Days Out NI
Coastal walk Portballintrae

Magheracross Viewpoint Walk

Free clifftop viewpoint with paved platforms and some of the best sunsets on the north coast.

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Open accessWalk it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
PortballintraeCoastal walk
Get directions
15 minutesHow long
The viewpoint i…Distance
FreeCost
Buggy okBest for
On leadsDogs

Magheracross Viewpoint Walk — Free clifftop viewpoint with paved platforms and some of the best sunsets on the north coast.

  • Distance: The viewpoint is a few minutes from the car park; the clifftop Causeway Coast Way runs through it if you want to walk further.
  • How long: 15 minutes for the view, or longer if you walk a stretch of the coast path.
  • Terrain: Paved, level concrete to the platforms; grass and rough coast path beyond.
  • Dogs: Welcome, but keep on a lead near the cliff edge.
  • With kids: Real clifftop with sheer drops to the sea and an exposed, windy site. Platforms have railings, but hold small hands and keep toddlers close, especially off the paved path.
  • Parking: Free car park beside the viewpoint, about 30 metres from the platforms.
Plan your visit

The viewpoint and the clifftop path

From the car park a short paved footpath leads to two viewing platforms that hang out over the edge of the cliff. That's the easy bit, and for a lot of families it's the whole visit: park, walk out, take it all in, take the photos. If you want more of a walk, Magheracross sits on the clifftop section of the Causeway Coast Way, the coastal path that links Portballintrae and Portrush. You can follow it west toward Whiterocks or east toward Dunluce Castle for as far as you fancy and turn back. The path beyond the platforms is grass and rougher ground close to a real cliff edge, so treat it as a proper coast walk, not a stroll, and turn around well before anyone gets tired.

Free Free car park Paved platforms Dunluce Castle view Sunset spot Steep cliffs
Good to know before you go:

The Causeway Coast hosts seasonal guided walks, ranger-led events and festivals through the year, and Magheracross is a favourite spot for sunset gatherings. Check what's on locally 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 park beside the viewpoint, about 30 metres from the platforms
Distance
The viewpoint is a few minutes from the car park; the clifftop Causeway Coast Way runs through it if you want to walk further
How long to allow
15 minutes for the view, or longer if you walk a stretch of the coast path
Difficulty
Very easy to the platforms on paved path; the open clifftop path beyond is a moderate coast walk
Terrain
Paved, level concrete to the platforms; grass and rough coast path beyond
Safety with kids
Real clifftop with sheer drops to the sea and an exposed, windy site. Platforms have railings, but hold small hands and keep toddlers close, especially off the paved path.
Dogs
Welcome, but keep on a lead near the cliff edge
Buggy-friendly
Yes to the paved platforms; no on the open coast path beyond
Toilets / food nearby
None on site; toilets, cafes and chip shops in Bushmills and Portrush, both about 3 miles away
Address
Magheracross Viewpoint, Dunluce Road, Bushmills, Co. Antrim, BT56 8NB
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
How far is the walk?
The viewpoint is a few minutes from the car park; the clifftop Causeway Coast Way runs through it if you want to walk further
How long should I allow?
15 minutes for the view, or longer if you walk a stretch of the coast path
Can I bring the dog?
Welcome, but keep on a lead near the cliff edge
Is it buggy-friendly?
Yes to the paved platforms; no on the open coast path beyond
Getting there

Magheracross Viewpoint Walk is at Magheracross Viewpoint, Dunluce Road, Bushmills, Co. Antrim, BT56 8NB. Free car park beside the viewpoint, about 30 metres from the platforms. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

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

About this stretch of coast

Magheracross sits on the Dunluce Road halfway between Bushmills and Portrush, on one of the most dramatic stretches of the Causeway Coast. The two cantilevered viewing platforms opened to the public in 2021, built out over the clifftop so you can stand and look straight down at the sea and rocks below.

The views take in a roll-call of the north coast: Dunluce Castle, the cliff-edge fortress about half a mile away, the Giant's Causeway to the east, the Skerries islands offshore and the white limestone cliffs of Whiterocks to the west. Just below the platforms is the Wishing Arch, a sea-cut rock formation in the cliffs.

The viewpoint sits on the Causeway Coast Way, the long-distance coastal path that threads the whole shoreline, so the clifftop here doubles as both a quick photo stop and a link in one of Northern Ireland's best-known walks.