Antrim Plateau Causeway Coast Mountain Track

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.