Days Out NI
Coastal walk Magilligan

Magilligan Point to Bellarena

A flat, wild shore walk with Donegal across the water and seabirds the whole way

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Open accessWalk it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
MagilliganCoastal walk
Get directions
3 hoursHow long
5 milesDistance
FreeCost
Buggy okBest for
On leadsDogs

Magilligan Point to Bellarena — A flat, wild shore walk with Donegal across the water and seabirds the whole way.

  • Distance: Roughly 5 miles one way to Bellarena; walk as far as suits and turn back.
  • How long: 1 to 3 hours depending how far you go.
  • Terrain: Firm sand and grassy dune; pedestrian access only.
  • Dogs: Welcome on leads and under close control; no dogs inside the Martello tower.
  • With kids: No cliffs or steep drops, but it is an open tidal shore, so keep little ones in sight near the water and check the tide.
  • Parking: Free car parks opposite the ferry terminal and beside the Martello tower.
Plan your visit

A flat shore walk with Donegal across the water

Start at the kissing gate by the car park and pass the Martello tower into the dunes. You meet the beach within a few hundred metres, then turn along the inside shore of Lough Foyle and keep the water on your right. The full line back toward Bellarena runs about 5 miles, but you can walk as far as you like and simply turn back. Across the lough you get the hills of Donegal, and the firm sand and low dune make it gentle going for all ages. Watch the lough for the ferry slipping across to Greencastle, and scan the shallows and mudflats for seabirds; in winter the waders and wildfowl arrive in real numbers.

Free Free car park Donegal views Seabirds & waders Flat & easy Martello tower
Good to know before you go:

This stretch of the Causeway Coast hosts seasonal guided walks, ranger-led nature events and birdwatching outings through the year, especially around the autumn and winter wader migration. Check ahead before you travel to catch one.

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 parks opposite the ferry terminal and beside the Martello tower
Distance
Roughly 5 miles one way to Bellarena; walk as far as suits and turn back
How long to allow
1 to 3 hours depending how far you go
Difficulty
Easy and flat, but long and open with no facilities en route
Terrain
Firm sand and grassy dune; pedestrian access only
Safety with kids
No cliffs or steep drops, but it is an open tidal shore, so keep little ones in sight near the water and check the tide
Dogs
Welcome on leads and under close control; no dogs inside the Martello tower
Buggy-friendly
Not ideal on a standard buggy due to sand and grass; an all-terrain buggy copes better
Toilets / food nearby
Toilets at the ferry terminal; refreshments at the Point Bar next to the beach
Address
Magilligan Point, Point Road, off the A2 Seacoast Road, Magilligan, Co Londonderry (follow Lough Foyle Ferry signs)
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
How far is the walk?
Roughly 5 miles one way to Bellarena; walk as far as suits and turn back
How long should I allow?
1 to 3 hours depending how far you go
Can I bring the dog?
Welcome on leads and under close control; no dogs inside the Martello tower
Is it buggy-friendly?
Not ideal on a standard buggy due to sand and grass; an all-terrain buggy copes better
Getting there

Magilligan Point to Bellarena is at Magilligan Point, Point Road, off the A2 Seacoast Road, Magilligan, Co Londonderry (follow Lough Foyle Ferry signs). Free car parks opposite the ferry terminal and beside the Martello tower. 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

Magilligan Point guards the narrow mouth of Lough Foyle, where the lough drains into the Atlantic opposite Greencastle in Co Donegal. The point is the tip of one of the largest sand dune systems in the British Isles, and the inside shore you walk along is a National Nature Reserve, prized for its seabirds and for the migrating waders and wildfowl that crowd the mudflats in winter.

The squat Martello tower at the point was built around 1812 to 1817, during the Napoleonic Wars, to guard against a French invasion. It is one of the northernmost of the 74 such towers built around the coasts of Ireland, and it still stands well preserved at the start of the walk.

From here the shore runs unbroken for miles, linking Magilligan with Benone Strand and Downhill beach, seven uninterrupted miles of sand backed by dunes and, further along, the cliffs and clifftop temple at Downhill.