Glenarm to Ballynure incorporating Antrim Hills Way
County Antrim
Distance 19.7 miles
OS Map 9
Terrain Mainly off road moorland paths
Nearest Town Glenarm
Route Shape Linear
Grid Reference D310152
Route Type Coastal
The walk begins in Glenarm, one of the prettiest villages in the Glens of Antrim. The castle here was built in the early 17th century by Sir Randall McDonnell and today is the home of Viscount Dunluce. The walled garden is open to the public between May and September. The Antrim Hills Way climbs steeply out of the village to Black Hill at 381m and then leads south across a series of summits between 300m and 400m high. All these hills rise gently to the west but fall away steeply to the east, a conspicuous geological landform that is a legacy of the last ice age. The minerals ‘Scawtite’ and ‘Larnite’ were new to science when they were first discovered at Scawt Hill in 1929. The most striking formation is Sallagh Braes; a semi-circular basalt escarpment with wonderful views out to sea. Sallagh Braes was formed when glaciers cut into unstable slopes and caused a massive land slip, creating cliffs 2km long and 100m high. The Glens of Antrim were one of the first areas to be colonised by humans in Ireland, and adjacent to the car park at Linford are two prehistoric mounds thought to be burial sites dating from around 4000 BC. The hills are also an important habitat for the Irish hare, red grouse and the large heath butterfly. The southern part of the route climbs the slopes of Agnew’s Hill (474m), crossing more high and exposed ground. Although it is well waymarked, it is still best to walk this route in fine, dry weather, particularly if you want to take advantage of the wonderful panoramic views. On clear days the Belfast Hills, the Mourne Mountains, the Sperrins and Scotland all decorate the horizon. Please be aware that this walking route passes through areas of open land such as hillside, working farmland and working forests. Livestock and bulls can be present at certain times of the year, ground conditions may be uneven or wet underfoot and all forestry signage should be adhered to. Please refer to the ‘Walk Safely’ information that can be found in the useful information section adjacent.
Glenarm, Glenarm Castle, Glenarm Forest, Scawt Hill, Linford, Sallagh Braes, Ballynure
Glenarm is situated along the A2 coast road north of Larne.
Translink – journeyplanner.translink.co.uk
Refreshments are available at the start and finish of the route in Glenarm and Ballynure. However this is a long route with no refreshment stops along the way – walkers should carry provisions accordingly. There is also no accommodation along this section of the route but a small number of Bed and Breakfasts are available at the start in Glenarm and finish in Ballynure.
Grade
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Walk Route
Glenarm to Ballynure incorporating Antrim Hills Way
Link to missing pdf map:
http://www.walkni.com/ulsterway/d/maps/19/Glenarm%20to%20Ballynure%20all%20maps.pdf
Nice walk , done it with a ruck on. Good workout , well sign posted . Brutal 5 mile on the road from ballyboley to ballynure hence the 4 star. Those Antrim hills on a good day tho hard to beat !!
I walked from Ballyboley Forest to Glenarm, I skip the section from Ballynure to Ballyboley as its all road.
A few areas of this walk are boggy / muddy even in dry conditions, the wind shear can be quite high as it will be hitting you on the side and there isnt many places to hide.
Apart from that its kind flat, a few steep hills but they are short.
Most of the ulsterway posts can be seen but a few a fallen down, i would recommend navigation aids as some parts dont have a well trodden path and the weather can change quickly, Sea fog is very fast to roll in.
The last few km is on a steep downhill road to Glenarm, traffic is light in that area but there is no footpath so watch out for the rally drivers.
Enjoy