Days Out NI
Diving & snorkelling Cushendun

Cushendun Coastal Snorkel Site

A sheltered cove for a calm-day shore snorkel on the Antrim coast.

1 photo
Free accessSelf-access, no booking
FreeSite is free to enter
CushendunDiving & snorkelling
Get directionsOfficial website
Free snorkel siteType
FreeCost
Confident onlyExperience
Kelp & gobiesYou may see
Car parkParking

Cushendun Coastal Snorkel Site — A sheltered cove for a calm-day shore snorkel on the Antrim coast.

  • What you can do: Shore snorkel in a sheltered cove over rock and kelp on a calm day.
  • Experience needed: Competent swimmers and snorkellers; beginners should go with a club or guided operator, not solo.
  • Conditions: Cold water year-round (wetsuit needed); strong tidal streams along the coast; no lifeguard.
  • Kit: Bring your own; no hire on site.
  • Booking & access: Free self-access; check forecast and tide table first.
  • Cost: Free to enter.
Plan your visit

A gentle kelp snorkel on the right day

The cove at the north end of the beach gives some shelter and a reasonably easy entry over rock and kelp. In calm, clear summer water you can drift the shallows and look into the kelp for small fish. You may spot gobies, butterfish, pollack and sometimes a dogfish resting on the bottom, but nothing is guaranteed and a poor day will mean low visibility. This is best for confident swimmers who already snorkel; if you are new to it, book a try-dive or a guided snorkel with a club or operator first rather than starting here alone.

Free wild site No lifeguard Cold water year-round Calm days only Sheltered cove entry Competent swimmers
Good to know before you go:

Conditions here change with the weather and the tide, and visibility changes with them — clear and calm one day, murky and rough the next. Check a forecast and a tide table before you set off. This is a self-access site with no lifeguard, so match it to the experience you actually have, go with a buddy, and never dive alone.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🗺️A proper planA buddy, a tide check and a weather check. Wild sites have no lifeguard and nobody expecting you.
  • ☕Warm layers and a hot drinkThe water is cold all year. Dry clothes and something hot afterwards make the whole day.
  • 🏖️A towelAnd somewhere to put wet kit for the drive home.
  • 🤿An honest look at your experienceMatch the site to the training you actually have. Plenty of people start with a try-dive instead.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
Free wild snorkel site
What you can do
Shore snorkel in a sheltered cove over rock and kelp on a calm day
Experience needed
Competent swimmers and snorkellers; beginners should go with a club or guided operator, not solo
Conditions
Cold water year-round (wetsuit needed); strong tidal streams along the coast; no lifeguard
Booking / access
Free self-access; check forecast and tide table first
Kit
Bring your own; no hire on site
Cost
Free to enter
What you may see
Kelp, gobies, butterfish, pollack and occasionally dogfish — never guaranteed
Parking
National Trust car park in Cushendun village, short walk to the beach
Address / location
North end of Cushendun beach, Cushendun, County Antrim
Questions

Before you go

Do I need experience?
Competent swimmers and snorkellers; beginners should go with a club or guided operator, not solo
How much does it cost?
Free to enter
Do I need to book?
Free self-access; check forecast and tide table first
What are the conditions like?
Cold water year-round (wetsuit needed); strong tidal streams along the coast; no lifeguard
What kit do I need?
Bring your own; no hire on site
Getting there

Cushendun Coastal Snorkel Site is at North end of Cushendun beach, Cushendun, County Antrim. National Trust car park in Cushendun village, short walk to the beach. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

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The story

About it

Cushendun is a small National Trust village at the foot of Glendun on the Antrim coast, known for its Cornish-style cottages and the red-sandstone caves at the south end of the beach. The north end's sheltered cove and rocky headland have become a known spot for shore snorkelling on calm days.

It is a wild site with no operator or supervision. Snorkellers are drawn by the kelp close to shore and the chance of small reef fish, but the same coast that makes it scenic also carries strong tidal streams, so it rewards people who check conditions and treat it with respect.