Glens of Antrim
The Glens of Antrim are one of the most celebrated and visually dramatic landscapes in the north of Ireland, comprising nine distinct glacially carved valleys that sweep down from the Antrim Plateau to meet the northeastern coastline of Ireland along the North Channel. Each glen carries its own name and character — Glenarm, Glencloy, Glenariff, Glenballyeamon, Glenaan, Glencorp, Glendun, Glenshesk, and Glentaisie — and together they form a tapestry of wooded ravines, rushing rivers, waterfalls, and open moorland that has drawn visitors, poets, and painters for centuries. The coordinates given fall within the northern portion of this region, close to the area around Ballycastle and the Glens of Antrim as a whole, a landscape that sits within County Antrim in Northern Ireland rather than the Republic of Ireland. It is a place of quite extraordinary natural beauty, listed among the finest scenic regions of the entire island.
The history of the Glens runs extraordinarily deep. The area was home to some of the earliest settlers in Ireland, with Neolithic communities leaving behind portal tombs and standing stones scattered across the uplands. The Glens were later a stronghold of the MacDonnell clan, a powerful Gaelic and Scottish family who controlled much of this coastline from the medieval period onwards. Dunluce Castle, not far along the coast, was their great fortress, and the political and military struggles between the MacDonnells and the O'Neills defined much of the region's medieval history. The area also carries rich associations with Irish mythology, particularly the legend of the Children of Lir, who were said to have spent part of their three-hundred-year enchantment on the Sea of Moyle, the stretch of water between Ireland and Scotland visible from the clifftops here.
In physical terms, the Glens offer an almost overwhelming sensory experience. The valleys are densely wooded with oak, ash, hazel, and rowan, particularly along the lower reaches where rivers tumble over basalt shelves in a series of waterfalls. Glenariff in particular, sometimes called the Queen of the Glens, contains a forest park with well-maintained trails winding past cascades and through ancient woodland. The air is cool and heavily perfumed with moss, wet stone, and wild garlic in spring. The constant sound of running water accompanies almost every walk, punctuated in summer by birdsong from warblers and dippers. The upper slopes open onto vast plateaus of heather and blanket bog, where the silence becomes immense and the views across to Rathlin Island and the Scottish coast of Kintyre are simply breathtaking on clear days.
The surrounding landscape adds considerably to the experience. The Causeway Coastal Route, one of the most scenic drives in Europe, passes along the edge of the Glens, connecting them to the Giant's Causeway to the west and the town of Ballycastle to the north. Ballycastle itself is a pleasant market town and the departure point for ferries to Rathlin Island, Ireland's only inhabited offshore island and an important seabird sanctuary. The Antrim Plateau above the glens is a haunting, windswept upland that rewards those willing to leave the valley floors. The coast road offers a succession of small villages — Cushendall, Cushendun, Waterfoot, Carnlough — each with its own particular charm, and several of them have been designated conservation areas for their architectural character.
Visiting the Glens is straightforward from a practical standpoint, though the narrow, winding roads demand careful and patient driving. The nearest large city is Belfast, roughly an hour to the south via the A2 coastal road or the faster inland route via Ballymena. The Causeway Coastal Route is well signposted and the region is accessible year-round, though the summer months from May to September offer the most reliable weather and the longest daylight hours. Spring is particularly beautiful for the woodland wildflowers, and autumn brings spectacular colour to the valley sides. Many visitors base themselves in Cushendall or Ballycastle. There is a range of accommodation including guesthouses, self-catering cottages, and a scattering of excellent local pubs. Walking boots are strongly recommended as trails can be muddy in all seasons.
One of the more remarkable and lesser-known facts about the Glens is the strong Scottish cultural connection that persists here even today. The narrowness of the North Channel — at its closest point only around twenty kilometres of water — meant that this part of Ireland was in constant contact with Argyll and Kintyre throughout history. The Glens retained a form of Scottish Gaelic into the modern period, distinct from Irish Gaelic, and a number of local families can trace descent directly from Scottish settlers who crossed the channel generations ago. The Ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle, held every August since the seventeenth century, is one of the oldest fairs in Ireland and draws visitors from across the country for its traditional atmosphere, livestock trading, and the sale of dulse and yellowman, two local food specialities that have been sold there for generations.