A wild, empty three-mile sweep of white sand and grassy dunes on the Causeway Coast, between Ballintoy and Portbraddan — one of the few beaches where the cattle wander down onto the sand. National Trust, free to walk, and never crowded.
What you'll do — walk the long white curve, watch the cattle grazing right down onto the beach, explore the dunes, and hunt for fossils in the chalk at the cliff base. Huge open views out to Rathlin and the headlands. Pairs perfectly with Ballintoy Harbour and the Giant's Causeway just up the coast.
How long & who for — allow two to three hours for a proper wander. Great for all ages as a scenic walking beach — just not a paddling-and-swimming one (see below).
Cost & parking — free to walk. There's a small National Trust car park off the road up top; spaces are limited, so if it's full, come back another time.
Bring the lot — sturdy shoes for the steep path down, a windproof coat, water and a picnic. There are no facilities on the sand, so come stocked up.
Food & toilets — limited. There's no café and no toilets at the bay itself; nearest facilities are in Ballintoy or Ballycastle.
Dogs — welcome, but keep them under close control near the grazing cattle on the beach and in the dunes.
Not a swimming beach. There are strong currents and undertow and no lifeguard — the National Trust flags it as unsafe for swimming. Come for the walk and the views, not a bathe.
Steep path down — and cattle on the sand. The only way onto the beach is a steep path from the car park, so wear proper footwear. And remember the cattle roam free on the beach — give them plenty of space.
Plan your visit
Can I just turn up? Yes — it's free to walk.
The bay is open and free to wander any day of the year in daylight — no booking, no ticket. The only thing to plan around is parking: there's a small National Trust car park up on the road, and spaces are limited. If it's full, the honest advice from the Trust is to come back another time rather than block the lane. From the car park it's a steep path down onto the sand, so decent shoes matter. Facilities are limited — no café and no toilets on site — so bring everything you need for the beach.
Three-mile white-sand beachGrassy dunes & grazing cattleSmall NT car park (limited)Not for swimming — no lifeguard
Come prepared:
There's no shop, café or toilets on site, so bring water, snacks and everything for the beach. It's a steep path down, so wear proper footwear. This is a scenic walking beach — not safe for swimming due to strong currents, with no lifeguard on duty.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
🥾Sturdy shoes for the pathThe way onto the beach is a steep path down from the car park — proper footwear, not flip-flops.
🧥A windproof coatIt's an open, exposed coast — a bracing walk in any weather, glorious when the sun's out. Layer up.
🧺A picnic & waterNo shop, café or toilets on site, so pack your own — the dunes and beach are made for it.
📷A camera & sharp eyesFor the cattle on the sand, the fossils in the chalk, and the big sweep of the bay.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free to walk. There's a small National Trust car park on site; National Trust members park free. Spaces are limited, so arrive early on a busy day.
Opening
The bay is open all year in daylight hours — you can walk it any time. There's no gate or ticket; the only limit is car-park space.
What you'll see
A three-mile crescent of white sand backed by grassy dunes, with cattle grazing down onto the beach. Chalk cliffs said to hold fossils, rock pools at either end, and wide views out to Rathlin Island and the headlands. Wildlife in the dunes — birds, butterflies, rabbits — and seals or otters sometimes offshore.
Toilets
None on site. Nearest facilities are in Ballintoy or Ballycastle, so plan ahead.
Swimming
Not a swimming beach. There are strong currents and undertow and no lifeguard — the National Trust flags it as unsafe for bathing. Come for the walk and the views.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome, but keep them under close control — the cattle graze freely on the beach and in the dunes, and there's ground-nesting wildlife to protect.
Access
Honest steer: the only way onto the sand is a steep path down from the car park, then soft sand and dunes. It's not suitable for wheelchairs or a light pram, and there's no vehicle access onto the beach.
Food
Nothing on site — no shop or café. Bring a picnic, or head into Ballintoy or Ballycastle for a bite after.
How long
Allow two to three hours for a good wander along the sand and through the dunes — easily longer if the sun's out.
Questions
Before you go
Can I swim at White Park Bay?
Best not to. It's a scenic walking beach, not a bathing one — there are strong currents and undertow and no lifeguard, and the National Trust flags it as unsafe for swimming. Come for the walk, the dunes and the views instead.
Is it free? Do I need to book?
Yes, it's free to walk, any day of the year — no booking, no ticket. The only cost is the National Trust car park (members park free), and spaces are limited.
Why are there cows on the beach?
White Park Bay is one of the few beaches where cattle graze right down onto the sand and dunes — part of how the land is managed. They roam freely, so give them plenty of space and keep dogs under close control.
Is it easy to get onto the beach?
There's a steep path down from the car park onto the sand, so wear proper footwear. It's not suitable for wheelchairs or a light pram, and there's no vehicle access onto the beach.
Are there toilets or a café?
No — there are no toilets and no café at the bay. Bring water and a picnic; the nearest facilities are in Ballintoy or Ballycastle.
Can I really find fossils?
The chalk cliffs are said to hold fossils, and the bay is known for its deep-time geology and ancient history. Look, but don't hammer the cliffs — and mind that the base of the cliffs can be unstable, so keep to the open sand.
Getting there
White Park Bay, Ballintoy Road, Ballintoy BT54 6NH — on the Causeway Coastal Route between Ballintoy and Portbraddan, County Antrim, with the small National Trust car park up on the road and the steep path down to the sand.
White Park Bay has been in the care of the National Trust since 1938, and it feels like a place that's been left to be itself. Three miles of white sand curve between two headlands, backed by grassy dunes — and, unusually, the cattle that graze the hills come right down onto the beach, wandering the sand like they own it. On a still morning you can have the whole sweep almost to yourself.
There's deep time here too. The white cliffs behind the bay are chalk, and they're said to hold fossils from an age long before ours; the area is thought to be rich in ancient history, with people said to have lived and worked along this shore for thousands of years. It's a place to walk slowly, look closely, and let the scale of it sink in.
Just remember what it is and isn't: a glorious walking beach, not a bathing one. The currents are strong, there's no lifeguard, and the path down is steep. Come for the wide white curve, the grazing cattle and the huge Causeway-Coast views — then carry on to Ballintoy Harbour or the Giant's Causeway just along the road.