Antrim Plateau Causeway Coast Mountain Track
Where volcanic fury meets Atlantic legends.
The Antrim Plateau stretches between the Giant’s Causeway and the brooding Glens of Antrim, where 60-million-year-old volcanic activity left behind geometric basalt columns that defy logic. This high mountain track follows old drovers’ roads across bog and heather, connecting Ballycastle to the UNESCO World Heritage coastline via routes that shepherds and smugglers knew by heart. Weather-worn stone walls partition the plateau into ancient field systems, while the track edges close enough to cliff drops to make passengers grip door handles.
Difficult rating reflects boggy conditions, sudden weather changes, and technical navigation across unmarked moorland sections. High-clearance 4WD essential during winter; hardy crossovers manage summer months if drivers know their limits. Spring brings the clearest visibility, though autumn storms create their own wild beauty across the plateau. Best fuel up in Ballycastle — next services are a long way off. What rewards the effort: geological wonders that inspired legends, coastal views across to Scotland’s Mull of Kintyre, and the satisfaction of crossing Ireland’s most remote high country.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | High Clearance |
| Surface | Rock |
| Features | High Altitude, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 18 mi / 29 km |
| Duration | 1 day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 1755 ft |
| Best season | May-September |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD |
| Nearest town | Ballycastle, County Antrim |
| Land manager | Northern Ireland Environment Agency |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Land Rover Defender or 4Runner run this trail, or does it need a lift?
A stock high-clearance 4WD handles it, but rocky basalt surface is unforgiving on stock all-terrain tires — run at minimum 32-inch ATs with good sidewalls. A lift helps but isn't mandatory. Low-profile crossovers and standard SUVs will get torn up.
Is the Antrim Plateau track accessible outside of May–September?
Outside that window, Atlantic weather turns the plateau into a serious hazard — low cloud, ice, and saturated ground make the cliff-edge sections genuinely dangerous. Tracks can become impassable bogs in winter. Don't gamble on it off-season.
Do you need a permit to drive this trail, and is there a fee?
The trail falls under Northern Ireland Environment Agency jurisdiction — no formal vehicle permit is currently required, but access can be restricted during sensitive ecological periods. Check with NIEA before heading out; regulations on the Antrim plateau have tightened in recent years.
What's the hardest section, and what makes it genuinely difficult?
The cliff-edge basalt sections mid-route are the crux — loose angular rock with little room for error laterally, and Atlantic crosswinds that can push a high-profile vehicle. There's no recovery room on the seaward side. One bad line on wet rock can end your day badly.
There's no cell service for the entire 18 miles — what's the nearest point to get help if something goes wrong?
Ballycastle is your closest town and emergency access point, roughly at the eastern trailhead end. Carry a satellite communicator — a SPOT or Garmin inReach is not optional on this trail. The remoteness is real, and mountain rescue response times in this area are measured in hours, not minutes.
Trail track
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