Days Out NI
Coastal walk Ballintoy

Causeway Coast Way: Ballintoy to Carrick-a-Rede

A free clifftop walk between Ballintoy Harbour and the famous rope bridge

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Open accessWalk it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
BallintoyCoastal walk
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5 hoursHow long
2 miles each wayDistance
FreeCost
All agesBest for
On leadsDogs

Causeway Coast Way: Ballintoy to Carrick-a-Rede — A free clifftop walk between Ballintoy Harbour and the famous rope bridge.

  • Distance: Roughly 2 miles each way between Ballintoy Harbour and the Carrick-a-Rede car park.
  • How long: Around 1.5 to 2.5 hours there and back, more if you stop for the views or a cafe.
  • Terrain: Mix of grass, hardcore gravel and steep steps cut into the cliffside; muddy after rain.
  • Dogs: Welcome on leads along the path, but no dogs permitted across the rope bridge.
  • With kids: Unfenced cliff edges, high winds and steep drops; keep children close and hold hands on exposed sections.
  • Parking: Limited free parking at Ballintoy Harbour; paid National Trust car parks at Carrick-a-Rede and Larrybane Quarry.
Plan your visit

The walk: clifftops, an island and a famous bridge

From Ballintoy Harbour you take the track uphill and join the cliff path, then follow grassy trails across the cliff top for roughly 2 miles to the Carrick-a-Rede car park. Along the way you pass Sheep Island, a steep-sided rock stack offshore, and the white limestone amphitheatre of Larrybane quarry. The closer you get to the bridge, the more dramatic the coast becomes, with steep steps cut into the cliffside on the final approach. From the high points you can see out to Rathlin Island and, on a clear day, the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. The rope bridge itself is a separate paid National Trust attraction, so you can admire it from the path or book tickets to cross.

Free walk Sea views Sheep Island Larrybane quarry Steep in places Dogs on leads
Good to know before you go:

This stretch of the Causeway Coast hosts seasonal guided walks, ranger-led events and coastal festivals through the year, run by the National Trust and local groups. Check ahead before you travel, as dates and rope bridge tickets change with the season.

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 to walk the coastal path (rope bridge crossing is a separate paid National Trust ticket)
Parking
Limited free parking at Ballintoy Harbour; paid National Trust car parks at Carrick-a-Rede and Larrybane Quarry
Distance
Roughly 2 miles each way between Ballintoy Harbour and the Carrick-a-Rede car park
How long to allow
Around 1.5 to 2.5 hours there and back, more if you stop for the views or a cafe
Difficulty
Moderate to strenuous; steep steps and exposed clifftop sections
Terrain
Mix of grass, hardcore gravel and steep steps cut into the cliffside; muddy after rain
Safety with kids
Unfenced cliff edges, high winds and steep drops; keep children close and hold hands on exposed sections
Dogs
Welcome on leads along the path, but no dogs permitted across the rope bridge
Buggy-friendly
No; the steep steps make the full route unsuitable for buggies and wheelchairs
Toilets / food nearby
Toilets at the Carrick-a-Rede car park; The Weighbridge tea-room serves soup, sandwiches and scones
Address
Carrick-a-Rede, 119a Whitepark Road, Ballintoy, County Antrim BT54 6LS
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free to walk the coastal path (rope bridge crossing is a separate paid National Trust ticket)
How far is the walk?
Roughly 2 miles each way between Ballintoy Harbour and the Carrick-a-Rede car park
How long should I allow?
Around 1.5 to 2.5 hours there and back, more if you stop for the views or a cafe
Can I bring the dog?
Welcome on leads along the path, but no dogs permitted across the rope bridge
Is it buggy-friendly?
No; the steep steps make the full route unsuitable for buggies and wheelchairs
Getting there

Causeway Coast Way: Ballintoy to Carrick-a-Rede is at Carrick-a-Rede, 119a Whitepark Road, Ballintoy, County Antrim BT54 6LS. Limited free parking at Ballintoy Harbour; paid National Trust car parks at Carrick-a-Rede and Larrybane Quarry. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

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The story

About this stretch of coast

The path forms part of the Causeway Coast Way, a long-distance route running along the north Antrim coast between Portstewart and Ballycastle. This section crosses a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with white limestone and dark basalt cliffs that tell the story of the area's volcanic and chalk-laid past.

Carrick-a-Rede, meaning 'the rock in the road', has been crossed by a rope bridge for around 350 years, originally put up by salmon fishermen to reach the small island and its fishery. Today the National Trust looks after the bridge and the surrounding coast.

Larrybane quarry, with its striking white cliffs, was once worked for limestone and has since featured as a filming location. The waters and islands here, including Sheep Island and Rathlin further out, are important for seabirds, so bring binoculars if you have them.