Ulster Way Part 4: Hills and Mountains of County Antrim

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Photo ofUlster Way Part 4: Hills and Mountains of County Antrim

Author

John P

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Trail stats

Distance: 76.47 mi
Elevation gain: 7,018 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 7,037 ft
Max elevation: 1,675 ft
TrailRank: 55
Min elevation: -1 ft
Trail type: One Way

Time: 5 days 20 hours 47 minutes
Coordinates: 7473
Uploaded: January 21, 2023
Recorded: September 2022

1 Clap

near Ballycastle, Northern Ireland (United Kingdom)

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Itinerary description

The E2 European Long Distance Path was intended to extend from Galway in Ireland to Nice in France, however the Irish section has not been defined. So in the 50th year of the E-paths I have been following a possible route in Ireland, linking up various National Trails. This section uses the Ulster Way..

The Ulster Way circumnavigates Northern Ireland, this part of the Ulster Way crosses the hills, mountains, forests, moors and farmland of County Antrim, beginning in the town of Ballycastle and ending in Belfast, capital of Northern Ireland. Leaving Ballycastle the trail rises through forests to the summit of Slieveanorra with its panoramic views, then crosses bogs to the the mountain of Trostan, not quite reaching its summit, before dropping down through forest to the very welcome Glenariff tea house. A valley takes you to the sea on a quiet road and riverside path, then there is an unpleasant walk on a very busy road to the harbourside town of Carnlough. After nearby Glenarm, there is a beautiful path across the Antrim plateau with views over steep slopes down to the sea. A final section through farmland and woods takes you to Belfast. A city famous for the Titanic and the "troubles", and a city worth spending a few nights in.

The previous section of this trail can be found at https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/ulster-way-part-3-and-the-causeway-coast-path-121259357 .

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Waypoints

A2 Main road section

This is the start of a busy road section with no facilities for pedestrians. Best avoided by using public transport to Carnlough.

Ballycastle

Town with harbour, traditional high street with shops, pubs, cafes and accommodation. Not the only place with this name that I have visited in Ireland.

Ballynure

Village with shops and café.

Belfast

Belfast is a large, industrial city with a lot of history. Worth taking a tour of the sights to learn about the town's history and the strife between the Unionists (seeking to remain in the United Kingdom) and the Republicans (seeking to join the Republic of Ireland, free of British rule). A visit is recommended to the Titanic exhibition, dedicated to the "unsinkable" passenger ship that sank on its first voyage after hitting an iceberg.

Carnlough

Carnlough is a pretty little town by the sea with cafes, shops and accommodation as well as a small, old harbour.

Glenariff Forest Park Tea house

This cafe located in the Glenariff Forest Park is by a viewpoint, from which you can see the valley spread out before you. Nearby is a deep forested gorge.

Glenarm

Glenarm is a small, coastal town with a castle (closed when I passed).

Slieveanorra

Slieveanorra is a mountain (508 m high) covered in moorland, with excellent views to the north. There is a memorial to a US aircraft which crashed in 1942 and two large aerials.