Ballycastle Forest

Ballycastle Forest, clothing the slopes of Knocklayd Mountain, was first planted in 1931. Most of this early woodland has now been clear felled and replanted producing a more diverse range of wildlife habitats.

The way-marked routes take full advantage of the new vistas revealed by clear felling, views that have been hidden by trees for 50 years. Two entrances can be used: one only a few hundred metres from the “Diamond” in the town, and one from the Forest Service car park two miles on the Drumavoley Road signposted south out of Ballycastle.

The “Glentaisie Trail” is easily reached from the “Diamond” or Town Square in Ballycastle, at first following the now disused railway track. This sheltered path is edged with wild blossoms, attracting an array of butterflies and bees, and a small pond where wild iris puts on a show of yellow flowers in the late spring and early summer. Autumn brings a different display of colours with the red berries of the rowan trees, and the elderberries and blackberries, providing food for the blackbirds and thrushes which dart among the changing leaves.

The path climbs and turns past an old stand of European larch, planted in 1936. Beyond this there are good views of Glentaisie and Ballycastle. At the road junction you can choose between the shorter “Glentaisie Trail” to the left, or continuing on up the hill to the “Glenshesk Trail”. The “Glentaisie Trail” to the edge of the forest offers great views of Rathlin Island. It returns to the town centre by following a steep downhill road for a quarter of a mile.

Turning instead up the hill, the markers for the “Moyle Way” allow the top part of Ballycastle Forest to be reached. This joins with the “Glenshesk Trail”, which starts from the other entrance at the car park. The trail, for the most part, is good tarmac surface, which makes walking a pleasure. In the late summer look for the fungi among the trees: the red toadstool with white spots (the poisonous fly agaric) is one of the most colourful to be found here. It is a steep climb, but affords increasingly panoramic views of the coast to the north and Rathlin Island, and on a clear day the Scottish Islands of Islay and Jura are visible.

Ballycastle Forest car park is signposted off the B15 road just south of Ballycastle.The forest is also signposted from the Town Centre “Diamond”. Admission is free