Portballintrae Antrim
Portballintrae is a small and attractive coastal village on the north Antrim coast of Northern Ireland, a sheltered bay of considerable charm near Bushmills that provides a quieter and more residential alternative to the busier tourist destinations of the Giant's Causeway coast immediately to the east. The village sits on a rounded bay of golden sand backed by low cliffs, its stone cottages and the small pier giving it the character of an unspoiled seaside community that has developed organically rather than for the tourist trade. The village's position on the north Antrim coast places it within easy reach of the major attractions of this section of coastline. The Giant's Causeway, one of the natural wonders of the world, is less than two miles to the east along the cliff path, and the walk between Portballintrae and the Causeway along the coastal path is one of the finest short coastal walks in Northern Ireland, passing above the columnar basalt cliffs and providing views along the entire north Antrim coast toward Rathlin Island and the Scottish mainland beyond. The Bushmills Distillery, the oldest licensed whisky distillery in the world, is a short distance inland from Portballintrae and provides one of the most visited and most rewarding industrial heritage experiences in Ireland. The combination of the distillery visit, the Giant's Causeway and the coastal walking makes this small corner of north Antrim one of the most concentrated areas of visitor interest in Northern Ireland. The beach at Portballintrae provides safe bathing and the sheltered bay is popular with families who find the combination of the small village character and the beach facilities more relaxed than the major tourist centres nearby.