From the car park a stunning clifftop path unwinds ahead of you — about a kilometre of it, with the wide-open Atlantic on your right the whole way. On a bright day the sea shifts through greens and blues you'll struggle to believe are real, and the salt air and the cries of nesting seabirds carry up the cliffs. Keep half an eye on the water: dolphins and porpoises pass by out here, and if the light's good the sea shimmers all the way to the horizon.
Then comes the reward. Rounding the headland you catch your first sight of it — a narrow timber-and-rope bridge slung across a twenty-metre chasm to a small green island, the whole thing hanging almost a hundred feet above the churning Atlantic. It's single-file, and it sways, and there's a proper heart-in-the-mouth moment as you step out over open water with the waves working the rocks below. Hold the ropes, take your time, and let it thrill you.
On the island you can catch your breath and drink in the view — sheer cliffs, seabirds wheeling overhead, and the coast stretching away on both sides. Then it's back across the bridge and the same glorious walk in reverse. It's a short outing that packs a genuine adventure into it, and it earns every one of those cliff-edge views.
Plan your visit
Can I visit? Yes — but book a timed ticket first.
This is the one thing people get caught out on, so it's worth saying plainly: a pre-booked timed ticket is required for everyone, including National Trust members. You pick a slot in advance, arrive within it, and online sales close an hour before your time. It's roughly £16 an adult and £8 a child (5–17), under-5s free and members free — but the ticket is still needed. Your reserved car park space is included with it.
Café at the visitor pointToiletsReserved car park includedSteep, exposed clifftop path
Book before you travel:
Timed tickets are essential for everyone, members included — and online sales close an hour before your slot. The bridge also closes in high winds; if you've pre-booked and it's shut, you get a full refund. Always check the day's status before setting off.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
🥾Sturdy shoes with gripIt's a kilometre each way over steps and uneven ground — proper footwear makes all the difference.
🧥A waterproofThe clifftop is exposed and the weather turns quickly out here — a good jacket keeps the day going whatever the sky does.
🧦LayersThe sea breeze can be brisk even on a bright day; add or shed a layer as you walk.
📷A cameraThe bridge, the island and that turquoise sea are made for it — some of the finest views on the whole coast.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Around £16 an adult and £8 a child (5–17), with under-5s free and a family ticket roughly £40 (with Gift Aid). Free for National Trust members — but everyone still needs a timed ticket. Confirm current prices before booking.
Booking
Pre-booked timed tickets are required for everyone, members included. Online sales close one hour before your slot, so book in advance rather than turning up on spec.
Difficulty
Moderate — about a kilometre each way with steps and uneven ground. The bridge is single-file and sways as you cross.
Ages
No stated minimum age, but the path is steep and the bridge exposed. Best for surefooted families and older children who fancy the thrill.
Buggies
Not suited to buggies — the terrain is steep and uneven, and the bridge is single-file.
Weather
The bridge closes in high winds. If you've pre-booked and it's shut, you get a full refund. Take care near the cliff edges in all conditions.
Wildlife
Watch for dolphins, porpoises and seabirds nesting on the cliffs as you walk the clifftop path.
Parking
A reserved on-site car park space is included with your ticket. Limited campervan spaces; no overnight parking.
How long
Allow about an hour and a half for the walk, the crossing and time on the island.
Questions
Before you go
Do I have to book, even as a member?
Yes — a pre-booked timed ticket is required for everyone, National Trust members included. Members go free but still need to reserve a slot, and online sales close an hour before your time. Book before you travel and it's plain sailing.
What if it's too windy?
The bridge closes in high winds for safety. If you've pre-booked and it's shut when your slot comes round, you get a full refund. It's always worth checking the day's status before you set off.
Is it safe for young children or a buggy?
The path is steep, uneven and exposed, and the bridge is single-file and sways — so it's not suited to buggies, and it's best for older, surefooted children rather than toddlers. Keep little ones close near the cliff edges.
How long does it take?
Allow about an hour and a half all in — roughly a kilometre out along the clifftop, the crossing itself, time to enjoy the island, then the same walk back.
What does it cost, and are members free?
Around £16 an adult and £8 a child (5–17), under-5s free, family about £40 with Gift Aid. National Trust members visit free — but still need a timed ticket. Confirm the current prices when you book.
Will I see any wildlife?
Often, yes — the clifftop is a great spot for seabirds nesting on the rock faces, and dolphins and porpoises are seen out in the water. Keep an eye on the sea as you walk.
Getting there
119a Whitepark Road, Ballintoy, County Antrim, BT54 6LS — on the Causeway Coast, with a reserved car park space included in your ticket.
The story goes that fishermen first strung a bridge across this chasm some three hundred and fifty years ago — not for the view, but for the salmon. Each year the fish swept along the coast on their way to their spawning rivers, and this little island sat right in their path, the perfect place to set nets.
To reach it the fishermen slung a rope bridge over the gap, crossing it in all weathers to work the nets below. The salmon fishery is long gone now, but the crossing remains — and what was once a working man's route to his nets is today one of the most thrilling short walks on the whole Causeway Coast.