Moyle Way
The Moyle Way runs for 27 miles through the heart of the world-famous Glens of Antrim, taking the walker through a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a land of geology, wildlife, history and folklore. From its start on the coast at Ballycastle, the route winds past ancient monuments, across rivers and high mountain tops culminating among the woodland waterfalls of Glenariff Forest Park before reaching the coastal village of Waterfoot.
| County | Distance | OS Map | Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antrim | 27 miles (43 km) | Sheets 5 & 9 | Open moorland and forest trails interspersed with quiet rural roads. |
| Start Town / Village | Finish Town / Village | Grid References | Points of Interest |
| Ballycastle | Waterfoot | Starts at D121411 Ends at D239254 | Ballycastle, Rathlin Island, Glenariff Forest Park, Waterfoot |
Route Description
There's so much to see and do near the start of the walk in Ballycastle, that it may be worth allowing a day to explore the area. When the powerful MacDonnell clan came across from the Scottish Isles to occupy the Glens in the early 16th century, they chose Ballycastle as their headquarters and resided at Dunineny Castle on the cliff top overlooking the town. A short ferry ride from the town is Rathlin Island with its seabird colonies and spectacular cliffs. Guglielmo Marconi, the great Italian inventor, sent one of the the world's earliest radio transmission across the sea from Ballycastle to Rathlin. Ballycastle is also home to the Lammas Fair, which has taken place every August for around 300 years.
The walk heads due south from Ballycastle using a short section of the disused railway line between Ballycastle and Ballymena. It then climbs gently through Glenshesk under the shadow of Knocklayd which became famous in 1788 when a Dublin journal ran a dramatic story that the top had 'burst off' the mountain discharging burning matter across the surrounding land. While the basalt of Knocklayd and the wider Glens area was formed by the same volcanic events that produced the Giant's Causeway, the story was in fact an elaborate hoax.
The crystal clear waters of the Glenshesk River encourage sea trout and salmon to return year after year to breed. A wealth of birds and bats and even otters can be spotted along this beautiful river.
South of Glenshesk the route passes through Breen Oakwood Nature Reserve, a surviving fragment of the great oakwoods that once covered much of Ireland and an important habitat for sparrowhawks and buzzards. Keep your eyes peeled for the resident red squirrels busying themselves in the tree tops or foraging at the feeders. This is one of the final strongholds for red squirrels in Ireland. Close by is MacQuillan's Grave - tradition holds that this is the spot where a chief of the MacQuillans fell after the Battle of Orra, which took place at a site further south along the Moyle Way. The stone has a primitive drawing on its southern aspect depicting a human figure from the waist up. It is not clearly visible from the Moyle Way, but is worth searching for.
High up on the slopes of Slieveanorra, the Slieveanorra National Nature Reserve protects a valuable bog and moorland habitat. Also on the mountain's slopes is the site of the Battle of Orra, which took place in 1559. During the battle, the MacDonnell clan covered the ground with rushes to make it appear solid. Members of the MacQuillan and O’Neill clans were tricked and floundered into chest-deep bog, only to be slaughtered as they tried to struggle free. Fortunately modern walkers traverse the bog with the help of a gravel track.
From here the Moyle Way trends southeast, passing close to the top of Trostan, Antrim's highest summit at 550m. From here you can savour the wide-ranging views before beginning the gentle descent into Glenariff Forest and onwards to Waterfoot.
