A wild, windswept spit of golden sand at the very tip of one of the largest dune systems in the British Isles — where Lough Foyle empties into the open sea, a Napoleonic tower stands guard, and a little ferry ties Northern Ireland to Donegal.
What you'll do — walk the huge open beach, climb the dunes for the view, explore the old Martello Tower, watch for seabirds and waders, and catch the Lough Foyle ferry across to Greencastle in Donegal. Big skies, big space, and hardly a soul about.
How long & who for — allow one to two hours for a good wander, longer if you're taking the ferry. Great for all ages who love wide-open coast — buckets and spades weather in summer.
Cost & parking — free to walk, and there are free car parks (by the ferry terminal and at the Martello Tower). The ferry is paid separately — check its site for fares and times.
Bring the lot — walking shoes or wellies, a windproof coat, a hat, water and a picnic. There's a bar near the point but no shop on the sand, so come stocked up.
Strong currents where the Foyle meets the sea. This is a tidal channel with a powerful drift — it's not a swimming spot. Enjoy the sand and the paddle at the edge, but take real care with the water and the kids.
Remote — come prepared. It's a wild, exposed point with limited facilities, an MOD firing range nearby, and access that can change with the tide. Check the tides, read the local signs, and bring what you need.
Plan your visit
Can I just turn up? Yes — it's free to walk
The nature reserve is open every day and free to walk — no booking, no ticket. There are free car parks on site, one opposite the ferry terminal and one at the Martello Tower, with steps down to the beach near the Point Bar. It's pedestrian access only onto the sand. The one thing to plan around is the water: this is the mouth of Lough Foyle, a busy tidal channel with a strong drift, so it's for walking and watching, not swimming. At high tide, parts of the beach can be cut off, and there's an MOD firing range along the shore — read the local signs before you set out. The Martello Tower itself opens only on limited days, so treat a look inside as a bonus rather than a certainty.
Open beach & dune walkingFree car parks on siteFerry across to DonegalDogs on leads welcome
Take care with the water:
Magilligan Point sits at the mouth of Lough Foyle, where strong tidal currents run between the point and Greencastle in Donegal — it's not a bathing beach. Keep to the sand, mind the tide, and watch the kids at the water's edge. Check the local safety signs, and confirm ferry times separately before you rely on the crossing.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
🥾Sturdy shoes or welliesSoft sand and grassy dune paths underfoot — comfy footwear you don't mind getting sandy.
🧥A windproof coat & a hatThis is an exposed point where the wind rarely rests — the bracing air is half the joy, so layer up and enjoy it.
🧺A picnic & waterThere's a bar near the point but no shop on the sand — pack your own, the dunes are made for it.
🐦BinocularsThe mouth of the Foyle is brilliant for birds — divers on the water, waders on the shore, seabirds overhead.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free to walk, and the car parks are free too. The Lough Foyle ferry is charged separately — check its own site for current fares, times and season.
Opening
The nature reserve is open every day in daylight hours — walk it any time. The Martello Tower has only limited opening (said to be around the second weekend of each month over the summer season), so confirm before you count on going inside.
What you'll see
The sandy tip of what's said to be one of the largest dune systems in the British Isles, a well-preserved Napoleonic Martello Tower, sweeping views across Lough Foyle to the Donegal hills, the little ferry crossing, and plenty of birdlife — seabirds and, in winter, migrating waders and wildfowl.
Ferry
The Lough Foyle ferry runs from Magilligan Point across to Greencastle in County Donegal, a crossing of roughly 15 minutes that saves a long drive around the lough. It runs seasonally — confirm times, fares and whether it's operating on the ferry company's own site before you travel.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome on leads. Keep them close on the reserve to protect ground-nesting and shore birds, and watch the signs.
Water safety
This is the mouth of Lough Foyle, with strong tidal currents in the channel — it's not a swimming beach. Enjoy the sand and a paddle at the edge, but take real care, especially with children and on a rising tide.
Access
Pedestrian access only onto the beach, reached by steps near the Point Bar. At high tide, some parts of the beach can be cut off. An MOD firing range runs along part of the shore — access can be restricted, so read the local signs.
Food
There's a bar near the point (the Point Bar) but nothing on the sand — bring a picnic, or head into Limavady or along to Benone for more choice.
How long
Allow one to two hours for a good wander over the beach and dunes and a look at the tower — longer if you're taking the ferry across and back.
Questions
Before you go
Is it free?
Yes — the nature reserve is free to walk any day of the year, and the car parks are free too. The only paid part is the ferry across to Donegal, if you take it.
Do I need to book?
No — just turn up and walk. There's no ticket or booking for the point. If you plan to take the ferry, check its times and season first.
Can I swim here?
Best not to. Magilligan Point sits at the mouth of Lough Foyle, where there are strong tidal currents — it's a spot for walking and a paddle at the water's edge, not for swimming. Mind the tide and keep an eye on the kids.
Can I go inside the Martello Tower?
Sometimes — the tower has only limited opening days (reported to be around the second weekend of each month over the summer). Even when it's closed you can walk right up to it and enjoy it from outside, so treat a look inside as a bonus and confirm ahead if it matters.
Where does the ferry go?
The Lough Foyle ferry runs from Magilligan Point across to Greencastle in County Donegal — a short crossing of around 15 minutes that turns a long drive round the lough into a lovely hop across the water. It runs seasonally, so confirm times and fares on the ferry company's own site.
Can I bring the dog?
Yes, dogs are welcome on leads. Keep them close to protect the shore and ground-nesting birds, and watch the local signs.
Getting there
Magilligan Point, Point Road, Limavady, Co. Londonderry BT49 0LL — out at the far end of Point Road beyond Benone, with free car parks by the ferry terminal and the Martello Tower.
Look out across the narrow neck of water here and you can see why it mattered. Magilligan Point and Greencastle, right across on the Donegal side, guard the entrance to Lough Foyle — and in the early 1800s, with Britain at war with Napoleon's France, that entrance needed guarding. So a squat, thick-walled Martello Tower was raised on the point, said to date to around 1812, one of a chain built along these coasts against a French invasion that never came.
The tower still stands, one of the best-preserved of its kind — walls said to be over nine feet thick, three floors, and a gun on the roof that could swing to fire in any direction. The invasion never arrived, and now the fight is a quieter one: this is the tip of a vast dune system, an important nature reserve, where the wind shapes the sand and the birds work the shoreline. Come for the history, stay for the space — and if the ferry's running, cross the Foyle to Donegal and back for the sheer joy of it.