Cushendall

Getting there

By road from Belfast the quick route is M2 / A26 to Ballymena then A43 through the hills. A scenic alternative, especially from Larne ferry port, is to follow the coast road through Glenarm and Carnlough. Ulsterbus 150 runs from Ballymena (for trains from Belfast) to Rathkenny, Cargan, Parkmore, Glenariff, Cushendall (45 min) and Cushendun. There are 6 M-F and 3 on Saturday. Bus 162 runs four times M-Sa from Larne to Glenariff and Carnlough.

Getting around

The main roads have a sparse bus service, and you need your own wheels to explore the glens.

See

1 Curfew Tower is the central landmark of Cushendall, a sturdy pink sandstone turret erected by Francis Turnly circa 1817 "for the confinement of idlers and rioters." He'd made his fortune with the East India Company and the design supposedly reflects those he'd seen out east. The context was that both Revolutionary and Napoleonic France had been defeated, but post-war civil unrest was growing, such as the Luddite movement, and Ireland was effectively under martial law for the first half of the 19th century. The tower contains a dungeon but it's not clear if any curfew-breaker was ever cooped up within; perhaps it had a salutary deterrent effect. In the 1990s the musician Bill Drummond of KLF famously burned £1 million but found enough left over to buy the tower, and set it up to house an artist-in-residence programme.

2 Glenballyeamon is the glen rising southeast from Cushendall. A lane winds up it, eventually joining A43 the Glenariff Road out of Waterfoot. This crosses the moor southeast and descends towards Ballymena through Glenravel, sometimes considered as a tenth of the Nine Glens. 3 Glenaan branches off A2 a mile northeast of Cushendall. The name means "glen of the tomb" referring to Ossian's Grave, a Neolithic court tomb on the hillside. In legend Ossian or Oisín is a warrior poet, son of Finn McCool who built the Giant's Causeway. He marries a spirit queen and resides in Tir na nÓg for what he thinks is 3 years but is actually 300, and his mortal years catch up when he returns. Somehow he's contrived to die and be buried in multiple spots, and Glenaan is one of the contenders. Most of the legends and poems of Ossian were notoriously fabricated in 1761-63, so maybe what's really interred here is the literary reputation of the culprit James Macpherson. 4 Layd Church is all that's left of a medieval parish church. It remained in use until 1790. Tiveragh Hill is the scenic lookout on the nearby cliffs. 5 Glencorp is the glen connecting Cushendall and Cushend

Do

Cushendall Golf Club is on Shore Rd north side of the village. It's nine holes, so 18 holes off blue tees is 4379 m, par 63. Cushendall Sailing & Boating Club are in Red Bay south end of the village. They organise lessons for all levels of ability (minimum age 8), fun sailing and races. 1 Glenariff Forest Park, Glenariffe Rd BT44 0QX. Daily 8AM-dusk. Glenariff is the most touristy of the Antrim Glens; it's traversed by A43 but the forest park gets you away from the main road. The forest is mostly planted. Various walking trails, most popular is the 3 mile Waterfall Walkway, from the car park you descend steps and boardwalk to the waterfall in the gorge. There's a caravan park Mar-Oct but no campsite. Car £5. (updated Apr 2026) Heart of the Glens Festival is held over a week in August. Glens Of Antrim Féis is a Celtic festival in Waterfoot in October.

Buy

Eurospar is the convenience store in Cushendall, on the main road and open daily 7AM-10PM. There's an ATM in the filling station on the main road.

Eat

Harry's mainly serves seafood and has an alcohol licence. It's at 10 Mill St, open daily noon-8:30PM. Cafe Cova is at 6 Shore Rd, open W-M 9AM-4PM. plus pizza and Chinese takeaways.

Drink & nightlife

Two pubs in Cushendall are side-by-side on Bridge St: McMullen's Central Bar and Lurig Bar. McCollam's Bar (Johnny Joe's) is round the corner on Mill St, across from Harry's restaurant. Saffron Bar is in Glenariff village. Mary McBride's is in Cushendun and has food.

Sleep

1 Cushendall Caravan Park, 62 Coast Road BT44 0QW, ☏ +44 28 2177 1699. Council-run site open Apr-Oct for tourers and campers. They also have camping cabins. (updated Apr 2026) Glendale B&B, 46 Coast Road BT44 0RX (200 m north of caravan park), ☏ +44 7716 246587. Welcoming spacious B&B south edge of village. (updated Apr 2026) Village B&B, 18 Mill St BT44 0RR, ☏ +44 28 2177 2366. Friendly B&B in a 1780 townhouse, bikers welcome and they have a secure bike-yard. (updated Apr 2026) Riverside B&B is next door at 14 Mill St. McNaughton Guestrooms are next to McMullan's Bar at 5 Bridge St.

Go next

Ballycastle is a seaside resort with ferries to Rathlin Island. The coast west of Ballycastle has the big tourist sites of Carrick-a-Rede Bridge, Giant's Causeway and Bushmills. Larne is an ugly industrial ferry port but has surprising attractions nearby, such as The Gobbins. The ferry from Larne lands you in Stranraer, for transport to Ayr and Glasgow.