter cattle who graze in the area as part of the National Trust natural control of shrubbery. Early neolithic evidence in the sand dunes. You can stroll all the way round (at low tide) to Ballintoy harbour on your right. Slightly off the beaten track but worth it just for the views."
(CeilingsPA, Sep 2024) "What a stunning “Quiet” beach, beautiful expanse of golden firm sand. Parking is on hill and then it’s down to this oasis. When we went it was vey quiet, doubt that it ever gets to busy. Well worth the up and down walk."
(Emma T, Jul 2024) "Nice scenery, never too crowded due to the long walk up and down which is a plus for me. It’s never to hard to fine a quiet spot to sit by yourself."
(rachel m, Jun 2024) "Absolutely stunning beach. It is a bit of a walk down but boy is it worth it. The view, the tranquility, the lack of litter, the cows...just picture perfect and never too busy. I wouldn't recommend it for any with mobility issues but for everyone else it's beautiful."
(Annmarie, Mar 2024) "There's a viewpoint you see from your car if you don't want to make the long walk down to the beach. If you do, there's a small parking lot (with a food truck!) which was very busy when we went on a nice day, so there were only a couple spots available. The walk down to the beach is pretty long and downhill, meaning all uphill on the way back! Very nice beach with some beautiful views. There are signs about no swimming and there are no shells."
(Alison D, Jul 2023) "Absolutely gorgeous beach! We loved walking along the whole bay and were able to get round to Ballintoy as the ride was out! I would be careful about doing that if the tide was coming in! Lots of wildlife e.g. shags, oyster catchers, eider ducks, etc. Very poor phone signal which was no problem to me, but worth being careful!"
Leave a Review
Related Beaches
Leave a Reply