Days Out NI
Nature & wildlife Carnlough

Garron Plateau

Free, wild and open all year - Northern Ireland's biggest blanket bog, alive with birds of prey.

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OpenOpen all year, no set hours (open moorlan…
FreeNo ticket needed
CarnloughNature & wildlife
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An hourHow long
FreeEntry
Older kids and…Best for
On leadsDogs
FreeParking

Garron Plateau — Free, wild and open all year - Northern Ireland's biggest blanket bog, alive with birds of prey.

  • What you'll see: Red grouse, golden plover, dunlin, merlin, peregrine, hen harrier; bog orchids, marsh saxifrage, large heath butterflies.
  • Season: Open all year, no set hours (open moorland). Best wildlife spring to early summer.
  • Dogs: Dogs welcome but keep them on a lead at all times to protect ground-nesting birds.
  • Parking: Free car parks at Dungonnell Dam, Drum Wood and Garron Point.
  • Food: None on site - bring a picnic; cafés in Carnlough and at Glenariff nearby.
  • Toilets: None on the plateau - go before you arrive; nearest in Carnlough / Glenariff.
Plan your visit

Birds of prey and bog wildlife

The plateau is a stronghold for moorland birds you won't see in many other places. Red grouse explode out of the heather, golden plover and dunlin nest on the open ground, and raptors hunt across the bog - merlin (the UK's smallest falcon), peregrine and the rare hen harrier. The wide-open ground gives brilliant visibility for spotting them, so binoculars turn the walk into a hunt. Underfoot there are bog orchids, marsh saxifrage and parsley fern, plus large heath butterflies in summer. Quiet, patient kids who like a wildlife mission get the most out of it.

Free Open all year Birds of prey Blanket bog & boardwalk Free parking Big moorland walk
Good to know before you go:

Garron Plateau is a wild reserve rather than an events venue, but the wildlife calendar is the real draw - spring and early summer for nesting waders, grouse and orchids, and winter for raptor watching. RSPB and local groups occasionally run guided walks and peatland events in the Glens, so it's worth checking before a special trip.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🔭BinocularsHalf the fun is spotting the birds, seals or deer before they spot you.
  • 👟Walking shoes or welliesPaths can be soft, grassy or muddy after rain — comfy waterproof feet win.
  • 🧥A coatOut in the open the weather changes fast; dress for it and enjoy the fresh air.
  • 💧Water and a snackReserves are quiet places — few have a café, so pack a little something.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free
Opening / season
Open all year, no set hours (open moorland). Best wildlife spring to early summer.
Best for ages
Older kids and keen young walkers / wildlife spotters; not built for toddlers or prams
What you'll see
Red grouse, golden plover, dunlin, merlin, peregrine, hen harrier; bog orchids, marsh saxifrage, large heath butterflies
Food
None on site - bring a picnic; cafés in Carnlough and at Glenariff nearby
Toilets
None on the plateau - go before you arrive; nearest in Carnlough / Glenariff
Parking
Free car parks at Dungonnell Dam, Drum Wood and Garron Point
Dogs
Dogs welcome but keep them on a lead at all times to protect ground-nesting birds
Accessibility
Some boardwalk sections are easier going, but most ground is uneven, soft and often waterlogged - not buggy or wheelchair friendly
How long to allow
An hour or two for an out-and-back; a full day for the Dungonnell Way loop
Address
Garron Plateau, off the A2 Antrim Coast Road near Carnlough, Co. Antrim
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
What will we see?
Red grouse, golden plover, dunlin, merlin, peregrine, hen harrier; bog orchids, marsh saxifrage, large heath butterflies
When is the best time to go?
Open all year, no set hours (open moorland). Best wildlife spring to early summer.
Can I bring the dog?
Dogs welcome but keep them on a lead at all times to protect ground-nesting birds
Where do I park?
Free car parks at Dungonnell Dam, Drum Wood and Garron Point
Getting there

Garron Plateau is at Garron Plateau, off the A2 Antrim Coast Road near Carnlough, Co. Antrim. Free car parks at Dungonnell Dam, Drum Wood and Garron Point. 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 the place

The Garron Plateau is the largest area of intact blanket bog in Northern Ireland, sitting on the high basalt moors between Glenariff and Carnlough in the Glens of Antrim. It's protected as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI), a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area, and it's managed in partnership with the RSPB for its rare bog habitats and breeding birds.

In 2019 NI Water, working with the RSPB and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, restored around 2,000 hectares of peat bog here - blocking drains that were dug in the 1960s and easing grazing pressure to bring the bog back to health. Healthy bog locks away carbon and keeps water clean, so the restoration helps both wildlife and the reservoir below.

Today the plateau is a living example of one of NI's most important and threatened habitats - a place where you can stand on the open moor and watch hen harriers, merlins and red grouse over ground that has been forming for thousands of years.