
Cushendall is situated on the northeast coast of Ireland about twelve miles south of Fair Head and three and a half miles northwest of Garron Point. Vessels may anchor off to the south of the village towards Red Bay, or pick up a club mooring.
Cushendall is a good anchorage offering shelter from westerly component conditions round to north-northwest and tucked into the bight of the bay is out of the run of the current. It is completely exposed to anything with an easterly component. Access is straightforward thanks to the absence of offshore dangers or any tidal restriction. The direction and velocity of the tide should be the central feature of any navigation planning in this area.
Keyfacts for Cushendall
Last modified
July 18th 2018 Summary
A good location with straightforward access.Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
100 metres east of the end of the public slipway, known locally as the Waterford Slipway, where Cushendall Sailing and Boat Club and the Red Bay RNLI station is located. This is just outside Cushendall village on the Coast Road.
What is the initial fix?
The following Red Bay Initial Fix will set up a final approach:

What are the key points of the approach?
Offshore details are available in the northeast Ireland’s Coastal Overview for Malin Head to Strangford Lough
.
- Avoid the fish farm in the south end of Red Bay.
- Approach the slip from the east.
Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Cushendall for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Red Bay Pier (Glenariff Pier) - 0.4 miles S
- Cushendun - 1.9 miles N
- Carnlough Bay and Harbour - 3.3 miles SSE
- Torr Head - 4.3 miles N
- Glenarm Bay and Harbour - 4.5 miles SSE
- Murlough Bay - 5.2 miles NNW
- Ballycastle - 6.4 miles NW
- Ballygalley Bay - 7.7 miles SSE
- Church Bay - 8.6 miles NNW
- Ballintoy Harbour - 9.3 miles NW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Red Bay Pier (Glenariff Pier) - 0.4 miles S
- Cushendun - 1.9 miles N
- Carnlough Bay and Harbour - 3.3 miles SSE
- Torr Head - 4.3 miles N
- Glenarm Bay and Harbour - 4.5 miles SSE
- Murlough Bay - 5.2 miles NNW
- Ballycastle - 6.4 miles NW
- Ballygalley Bay - 7.7 miles SSE
- Church Bay - 8.6 miles NNW
- Ballintoy Harbour - 9.3 miles NW
How to get in?

The extensive and picturesque Red Bay is entered between Garron Point and Limerick Point situated 3.25 miles to the northwest. Cushendall is a small coastal village on the north side of the bay. It is located about a third of a mile south of Limerick Point and less than a mile north of Red Bay pier. Ashore it is overlooked by the spectacular summits of Lurigethan and Tievebulliagh. Sitting at the foot of Glenaan and being on the convergence of Glenballyemon and Glencorp it is known as the ‘Capital of the Glens’.

A yellow outflow marker Fl (4) Y 12s will be passed on approach about 600 metres east of the Cushendall Sailing & Boating Club and the RNLI station. It is marked with a standard yellow buoy with a yellow “X” on top. The outflow is on the seabed so it is safe to pass the buoy on all sides as there is deep water, in excess of 16 metres, all-round.

Adjacent to the ‘Cushendall Sailing & Boating Club’ and the RNLI station there are five visitors’ moorings. The yellow moorings have a weight limit of 10 tonnes and are located about 300 metres from the club and RNLI station. A payment of £10 per night should be made to Red Bay Boats whose premises are nearby.
Red Bay Moorings - position: 55° 04.565’N 006° 02.865’W.

The slip has a depth of 1.7 metres for 3 hours either side of high water. Those wishing to come alongside should seek local advice. There is a rock situated 50 metres north-by-northeast of the slipway. It is clearly marked with a yellow triangular beacon.
Why visit here?
Cushendall derives its name from the Irish, ‘Cois Abhann Dalla / Bun Abhann Dalla’ meaning ‘foot of the River Dall’. The Dall, which flows into the sea here, is formed by the convergence of the Glenaan River with the Ballyemon River located 1km to the west. The name Dall is believed to be derived from Bun an Dalla meaning the ‘dark one’.
The nine glens are scattered with traces Neolithic man, but none are more significant than those at Cushendall. Tievebulliagh, situated close inland, was host to a prodigious Stone Age flint factory. The 401 metres high mountain forms part of the watershed between Glenann to the north and Glenballyeamon to the south and was formed from a volcanic plug. The intense heat generated in this process gave rise to the formation of a special kind of flint that is called ‘porcellanite’ because of its blue-grey porcelain-like colour. Unlike the commonly available flint, porcellanite is an extremely tough rock capable of taking a keen edge, especially when polished with sandstone. Not being brittle it was the ideal and preferred Neolithic material for axes employed in forest clearances, but it also made excellent arrow and spearheads.

More than 10,000 beautifully polished and highly distinctive Antrim porcellanite axes have been discovered to date. This is by far the largest number from an identified source in the British Isles. Nearby Rathlin Island also had a similar ‘axe factory’ that exploited the same type of rock. A rich collection of Tievebulliagh porcellanite artefacts are displayed today in the Ulster Museum, some of them exquisite in form and texture.


In the early 19th century Francis Turnly was to transform the fortunes of the village. He made his own fortune with the East India Company in China and returned to buy the village. Living in Carnlough, he set about improving the coast road creating the Red Arch. In its day the Red Arch was a magnificent engineering feat that not only allowed him access but also connected many isolated communities along the coast. Indeed until then, Cushendall would have looked towards Scotland as its neighbour,, as it was easier to travel across the sea than across the mountainous areas which surrounded the village. In the village, Turnly started a major development programme which included building an inn, a bathhouse, a new mill, and a village school. In 1817 work began on the famous Curfew Tower in the centre of the village. Influenced by designs he had seen in China the tower was built to confine 'idlers and rioters'. Dan McBride, an army pensioner, was given the permanent job of guarding the tower garrison. He was armed with one musket, a bayonet, a brace of pistols and a thirteen-feet-long pike. Turnly not only set the village on a path to prosperity but he also restored it to its original name of ‘Cushendall’ and so it has remained ever since.


There is, of course, plenty here for walkers. In the immediate village area, there is a path that can be taken to Layde Church. The name means ‘Church of the broad place’ and the ruins are one of the oldest and most important historical sites in the Glens. Established in 1306 it replaced an earlier religious house that already existed on the site. The exact origins of this structure are unknown but it probably began life as a holy place in the Iron Age or before. The church was in ruins in 1622 but was rebuilt about 1696 and remained the site of Protestant worship until 1790 when it was replaced by a new building in Cushendall. The long narrow structure was built of local red sandstone and schist and had a thatched roof. It has a graveyard alongside and a fast flowing stream that cascades into the sea at Port Obe. Many of the MacDonald clan are buried in this graveyard or at Bonamargie Friary at Ballycastle.

For the more energetic a hike to the top of Lurigethan will reward a walker with unforgettable views not only across the bay to Scotland but over the surrounding glens and small hamlets laid out like patchwork below. Direct access to the summit is from the northern foot along the zigzag paths, clearly visible from the bottom but difficult enough to follow on the ground. A race is held annually from the watchtower on the beach at Cushendall to the summit. The record currently stands at an astounding 26 minutes. There is also a golf course a short walk from the town.

From a sailing perspective Cushendall offers a stop-off point for boats bound in either direction through the North Channel or indeed crossing from the Western Isles of Scotland; visible all the way from here. Access to Cushendall is straightforward as it is non-tidal and available at all times plus free of off-lying dangers. Hence it serves as a tide wait location to allow vessels to take full advantage of favourable tidal streams that are the dominant feature of this area of the coast.
Cushendall Sailing & Boating Club is a small, young and very active club. It is open most evenings throughout the summer months and they are particularly welcoming. Visiting Yachtsmen may come in to freshen up and share a pint and a tale in the bar. All the time taking in the stunning north and south views of headlands plus, on a clear day, Scotland and some of its western islands. Set well into the bight of the bay Cushendall is a good anchorage with secure moorings. As such it is an excellent base to visit a particularly picturesque coastal village and designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

What facilities are available?
Cushendall is a coastal village with a population of 1,250 people and as such has ample provisions. Visitors will find shops, a garage, a hotel, and a hospital, but no shelter or landing facilities except a beach. Water is available at the slipway and diesel at nearby Red Bay Boats. Alighting by dingy, water and diesel will have to be carried in containers. The Moyle District Council provides and maintains public toilets, two large car parks, and the slipway. CSBC clubhouse sits in its own grounds to the side of the RNLI station. The Club is open all summer (weekends only in winter) and visitors are welcome, and showers/changing facilities are available free of charge,From the club it is only a fifteen minute walk to Cushendall where all the usual shops, post office and restaurants are to be found. Less than ten minutes from the club is the home of the very helpful Red Bay Boats and boat yard. The village is situated on the A2 coast road between Larne and Portrush.
Any security concerns?
Never an issue known to have occurred to a vessel anchored off Cushendall.With thanks to:
Burke Corbett, New Ross, County Wexford. Photography with thanks to Burke Corbett, Anne Burgess, Lindy Buckley, Garry Smales and Albert Bridge.Expand to new tab or fullscreen
The above plots are not precise and indicative only.












Aerial footage of the pier and anchorage at Cushendall
Aerial footage of the pier and anchorage at Cushendall
This 50 minute video covers the 'History of The Glens of Antrim' in great depth
About Cushendall
Cushendall derives its name from the Irish, ‘Cois Abhann Dalla / Bun Abhann Dalla’ meaning ‘foot of the River Dall’. The Dall, which flows into the sea here, is formed by the convergence of the Glenaan River with the Ballyemon River located 1km to the west. The name Dall is believed to be derived from Bun an Dalla meaning the ‘dark one’.

The nine glens are scattered with traces Neolithic man, but none are more significant than those at Cushendall. Tievebulliagh, situated close inland, was host to a prodigious Stone Age flint factory. The 401 metres high mountain forms part of the watershed between Glenann to the north and Glenballyeamon to the south and was formed from a volcanic plug. The intense heat generated in this process gave rise to the formation of a special kind of flint that is called ‘porcellanite’ because of its blue-grey porcelain-like colour. Unlike the commonly available flint, porcellanite is an extremely tough rock capable of taking a keen edge, especially when polished with sandstone. Not being brittle it was the ideal and preferred Neolithic material for axes employed in forest clearances, but it also made excellent arrow and spearheads.

More than 10,000 beautifully polished and highly distinctive Antrim porcellanite axes have been discovered to date. This is by far the largest number from an identified source in the British Isles. Nearby Rathlin Island also had a similar ‘axe factory’ that exploited the same type of rock. A rich collection of Tievebulliagh porcellanite artefacts are displayed today in the Ulster Museum, some of them exquisite in form and texture.


In the early 19th century Francis Turnly was to transform the fortunes of the village. He made his own fortune with the East India Company in China and returned to buy the village. Living in Carnlough, he set about improving the coast road creating the Red Arch. In its day the Red Arch was a magnificent engineering feat that not only allowed him access but also connected many isolated communities along the coast. Indeed until then, Cushendall would have looked towards Scotland as its neighbour,, as it was easier to travel across the sea than across the mountainous areas which surrounded the village. In the village, Turnly started a major development programme which included building an inn, a bathhouse, a new mill, and a village school. In 1817 work began on the famous Curfew Tower in the centre of the village. Influenced by designs he had seen in China the tower was built to confine 'idlers and rioters'. Dan McBride, an army pensioner, was given the permanent job of guarding the tower garrison. He was armed with one musket, a bayonet, a brace of pistols and a thirteen-feet-long pike. Turnly not only set the village on a path to prosperity but he also restored it to its original name of ‘Cushendall’ and so it has remained ever since.


There is, of course, plenty here for walkers. In the immediate village area, there is a path that can be taken to Layde Church. The name means ‘Church of the broad place’ and the ruins are one of the oldest and most important historical sites in the Glens. Established in 1306 it replaced an earlier religious house that already existed on the site. The exact origins of this structure are unknown but it probably began life as a holy place in the Iron Age or before. The church was in ruins in 1622 but was rebuilt about 1696 and remained the site of Protestant worship until 1790 when it was replaced by a new building in Cushendall. The long narrow structure was built of local red sandstone and schist and had a thatched roof. It has a graveyard alongside and a fast flowing stream that cascades into the sea at Port Obe. Many of the MacDonald clan are buried in this graveyard or at Bonamargie Friary at Ballycastle.

For the more energetic a hike to the top of Lurigethan will reward a walker with unforgettable views not only across the bay to Scotland but over the surrounding glens and small hamlets laid out like patchwork below. Direct access to the summit is from the northern foot along the zigzag paths, clearly visible from the bottom but difficult enough to follow on the ground. A race is held annually from the watchtower on the beach at Cushendall to the summit. The record currently stands at an astounding 26 minutes. There is also a golf course a short walk from the town.

From a sailing perspective Cushendall offers a stop-off point for boats bound in either direction through the North Channel or indeed crossing from the Western Isles of Scotland; visible all the way from here. Access to Cushendall is straightforward as it is non-tidal and available at all times plus free of off-lying dangers. Hence it serves as a tide wait location to allow vessels to take full advantage of favourable tidal streams that are the dominant feature of this area of the coast.
Cushendall Sailing & Boating Club is a small, young and very active club. It is open most evenings throughout the summer months and they are particularly welcoming. Visiting Yachtsmen may come in to freshen up and share a pint and a tale in the bar. All the time taking in the stunning north and south views of headlands plus, on a clear day, Scotland and some of its western islands. Set well into the bight of the bay Cushendall is a good anchorage with secure moorings. As such it is an excellent base to visit a particularly picturesque coastal village and designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Other options in this area
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Alternatively here are the ten nearest havens available in picture view:
Coastal clockwise:
Red Bay Pier (Glenariff Pier) - 0.4 miles SCarnlough Bay and Harbour - 3.3 miles SSE
Glenarm Bay and Harbour - 4.5 miles SSE
Ballygalley Bay - 7.7 miles SSE
Magheramorne Point - 11.2 miles SSE
Coastal anti-clockwise:
Cushendun - 1.9 miles NTorr Head - 4.3 miles N
Murlough Bay - 5.2 miles NNW
Church Bay - 8.6 miles NNW
Ballycastle - 6.4 miles NW
Navigational pictures
These additional images feature in the 'How to get in' section of our detailed view for Cushendall.













Detail view | Off |
Picture view | On |
Aerial footage of the pier and anchorage at Cushendall
Aerial footage of the pier and anchorage at Cushendall
This 50 minute video covers the 'History of The Glens of Antrim' in great depth
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