Rathlin is Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island, reached by a ferry from Ballycastle, and a trip here is built around the crossing and the island's seabird colonies rather than a town or monument. The West Light Seabird Centre at the island's western end is the main destination, with tens of thousands of nesting seabirds including puffins visible from the viewing platforms in season. Because it depends on the ferry timetable, this is a day trip that needs to be planned around sailing times rather than fitted in loosely.
| Distance | 90 km from Belfast to Ballycastle (~1.5 hr drive) + 30 min ferry |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 2 hours total from Belfast; ferry crossing 25 minutes |
| Getting there | Drive to Ballycastle. Return ferry from Ballycastle Harbour: adults £12 return, children £6 (~$15/$8). Book at rathlinballycastleferry.com. Buses also serve Ballycastle from Belfast. |
| Address | Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry, Ballycastle Harbour, 13 Victoria Street, Ballycastle, BT54 6AX |
How to get there
- Drive to Ballycastle + CalMac ferry
- Ulsterbus 217 + ferry
Location
Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry, Ballycastle Harbour, 13 Victoria Street, Ballycastle, BT54 6AX
55.2003, -6.2502 View on map
Highlights
- West Light Seabird Centre - the RSPB viewing platforms built into the old lighthouse, looking down onto nesting seabirds
- Rathlin's puffin colony - visible from the West Light platforms roughly April to July, before the birds head back out to sea
- Church Bay - the small harbour village where the ferry lands, with the island's shop and pub
- Rathlin's coastal walking routes - quiet lanes and paths linking Church Bay to the lighthouse at the far end of the island