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Major city · United Kingdom

CushendallCois Abhann Dalla

Base here 2 nights with a car: five of the Nine Glens are within 20 min. Without a car, one night on the bus is the limit.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Jun, Sep
avoid Jul–Aug (busy coast traffic), Nov–Feb (short days, many closures)
Airports
BFS · BHD · LDY
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Cushendall is a 1,200-person village on the Antrim coast, at the mouth of the River Dall and the doorway to five of the Nine Glens. It is a base, not a sight: the Curfew Tower takes ten minutes, the glens take two days. Buses run six times a day on weekdays, so a car changes the trip completely.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Cushendall, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
  • BeerPint of beer£5–6 (≈ US$7–8)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)
  • Budget bedHostel or caravan-park cabin bed, a night, per person£25 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedB&B double room, a night, per room£100 (≈ US$140)
  • High-end bedB&B double room, a night, per room£150 (≈ US$200)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £85 (≈ US$120) · High £150 (≈ US$200)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Curfew TowerGlenariff and the Waterfall WalkwayNine Glens of AntrimOssian's Grave in Glenaan
Airports
BFS Belfast International (About 1 h 15 min by car via M2 and A26 to Ballymena, then A43; bus connections need a change at Ballymena.) · BHD George Best Belfast City (About 1 h 30 min by car; train to Ballymena then Ulsterbus 150.) · LDY City of Derry (About 1 h 30 min by car along the A2 coast road.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Cushendall: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

3°C

18 rd

Feb

8°C

3°C

15 rd

Mar

10°C

4°C

16 rd

Apr

12°C

5°C

13 rd

May

15°C

7°C

13 rd

Jun

17°C

10°C

13 rd

Jul

18°C

12°C

15 rd

Aug

18°C

12°C

16 rd

Sep

16°C

10°C

15 rd

Oct

13°C

8°C

17 rd

Nov

10°C

5°C

17 rd

Dec

8°C

3°C

18 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need your own wheels for the glens: the main roads have a sparse bus service. Ulsterbus 150 links Ballymena (rail from Belfast) with Cushendall in about 45 min, six times Monday–Friday and three times Saturday; bus 162 runs four times Monday–Saturday from Larne via Carnlough and Glenariff. Driving is on the left; the coast road A2 north to Cushendun and Torr Head is narrow with passing places.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Glenariff Forest Park

go

Door to door: About 20 min by car

A43 south to Waterfoot, then Glenariffe Road

Waterfall Walkway is about 3 miles of steps and boardwalk; car park £5, open daily 8:00 to dusk.

Cushendun and Glendungo

Door to door: About 10 min by car

A2 north, or the old Ballybrack road through Glencorp

Carra Castle ruin and the shore caves; Mary McBride's does food.

Torr Head and Fair Headcaution

Door to door: About 40 min by car

Torr Road north from Cushendun

Single-track with steep drops; clear weather only.

Giant's Causeway and Bushmills

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min by car

A2 coast road via Ballycastle

A full day; pair with Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

Larne and The Gobbinsgo

Door to door: About 50 min by car

A2 south via Glenarm and Carnlough, or bus 162

The Gobbins cliff path is guided and needs a booked slot.

Belfastskip

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min by car

A2 to Larne then M2, or A43 to Ballymena then M2

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep in Belfast instead.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Village centre (Mill St and Bridge St)

Pubs, Harry's and the takeaways on foot; B&Bs in 18th-century townhouses. Best for a car-free night.

Coast Road south edge

Caravan park and B&Bs 200 m apart, 10–15 min walk to the centre; quieter, sea-facing.

Waterfoot and Glenariff

3–4 km south, at the foot of Glenariff; pubs and B&Bs, closer to the forest park.

Cushendun

3 km north; smaller, one bar with food, good for Glendun and Torr Road.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–120 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
High
£120 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
B&B double room1 × 2 nights × £100£200
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × £85£340
Car hire, one day1 × £45 · book ahead in summer£45
Glenariff Forest Park car park1 × £5£5
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£61
Trip total≈ £168 per person per day, bed included£671≈ US$900

2026 estimate in pounds; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
Seafood main at Harry's£16–26 (≈ US$25–35)
Pint of beer£5–6 (≈ US$7–8)
Ulsterbus Ballymena to Cushendall, single£5–7 (≈ US$7–10)
Glenariff Forest Park car park£5 (≈ US$7)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very low crime; the real risks are single-track glen roads, wet boardwalks at Glenariff and no mobile signal in the valleys. Tell someone your route before a hill walk.
  • Bus 150 does not run on Sunday and the last weekday service is early evening: check the timetable before you commit to a car-free stay.
  • The glen lanes are single-track with few passing places; do not plan to drive them after dark.
  • Coast Road and glen car parks flood with day-trippers on summer weekends; arrive before 10:00.
  • Mobile coverage has dead patches in the glens even where the map shows 4G or 5G.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
999 or 112
Police non-emergency
101
NHS non-urgent
111

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

CushendallCois Abhann Dalla

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance999 or 112
  • Police non-emergency101
  • NHS non-urgent111

Embassy

No embassy in the village: US consulate-general in Belfast, other embassies in London.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Ulsterbus 150 Ballymena → Cushendall: about 45 min, £5–7 (≈ US$7–10) single
  • Taxi Cushendall → Ballymena: £35–50 (≈ US$50–70)
  • Car hire, one day: from about £45 (≈ US$60)

Say or show

  • Hello — Hello (hel-oh)
  • Thanks — Thank you (thanks)
  • Please — Please (pleez)
  • Where's the bus stop? — Where is the bus stop? (wairz thuh bus stop)
  • Do you take card? — Can I pay by card? (doo yuh tayk kahrd)
  • Cheers — Cheers (cheerz)

Tipping: 10–12.5% in restaurants if no service charge is added; not expected in pubs.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cushendall. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep · avoid Jul–Aug (busy coast traffic), Nov–Feb (short days, many closures) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contracts for BFS and BHD: last bus and train times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: village centre, Coast Road, Waterfoot and Glenariff, Cushendun.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Curfew Tower, Glenariff Waterfall Walkway, Layd Church, Ossian's Grave) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Glen lane and coast-road fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources