Days Out NI
Coastal walk Limavady

Binevenagh Lake & Viewpoint

Drive up for clifftop Atlantic views, a trout lake and a Game of Thrones spot.

4 photos
Open accessWalk it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
LimavadyCoastal walk
Get directions
30-45 minutesHow long
3 milesDistance
FreeCost
Buggy okBest for
On leadsDogs

Binevenagh Lake & Viewpoint — Drive up for clifftop Atlantic views, a trout lake and a Game of Thrones spot.

  • Distance: A few minutes from the lake car park to the viewpoint; the full WalkNI loop is roughly 3 miles / 4.9km.
  • How long: 30-45 minutes for the viewpoint, or close to 2 hours for the full loop.
  • Terrain: Grass and short paths near the lake; forest track, grass, exposed rock and boggy, slippy patches on the loop.
  • Dogs: Welcome but keep on a lead near the cliffs and grazing livestock and ponies.
  • With kids: Steep, unfenced cliff edges with big drops near the top. Keep children close and away from the edge.
  • Parking: Free car parks at Binevenagh Lake (off Bishop's Road) and a small roadside car park on Leighery Road for the hill loop (limited spaces).
Plan your visit

Park high, walk a few minutes, get the big view

From the Binevenagh Lake car park off Bishop's Road it's a short, mostly level walk to reach the clifftop and look out over Benone Strand, Lough Foyle and the open Atlantic. The lake itself sits in a clifftop setting and is stocked with rainbow trout, so there's usually a bit of angling activity to watch. If you fancy a longer outing, the WalkNI Binevenagh route climbs from Leighery Road through forest to the summit and cliff edge, about 3 miles and close to 2 hours, graded strenuous with steep climbs, narrow trails and uneven ground. The summit area is a national nature reserve with rare alpine plants and birds, and you may spot gliders from the Ulster Gliding Club riding the air off the escarpment.

Free Free car park Atlantic & Lough Foyle views Trout lake Game of Thrones spot Steep cliff edge
Good to know before you go:

The Causeway Coast and Glens area runs seasonal guided walks, ranger-led events and walking festivals through the year, and Binevenagh's nature reserve features in many of them. Check ahead for dates before you travel.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 👟Good shoes or bootsShore paths can be rocky, uneven and a little muddy after rain.
  • 🧥A coat or windproofThe coast is breezy — a fresh sea wind is half the fun of it.
  • 💧Water and a snackThere is rarely a shop right on the path, so pack a little something.
  • 🔭Binoculars or a cameraFor the seabirds, the seals and the big views across the water.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free
Parking
Free car parks at Binevenagh Lake (off Bishop's Road) and a small roadside car park on Leighery Road for the hill loop (limited spaces)
Distance
A few minutes from the lake car park to the viewpoint; the full WalkNI loop is roughly 3 miles / 4.9km
How long to allow
30-45 minutes for the viewpoint, or close to 2 hours for the full loop
Difficulty
Easy stroll to the viewpoint; the full summit loop is graded strenuous
Terrain
Grass and short paths near the lake; forest track, grass, exposed rock and boggy, slippy patches on the loop
Safety with kids
Steep, unfenced cliff edges with big drops near the top. Keep children close and away from the edge.
Dogs
Welcome but keep on a lead near the cliffs and grazing livestock and ponies
Buggy-friendly
The short lake-to-viewpoint section is fairly manageable; the hill loop is not buggy-friendly. Check before you go.
Toilets / food nearby
None at the top. Nearest toilets and food at Magilligan, Benone Strand and Limavady.
Address
Binevenagh Lake, off Bishop's Road, Limavady, BT49 0QY
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
How far is the walk?
A few minutes from the lake car park to the viewpoint; the full WalkNI loop is roughly 3 miles / 4.9km
How long should I allow?
30-45 minutes for the viewpoint, or close to 2 hours for the full loop
Can I bring the dog?
Welcome but keep on a lead near the cliffs and grazing livestock and ponies
Is it buggy-friendly?
The short lake-to-viewpoint section is fairly manageable; the hill loop is not buggy-friendly. Check before you go.
Getting there

Binevenagh Lake & Viewpoint is at Binevenagh Lake, off Bishop's Road, Limavady, BT49 0QY. Free car parks at Binevenagh Lake (off Bishop's Road) and a small roadside car park on Leighery Road for the hill loop (limited spaces). Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around LimavadySee what else is close by More coastal walks across NIBeaches, cliffs, harbours and headlands
The story

About this stretch of coast

Binevenagh is the great basalt escarpment rising above the Roe Valley and Magilligan plain, its cliffs formed from lava flows some 60 million years old. The plateau and crags are now a national nature reserve, home to rare arctic-alpine plants clinging to the rock faces and birds that nest on the cliffs.

The escarpment found a new audience as a Game of Thrones filming location, standing in for the Dothraki Sea where Daenerys Targaryen and the dragon Drogon were filmed. The small lake near the top is an artificial fishery stocked with rainbow trout, sitting in a dramatic clifftop position above Benone Strand.

Bishop's Road, the scenic single-track that climbs the hill, was built in the late 18th century at the instigation of Frederick Hervey, the Earl-Bishop of Derry, the same churchman behind the cliffside palace at nearby Downhill.