Where to Stay in County Antrim
Map of Where to Stay in County Antrim
Information about County Antrim
County Antrim is one of the most scenically dramatic and historically rich counties in Northern Ireland, a place where a coastline of extraordinary beauty, ancient geological wonders and a landscape steeped in Celtic mythology and early Christian history combine to create a destination of compelling and varied appeal.
The Causeway Coast is the county’s defining glory and one of the great natural wonders of the British Isles. The Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of around forty thousand interlocking basalt columns formed by ancient volcanic activity, is a landscape of such strange and compelling beauty that it has drawn visitors for centuries and continues to astonish even those who think they know what to expect. The coastal road that winds eastwards from the Causeway past the ruins of Dunluce Castle, perched dramatically on its clifftop above the sea, through the villages of Ballintoy and Ballycastle to the remarkable rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede is one of the most celebrated and rewarding coastal drives in the British Isles.
The Glens of Antrim, nine glacially carved valleys running down from the Antrim plateau to the sea, give the eastern part of the county a softer and more intimate beauty that contrasts pleasingly with the drama of the north coast. Each glen has its own name, its own character and its own community, and together they form a landscape of green fields, wooded valleys and small harbours that is among the most distinctly Irish in character of any landscape in Northern Ireland.
Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles, forms the western boundary of the county, its vast and open waters supporting a traditional eel fishing industry that has been practised here for centuries and a birdlife of considerable importance and interest.
Antrim town, Ballymena and Carrickfergus, with its exceptionally well preserved Norman castle on the shores of Belfast Lough, are among the most significant of the county’s urban centres, each with their own history and character. The county also forms the northern and eastern hinterland of Belfast, giving visitors to the capital easy access to some of the finest coastal scenery in Northern Ireland.
Whether you are looking for a coastal retreat on the Causeway Coast, a walk through the Glens of Antrim, a visit to the extraordinary basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway or a journey along one of the most dramatic coastal roads in the British Isles, County Antrim is a county of breathtaking beauty and enduring appeal.
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