The mighty Murlough Bay is one of the most overlooked places to visit on the Antrim Coast.
Murlough Bay is a remote corner of Antrim with oodles of outstanding, unspoiled scenery.
The sandy bay has a backdrop of sloping hills while out to sea, panoramic views include Rathlin Island and the Kintyre Peninsula.
Some quick need-to-knows about Murlough Bay

Photos via Shutterstock
A visit to Murlough Bay near Ballycastle isn’t as straightforward as a visit to the likes of the Giant’s Causeway or the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge. Here’s some need-to-knows:
1. Location
Located on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, Murlough Bay is situated between Ballycastle and Torr Head. It is one of Northern Ireland’s most beautiful bays but due to its remote location you can often have it all to yourself.
2. Parking
There’s a nice big parking area serving Murlough Bay and it’s next to the road and right on the clifftop. You can’t miss it! See ‘B’ on my Google Map below.
3. Unspoiled beauty
Many visitors are speechless when they first arrive and see the bay. It’s a breathtaking wonder of nature with a wild, untouched feel about it. Backed by sloping hillside and steep rock faces, boulders give way to golden sand at low tide. As you look out across the bay, you can see Rathlin Island and the Mull of Kintyre (Scotland) in the distance.
4. Warning
The road to Murlough Bay is very steep and winding with many blind corners and tight bends. Drivers need to drive slowly and concentrate on the road, not the view! It’s a beautiful spot for hiking but you should be aware that the phone signal can be patchy, so take extra care.
About Murlough Bay
Known for its unspoiled surroundings, Murlough Bay near Ballycastle is exceptionally beautiful and remote. Out to sea, it provides views of Rathlin Island, the Mull of Kintyre and the peaks of Arran in the distance.
The green-covered hillside has exposed rocks of basalt overlaying sandstone and limestone. There are many long-forgotten lime kilns in the area.
The name
In the 18th and 19th centuries, they were used to produce quicklime from limestone, which was required for building and agricultural practices.
In Gaelic, Murlough (Bay) was known as Muir-bolc or Murlach which means “sea inlet”, hence it’s a popular name for bays in other counties.
Famous connections
Murlough Bay is recorded as the place where St Colomba arrived after sailing from Iona in 595AD. He must have faced quite a climb!
More recently, it was the chosen resting place of Roger Casemont, a British diplomat turned Irish revolutionary who was executed in 1916.
Although his remains are buried in Dublin, a plinth shows where a cross was erected to commemorate his life.
The Murlough Bay Walk
Above, you’ll find a rough outline of one of the walks at Murlugh Bay in Antrim. As you can see, this route is fairly straightforward. Here are some need-to-knows about the walk.
How long it takes
There are many walks around Murlough Bay, but I’m focusing on a shorter 4.4km hike as it’s the one that I’m are most familiar with.
It takes at least an hour, especially if you allow for catching your breath or just gazing at the stunning coastal views.
Difficulty
The walk is do-able for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. The toughest part is on the way back up as it’s quite a steep climb as it zig-zags up the hillside.
Starting the walk
Murlough Bay Walk starts at the car park on Murlough Road. Follow the narrow lane north towards Knockbrack Viewpoint, passing the former Glens of Antrim brewery.
There’s a nice viewpoint near where the road does a hairpin bend before it heads southeast towards the coast, ending at another small car park.
I don’t recommend parking here as the road is very narrow and steep; it may require reversing some distance if you meet traffic going in the opposite direction.
Getting into the belly of the walk
At times you’ll be walking on steep slopes, so good footwear is essential. Continue along the top of the cliffs and keep a lookout for buzzards, peregrine falcons, eider ducks and fulmars skimming the waves.
As you follow the lane down you’ll pass a concrete plinth marking the site of a cross on the a pilgrims’ trail from the Old Church of Drumnakill.
More recently it held a memorial cross to commemorate Sir Roger Casement who requested his body be buried in the old churchyard at Mullough Bay, now a ruin.
The path descends quite steeply at the end onto Torr Head Beach which is awe-inspiring. The return hike is the same way.
The Murlough Bay Game of Thrones link

Click to enlarge map
Yes, there’s a Murlough Bay Game of Thrones link – it was one of several Game of Thrones filming locations in Ireland several years back.
As you gaze down onto Murlough Bay, it may seem strangely familiar, especially of you are a Game of Thrones fan. In fact, the bay was used as a film location where Davos Seaworth was shipwrecked and later rescued following the Battle of Blackwater Bay.
The setting was also used as the fictional Slavers Bay on Essos. Remember when Tyrion Lannister and Ser Jorah Mormont are taken prisoner as they walk towards Mereen and are spotted by a passing slave ship?
The rugged hillside and rock faces overlooking the bay was the site of Renly Baratheon’s camp in the Stormlands. It’s a spectacular setting for any film or real life drama!
Things to do near Murlough Bay
One of the beauties of Murlough Bay is that it’s a short spin away from many of the best things to do in Antrim.
Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Murlough (plus places to eat and where to grab a post-adventure pint!).
- Fair Head: Located northwest of Murlough Bay, the Fair Head Cliffs rise to a height of 196m (643 feet) above the sea and can be seen for miles
- Ballycastle: The coastal town of Ballycastle is the eastern gateway to the Causeway Coast. Home to around 5,000 people, the seaside resort has a harbour with regular ferries to Rathlin Island
- The Causeway Coastal Route: Taking in some of Ireland’s finest coastal, the Causeway Coast Route boasts the likes of the Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.