Glenariff to Cushendun — Antrim Glens Coast and Forest Road via Glenariff Forest

The Antrim Glens are nine separate river valleys running northeast to the Irish Sea coast, and the backroad network linking Glenariff — the so-called ‘Queen of the Glens’ — north through Glenaan and Glencorp to Cushendun is a legitimate piece of overlanding terrain that most tourists completely miss. The route threads through Glenariff Forest Park on narrow forestry tracks, climbs the plateau between the glens with views across to the Mull of Kintyre on clear days, drops into the dark wooded valley floors, and finally emerges at the chocolate-box village of Cushendun on the Causeway Coastal Route. The forestry sections are tight — overhanging branches, soft verges after rain, and single-track with limited passing places demand patience and decent clearance.

High-clearance 4WD is the right tool here, especially after any sustained rain when the forestry tracks turn to rutted mud. Stock lifted SUVs are capable; dedicated off-road kits are comfortable. No formal permit required for the public forestry roads, but private estate tracks exist — stay on marked routes. Fuel at Ballymena or Cushendall before committing to the forest sections. Best run in late summer or early autumn when the bracken turns and the light on the sea is worth stopping for. Cell service drops hard in the glen bottoms. This is Northern Ireland doing what it does quietly — surprising you.