There are a few shops and cafes on the main A2 road, and in Dunseverick village.

The walk starts at Dunseverick Castle (988448) off the A2 coast road between Ballycastle and Bushmills. Travelling from Bushmills, after 6km take a left turn on to the B 146 which will be signposted for Dunseverick. From Ballycastle, the B146 will be on your right about 1km past the signs for Portbradden on your right.

Once in Dunseverick, carry on through the village for about 1km and there is a small car park beside the road, easily in view of the ruins of Dunseverick castle.

The walk finishes in Portbradden harbour (008445) where there is a small car parking area. If you do not wish to walk back the way you came, you can walk back to Dunseverick along the A2 or make sure there is transport waiting at Portbradden.

There is clearly defined path all along this walk. It is solid and well maintained although may get a little muddy in wet weather. There are also sections which are over concrete, stone and gravel and in some parts there are wooden and wire boards and bridges and wooden constructed stiles, steps and stairs. Some parts are over sand, beach, grass and small rocks, so sturdy boots are still recommended. The last section round to Portbradden is over larger boulders right beside the sea which can occasionally flow right over them into the cliff face where you are walking, so care and waterproofs are also recommended.

Starting at the car park at Dunseverick, you descend a well defined but occasionally muddy track down a grassy dip to the base of the premonitory on which the castle stands. If you want to explore the castle, there is a steep path up to it. After that it is a case of following the east along the cliff tops and beaches and over rivers. You will pass through Dunseverick Harbour which at one time reputedly carried passengers to Scotland on their way to emigrate to America. It was also a fishing port at one time. The walk takes in such romantic-sounding inlets as Portacallan, Portachoran, Portnabrock, Portninish, the March Foot and Sandy Ope. It finishes, round spectacular sea stacks and through an arch in the rock, carved by waves when the water level was much higher. to Portbradden and the glorious and aptly named White Park Bay with its beautiful strand.

Walk Ni

Ulster Federation of Rambling Clubs

Northern Ireland Tourist Board

National Trust

Environment and Heritage Service

Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland

If you own binoculars, take them you. This is a particularly good coast to sit and watch the waves for signs of life in the blue planet. There are 23 species of whale and dolphin recorded on the north coast. Some, like the harbour porpoise, can be spotted very close to shore. The field glasses also come in handy for watching the big flocks of seabirds that breed and rear their young in the area each spring. Pour a flask of tea, eat a sandwich and scan the horizon in the summer and there's always something to see: brilliant white gannets dive bombing into the ocean in search of fish, or rafts of guillemots, puffins and razorbills bobbing on the surface.

The chalk cliffs between Portbradden and Whitepark Bay hold the fossils of ancient squid-like creatures called Belemnites. They are bullet shaped but when seen in cross section in the cliffs, look more like amber coloured circles in the white rock. This area is often referred to as Ulster's Jurassic Park and for good reason. At the Ballintoy end of the beach, where the sand ends, a rummage among the pebbles will often yield Devil's Toenails - fossilised shells from the Jurassic period that do indeed look like they could belong on Satan's foot.