Things to see or do
Amenities
- Start Point: Ballycastle
- Finish Point: Ballycastle
- Length: 46 miles/74 km
- Time: 3-4 hours
- Terrain: Hilly
- Difficulty level: 4-5 depending if you wish to tackle Torr Head.
- Features: One of the most dramatic coats in Ireland.
- Maps / guides: ballycastletic@hotmail.com
- Mobile narrative: The route begins at Ballycastle with the roads rising into steep glen country.
Glens of Antrim Cycle Route
Ballycastle
Antrim
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Northern Ireland
The route begins at Ballycastle with the roads rising into steep glen country before becoming gentler once the top of the Antrim plateau is reached.
Cycling east from Ballycastle into Ballypatrick Forest is a relatively demanding ride but the roads are quiet and the scenery marvellously forested. Look out for the Vanishing Lake which is signposted and close by the roadside. The descent into Cushendun provides miles of downhill freewheeling – check your brakes!
The twin villages of Cushendun and Cushendall nestle into the hilly coastline and provide good provisioning stops before you climb back into the heart of the Antrim Glens from Cushendall to Armoy. Look out for fairy mounds and hills – ancient neolithic burial grounds, sometimes topped with a perfectly round copse of trees.
Torr Head Route
Only seasoned cyclists should attempt the scenic route from Ballycastle to Cushendun via Torr Head. This is possibly the most dramatic coastline in Ireland. Roadside fuchsia hedges towering ten feet high, dry stone walls, isolated hill farms and cliffs which tumble down to the Irish Sea where it meets the Atlantic, make for a very satisfying cycle. Road very winding and steep in places. First gear is definitely required.
Contact
Email: ballycastletic@hotmail.comAddress: The Glens of Antrim, Antrim
