Ballintoy Harbour is situated on the north coast of Ireland approximately five miles west of Ballycastle and immediately east of Ballintoy Point. The small shallow harbour is located at the western end of Sheep Sound and offers the possibility to anchor immediately outside the entrance. Small shallow draft vessels may come into the harbour and come along the outer harbour or take a stern line to the shore in the inner harbour.

The harbour is shallow pushing vessels with any draught out into an exposed anchorage that is only suitable in settled or offshore conditions. Fringing rock stacks and islands afford limited shelter but an entirely comfortable overnight stop would be unlikely. Access requires attentive navigation preferably in daylight as there are islands, stacks and covered rocks on one side of the entrance path.

Keyfacts for Ballintoy Harbour

Position and approaches

Haven position

55° 14.735' N, 006° 22.055' W

This is set in the middle of the entrance to the outer harbour.

What is the initial fix?

This is on the old disused Coastguard Station lookout open west of Ballintoy Church tower on199° T and the 20-metre contour. It is the old clearing line for Rock-on-Stewart about a ½ mile out from the harbour.

What are the key points of the approach?

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What's the story here?

Ballintoy Harbour is a small rural boat harbour situated on the east side of Ballintoy Point a ½ mile west of Sheep Island. The rocky gut has been faced with a concrete quay that has formed an outer harbour, and this leads into an inner stone harbour that gradually shelves towards a slipway which dries at its southwest end. The harbour is only used by local small open boats during the summer as outside of this, a heavy run inside makes it untenable except for a brief landing. It is primary attraction is its pretty nature situated in one of the most picturesque parts of North Antrim.




The easiest option is to anchor just outside the harbour in 4 to 5 metres. Although subject to swell its chain of islets and of black basalt stacks extending out to the northeast provide some shelter. A close alternative is Boheeshane Bay, a ¼ of a mile to the southeast and the use the harbour for landing.




In settled conditions, the 70 metres long outer concrete quay has a depth of 2.2 metres and being 40 metres wide has ample space to manoeuvre. The inner harbour has a depth of 1.5 metres at its seaward end and 0.8 metres adjacent to the boathouse. From this, it then gradually shelves towards a slipway which dries. Very shallow vessels or a vessel that can take to the hard may use the inner harbour. However, the space in the inner harbour is largely occupied by its local small craft moorings and is best used for landings only.

How to get in?

Offshore details are available in northeast Ireland’s coastal overview for Malin Head to Strangford Lough . The details provided for Church Bay on Rathlin Island and its tidal data provide approach details for this corner of Ireland. The direction and velocity of the tide should be the central feature of any navigation planning in this area.




The position of Ballintoy Harbour is made unmistakable by the highly distinctive precipitous basaltic rock Sheep Island located a ½ mile to the northeast of the harbour. It is a remarkable precipitous rock lying a ⅓ of a mile north of the conspicuous white cliffs of Larry Bane Head and it can be seen from a great distance along the coast.



Ballintoy Point may be identified from the sea by a conspicuous white church tower, 16 metres in height, located on a hill above the harbour and an old coastguard station on its summit. The point has many straggling islets and rocks which terminate in Rock-on-Stewart which is the principal danger of the approach to Ballintoy's Harbour.




Vessels approaching from the Ballycastle will find Rathlin Sound clear of dangers with the exception of Carrickmannanon off Kinbane Head. This small pinnacle rock set on a shoaling area is steep too on its outer side. It lies 2¼ miles northwest of Ballycastle and about 800 metres north by northeast of the headland. Carrickmannanon is normally visible as it nearly always breaks and dries to 0.3 of a metre but it has caught some of the best of mariners along this coast.

Carrickmannanon Rock – rock unmarked position: 55° 14.029' N, 006° 16.909' W



Local vessels will be seen passing inside the rock but newcomers are best advised not to. The tidal streams of Rathlin Sound rip past Carrickmannanon creating an eddy under its lee. This sets strongly back towards the rock and draws a vessel back upon it. Likewise between the rock and the headland heavy overfalls can be expected at various points of the tide. It is, therefore, best to entirely avoid the rock and its immediate surroundings. A forward sight line of Bengore Head open of Ballintoy Point, on 275° T, passes more than 800 metres north of Carrickmannanon.

Vessels approaching from the east should keep a minimum of 300 metres to the north of the island to avoid detached rocks on its northern and eastern sides.



Vessels approaching from the west or northwest will find few hazards west of Ballintoy Point as far as the entrance of Lough Foyle. There are some outlying rocks, but there are no hidden dangers beyond a ¼ of a mile from the shoreline. The chain of islets and rock terminating in Rock-on-Stewart may all be cleared from westward by keeping Fair Head well open of the rocks north of Sheep Island. In reduced visibility, the north end of Carrickarede closed behind the southern end of Sheep Island.




The Ballintoy Initial Fix is on the 20-metre contour and the sightline provided on Admiralty Chart 2494 of the old disused Coastguard Station lookout open west of Ballintoy Church tower on 199° T. This is the traditional clearing line for Rock-on-Stewart and about a ½ mile out from the harbour.





The harbour is approached on the southeastward side of the drying Rock-on-Stewart and the chain of drying rocks and islets that extend from it to the shore. These are steep-to to the southeast, and the immediate area around the south side of the bay is all sand and clear of dangers. Rock-on-Stewart has 1.6 metres of cover HWS and dries to 0.8 metres with a further portion stretching northeastward with 1.3 metres LWS of cover over it. Rock-on-Stewart is situated approximately a ⅓ of a mile westward of Sheep Island and a ½ mile northward of the church. It breaks continuously in rough conditions but may also be seen to break even in settled weather.





The best route into Ballintoy is to pass south from the sightline between Rock-on-Stewart and Sheep Island, keeping a distance of 200 metres to the west of Sheep Island.




Once the middle of Sheep Island is abeam to port it is then safe to turn to starboard towards the harbour entrance. It is possible to track in on the sight line but it passes unnecessarily close to the Rock-on-Stewart and the church tower becomes obscured by the high cliffs close inshore.





Berth according to conditions and or vessel attributes making the best of it. Moderate draft vessels planning on stopping temporarily in settled conditions may use the rock-bound cut that forms the outer harbour.




Those intending on anchoring in Boheeshane Bay should note there is a rock, which dries, close to the shore about a ⅓ of a mile east by southeast of the coastguard lookout.




It is also possible to visit Carrickarede by boat and anchor over sand in 5 metres. There is a landing and bothy on the southeast side of the island that served as a salmon fishing station up until 2002. It is now maintained very much as it was left.

Why visit here?

Ballintoy's name is derived from the Irish 'Baile an Tuathaigh' 'townland of the ruler of the tuath'.



In old Ireland, there was a ranking of overlordship with the five provincial kings sitting at the top. Beneath them were regional kings and finally the petty kings, the king of an individual 'tuath'. The 'tuath' was therefore the most basic political unit in early Irish society. The rulers of these polities did think of themselves as kings even though an average tuath was only around 50 km2 in size. According to Irish law, these kings had very limited powers; they could make peace and war and that was about it. So this area was once the domain of a single 'Thuaithe' or 'Tuath' but its history has been lost.




The coastal area around Ballintoy is not only visually striking but of great geological interest. The white limestone (chalk) and dark volcanic basalts provide strong contrasts which, mixed with the varied colours of the sea, sky and wildflowers, make this such a picturesque spot. It is unusual to find volcanic basalt and sedimentary limestone in close proximity and this attracts large numbers of geologists to Ballintoy.




White Park Bay, situated immediately east of Ballintoy, is also remarkable and of special geological interest. In geological terms, it is known as a 'raised beach'. Historically the ocean would have washed into the raised curved cliff face and Ballintoy harbour would have been submerged. As the ice age came to a close the land mass gradually rose to create the sweeping curve of the existing bay. Faulting and other earth movements, following the outpouring of volcanic lavas, about 60 million years ago, helped to create the fantastically shaped rock stacks between the harbour and Whitepark Bay to the west.




Action by the sea and ice carved out caves in the chalk, and laid down clays, sand and stones. The area has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. Several arrowheads have been found by observant walkers who pass through this ancient sand dune system which is rich in flora and fauna.




The flat-topped Sheep Island immediately offshore of Ballintoy is also a remarkable feature. With precipitous cliffs on all sides, it could more accurately be described as a large sea stack. It derives its name from a time when sheep were taken out by boat and grazed on its high grassy slopes during the summer months. It was bought by the National Trust in 1967 and, after the island's rats were exterminated, it was left to birds to colonize. This has been very successful and it has since become an important nesting site for Puffins and Cormorants. Landing is possible by dinghy on Sheep Island at a couple of points, although a visit may require an exposed climb to get to the high grassy area. This should not be underestimated as the rock is loose and the slope steep depending on the approach so if any visit is planned local advice should be taken.




The superb blackness of the basalt and the white cliffs also speak of treacherous waters here during the winter. Though utterly beautiful in the summer the area is just as interesting a location to visit in the winter if without a boat. It is totally unusable as a heavy swell makes this section of the coast untenable except for the briefest of landings in the best of conditions. But when seen from the land the power of an Atlantic storm can be fully apprehended as it pounds into the natural defences that protect Ballintoy Harbour. The area of rocks between White Park Bay and Ballintoy harbour, known locally as the Park End, pick up some of the biggest swell waves along the north coast. Add to these strong tidal currents and rips between the islands that break the waves, and the basalt receives constant wave action with even the tallest stack getting washed by winter storms.




Set in the middle of all this is pretty little Ballintoy Harbour goes back to the 18th century. It was originally constructed by a reputedly 'slippery' character called 'Graceless' Stewart, to enable low-cost coal to be shipped to Dublin. The harbour was rebuilt a hundred years later in the late 19th- century to service a trade in sett stones that were used to pave streets.




At peak production, more than one hundred men were employed at 'Brockie Quarry' near Larry Bane hewing and shaping sett stones. A small rail track moved the processed stones and limestone to the quayside where schooners transported them to Irish cities such as Dublin, Wexford, Cork, Limerick and across to Scotland.




Evidence of this industrial past can be seen in the lime kiln that still stands today in the harbour along with the limestone blocks from which the harbour itself is constructed. Indeed Ballintoy has shaped the district as its burnt lime was used in the construction of numerous stone cottages and rural halls in the area.




This includes Ballintoy Parish Church situated on the hill above the harbour. This is an unusual building as the sixteen-meter high square tapering tower has an unusual aspect that gives an impression of a Norman tower or even a Mediterranean building. Originally this was the site of a castle, and then an older church stood at this location before the current structure was developed. The narrowed square tower looks odd because it originally supported a steeple. This was taken away in December 1894 by a hurricane leaving the church with its unique appearance.




The harbour and village are separated by a mile-long narrow winding road travelling down Knocksaughey hill. What is particularly striking is 'Bendhu' the first house on the left of the winding road up from the harbour, overlooking the sandy cove.




Named after Bendhu or 'Bendoo' a nearby headland that overlooks Boheeshane Bay, it was created by the artist Newton Penprase. He started the house in 1936 and continued organically constructing rooms primarily around views letting his imagination and expression run free long after his retirement in 1953.




The cubic outcome is a wonderful expression of one man's creativity and imagination and though odd, the architecture blends seamlessly into the environment. It is now a listed part of the coast's Architectural Heritage.




Today the small harbour retains its working clothes. It is used by several small open-boat fishermen and is the base for several pleasure craft. Although in recent years it has been somewhat upgraded, Ballintoy is very far removed from its industrial past and is more of a place in graceful repose. It is a simply beautiful harbour with a stunning panorama looking out to Sheep Island and across the sound to Rathlin Island with Scotland in the backdrop. The beautiful White Park Bay lies to the west and can be accessed by a short walk from the harbour. Ballintoy is also famous for the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge located on the coast just outside the village.




The bridge links the mainland to the tiny Carrickarede Island, and it is thought salmon fishermen have been erecting bridges to the island for over 300 years. The site is now owned and maintained by the National Trust and an admission fee is charged for crossing the bridge. Now open all year round this bridge crossing is an exceptional experience. The swinging rope bridge spans 20 metres and is 30 metres above the rocks below and attracts almost a quarter of a million visitors each year interested in testing their nerves.




From a purely boating perspective, Ballintoy could never be described as a great anchorage; far from it. But it is close to the completely protected Ballycastle or Rathlin Island's Church Bay. So should an auspicious weather widow occur it makes it a very attractive location to visit from these safe harbours or indeed to stay a night in settled conditions?




For the location offers the coastal cruiser a picture-perfect harbour situated in one of the most picturesque parts of North Antrim. In visual coastal terms, the location has it all; sheep-speckled pastures, unusual buildings, corkscrew roads, sea stacks, rocky islands, pools and a quaint historic harbour looking across the blue sea to Rathlin Island and the Scottish Isles; the scenery here is simply stunning. As well as all the visual scenery the area has exceptionally good walking with unusual experiences such as White Park Bay and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge situated close by.

What facilities are available?

There are no supplies in Ballintoy Harbour but there is a tea room and café. The harbour has a car park, picnic area, and access to the coastal path. The village of Ballintoy is located about one kilometre from Ballintoy Harbour and has modest commercial and social facilities that serves a small population of little more than 150, and includes tourist accommodation, restaurants, several small shops, and two churches. It is located alongside the B15 coast road, 28 kilometres (17 miles) north-east of Coleraine, 8 kilometres (5 miles) west of Ballycastle and between it and Bushmills. Nearby Ballycastle Marina offers a full service marina where almost all yachting requirements are catered for.

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occurred to a boat on anchor in Ballintoy Harbour.

With thanks to:

Terry Crawford, local boatman of many decades.