Tor Head Seal Viewpoint

Watch the rocks for seals and the sea for fins

From the headland you look straight down onto rocks where grey seals often haul out to rest, especially on calmer days. Give kids a pair of binoculars and a job: count the seals, then watch the open water for the dark backs of porpoises or dolphins rolling through the tide. Gannets, fulmars and other seabirds feed along this coast, so there is usually something moving. Sightings are never guaranteed with wild animals, so treat each one as a win and pack a flask for the wait. The water here churns through the narrow North Channel, which is exactly why so much wildlife comes to feed.

Free Free car park Sea views to Scotland Watch for grey seals Coastal walk Bring binoculars

Good to know before you go:

Torr Head is a quiet natural viewpoint rather than a venue with a programme, so there is nothing booked or ticketed here. The wider Causeway Coast and Glens runs seasonal walks, wildlife events and festivals through the year, especially in summer. Check what is on nearby 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.

Everything before you go

Cost

Free

Opening / season

Open all year, daylight hours; best in clear, calm weather

Best for ages

School-age and up who can manage a short steep walk near cliffs

What you'll see

Grey seals on the rocks, sea views to Scotland, possible porpoises, dolphins and seabirds, ruined coastguard station

Food

None on site, bring your own; nearest cafes in Ballycastle and Cushendun

Toilets

None on site, plan ahead

Parking

Small free car park at the headland, fills quickly in summer

Dogs

Open headland, no formal policy found; keep dogs on a lead near livestock, wildlife and cliffs and check before you go

Accessibility

Not suitable for buggies or wheelchairs; short steep walk on rough ground with unguarded drops

How long to allow

About an hour at the headland, longer with the scenic drive and a nearby stop

Address

Torr Head, Ballyvoy, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, BT54 6RQ

Questions

Before you go

Is it free?

Free

What will we see?

Grey seals on the rocks, sea views to Scotland, possible porpoises, dolphins and seabirds, ruined coastguard station

When is the best time to go?

Open all year, daylight hours; best in clear, calm weather

Can I bring the dog?

Open headland, no formal policy found; keep dogs on a lead near livestock, wildlife and cliffs and check before you go

Where do I park?

Small free car park at the headland, fills quickly in summer

Getting there

Tor Head Seal Viewpoint is at Torr Head, Ballyvoy, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, BT54 6RQ. Small free car park at the headland, fills quickly in summer. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map

Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around BallyvoySee what else is close by More nature & wildlife across NIReserves, loughs, woods and wetlands

The story

About the place

Torr Head, sometimes written Tor Head, is a rocky headland on the Antrim coast and the closest point on the island of Ireland to Scotland, with only about 12 miles of the Sea of Moyle separating it from the Mull of Kintyre.

The ruined building on the summit was a Lloyd's signal station, established in 1822 to relay news of shipping passing through the North Channel back to Lloyd's of London. Coastguard quarters also stood on the headland; the buildings were left as ruins in the 1920s and the shells remain today.

The narrow Torr Head Scenic Route that reaches it branches off the main Causeway Coastal Route between Cushendun and Ballycastle, threading along clifftops with views of Rathlin Island and Scotland on a clear day.