Have you ever heard of Antrim? No? You’re not alone, but the small Northern Irish town has a lot to offer in addition to its beautiful location on Lough Neagh….
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Intro
Antrim is a very beautiful county in Northern Ireland. And Antrim is a small town in County Antrim – the namesake and main town.
The town is only a short distance west of Belfast and yet is often overlooked. In fact, it is in a particularly beautiful location – on the shores of Lough Neagh, the largest lake in Northern Ireland.
Incidentally, it was created by a giant. His name was Fionn mac Cumhail, or Finn Mc Cool in English.
He had a feud with a Scottish giant during which he tore out a piece of earth and hurled it into the Irish Sea. The lump landed in the middle of the sea and became the Isle of Man and where the piece was torn out, Lough Neagh was formed.
That’s obvious, isn’t it?
Anyway, here you’ll find the town of Antrim with a population of around 25,000. So if you’re ever travelling in Belfast, why not take a detour here?
What you can do in Antrim, we’ll get to that now…
Sightseeing
Antrim Castle Gardens: A highlight in Antrim: Beautiful gardens and the historic Clotworthy House. See: https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/gardens-and-parks/antrim-castle-gardens-clotworthy-house/.
Antrim Motte: A motte is a hill on which a fort once stood. This is the forerunner of Antrim Castle and is situated next door in a lovely park. See: https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/gardens-and-parks/antrim-castle-gardens-clotworthy-house/walking-tour-of-the-gardens/ancient-motte/.
Sentry Hill Historic House & Visitor Centre: IN Newtownabbey, not far from Antrim, is this historic Ulster-Scots farmhouse with garden, almost original furnishings and a collection of documents of its time. See: https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/heritage-attractions/sentry-hill/.
Round Tower: Well-preserved medieval round tower in Antrim town centre. See: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/heritage-sites/antrim-round-tower.
Antrim Old Courthouse: Beautiful old courthouse with café. See: https://antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/visitor/arts-heritage/theatre/the-old-courthouse/.
Pogue’s Entry Historical Cottage and Craft Studio: Restored historic cottages and small garden with original Irish plants. See: https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/heritage-attractions/pogue-s-entry-historical-cottage-and-craft-studio/.
The White House in nearby Newtownabbey is a magnificent 16th century house on Belfast Lough (bay) and a museum where you can learn about the Jacobite and Williamite clashes. See: http://thewhitehouseindalaradia.co.uk
National Trust – Patterson’s Spade Mill: This is the last water-powered forge in the British Isles. In this historic forge you can see how spades and shovels are forged by hand. See: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/pattersons-spade-mill.
Music and Culture
Old Courthouse Theatre: The Old Courthouse is not only a beautiful building with a café, but also a theatre and event venue. See: https://theoldcourthousetheatre.com.
Antrim Live: Music festival as part of the Six Mile Festival in August: If you happen to be there, you can listen to lots of live music around the Castle. See: https://tickets.theoldcourthousetheatre.com/antrimandnewtownabbeybc/website/EventDetails.aspx?EventId=98601&resize=true.
Live music in the pub: You can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/maddensbarantrim/, or here: https://www.topofthetown.co.uk.
Clotworthy Arts Centre: Visit music events and art exhibitions at Clotworthy House, the former stables and coach house of Antrim Castle. See: https://antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/visitor/arts-heritage/historical-locations/clotworthy-house/.
Food and Drink
Top of the Town: pub, restaurant and café. See: https://www.topofthetown.co.uk.
The Boathouse Antrim: Delicious food with a view of the lake – see: https://boathouseantrim.com.
The Clubhouse: The Antrim Golf Club is located directly on the lake and from the restaurant you can look out over the golf course onto the water. See: https://www.massereenegc.com/the-clubhouse.
Dunsilly Bar and Grill: Located in the Dunsilly Hotel and has a restaurant, pub and café. See: https://www.dunsillyhotel.com/dining/.
Nandos Antrim: Chain with Portuguese-African food. See: https://www.nandos.co.uk/restaurants/antrim-junction.
Third Day Coffee: Prima Café in Antrim. See: https://thirddaycoffee.co.uk.
Tours and Outdoor Activities
Lough Neagh Stories: Explore the lake on a guided boat tour with an instructor who has a lot to tell about the history of the region. See: https://loughneaghtours.com/lough-neagh-stories-boat-tours/.
Randalstown Forest: Beautiful forest near Antrim with Deerpark, invites you for a walk. See: https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/walking-and-cycling/walking-routes/randalstown-forest/.
Antrim River Trail, Six Mile Water Trail, Mill Race Trail: Small hiking trail with various sections along the river ‘Six Mile Water’. See: https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/walking-and-cycling/walking-routes/six-mile-water-mill-race-trail/.
Rea’s Wood and Lough Road: Small wooded area and road on the shore of the lough – a nice walk from Antrim. See: https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/walking-and-cycling/walking-routes/rea-s-wood/.
Golf Club by the Lake: There are two golf clubs by the lake near Antrim. See: https://antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/allenpark/, and: https://www.massereenegc.com.
Aquacycle Adventures: You can go water cycling and SUP paddling on Lough Neagh with this provider – see: https://www.aquacycleadventures.co.uk.
Tardree Forest Walk: Walking in a wooded area not far from Antrim. See: https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/walking-and-cycling/walking-routes/tardree-forest-walk/.
Toome Canal Walk: A short walk along the banks of the canal. See: https://www.walkni.com/walks/toome-canal/.
More Activities
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre: Located on Oxford Island (peninsula) at the southern end of the lake. Small nature reserve with various outdoor activities for children. See: https://getactiveabc.com/facility/oxfordisland/.
World of Owls: Small owl conservation centre west of Antrim, also has birds of prey and other animals. See: http://www.worldofowls.com.
Conclusion
Antrim, the little town, is much less well known than the beautiful Antrim coast, about which I have also written an article – see below.
But it is also beautifully situated on the large Lough Neagh, just a stone’s throw from Belfast. The small, charming town is well worth a visit and offers some beautiful sights.
So I wish you lots of fun in Northern Ireland – and in Antrim!
More interesting articles for you
Amazing Antrim Coast and Glens
Coleraine, Portstewart and Portrush – things to see and do
Belfast and the big ships
Cover photo credit: Antrim Castle Gardens (photo by Nemo N on Google Maps)
