81 Whitepark Road, Ballycastle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT54 6LP
Kinbane Castle
Castle
Place photograph
7.3
Wildland
1–2 hours
Time
Check
Cost
Dramatic
Feel
Why it's Wildland
7.3A ruined tower house stands on a narrow limestone headland above the Causeway Coast, with the sea and Rathlin Island in its wider view.
Kinbane combines a dramatic coastal setting with the remains of a 16th-century tower house. The steep, stepped descent makes the visit more demanding than a simple roadside viewpoint, but brings you down to the headland and ruins themselves.
Dramatic · Atmospheric · Wild
Find your way
Open map81 Whitepark Road, Ballycastle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT54 6LP
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The experience
Allow time for the steep, stepped approach, a look around the castle remains and a pause to take in the coastal setting. Conditions underfoot may be slippery; check current access information before setting out.
Things to do
Explore the ruined tower house
Look around the surviving castle remains on the narrow limestone headland.
Check before visiting
Take in the coastal panorama
Pause on the headland for views across the rugged coast; the supplied source describes views including Rathlin Island.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Allow 1–2 hours
Quick Escape: down to the castle
- 01
Check current access and weather conditions before setting out.
- 02
Follow the steep, stepped approach towards the headland.
- 03
Explore the castle remains and take in the coastal views, including towards Rathlin Island.
- 04
Return by the same approach, taking care on the narrow or slippery path.
Verified history
A supplied source describes Kinbane as a ruined 16th-century tower house built around 1547 by Colla MacDonnell and associated with the MacAlisters. The remains stand on a narrow limestone headland on the Causeway Coast.
Hidden details
The meaning of Kinbane — A supplied source gives An Ceann Bán as the Irish name and translates it as “the White Head”, referring to the pale cliffs.
When to go
· No specific time is evidenced; check local conditions before visiting.
The supplied sources do not establish a best season.
The approach is steep and may be slippery. Check conditions before visiting.
What to look for
Look for the surviving tower-house ruins on the narrow headland, the pale limestone cliffs and views towards Rathlin Island.
The story
Medieval; Gaelic history
Best time to go
Check conditions before visiting; no season-specific guidance is available in the supplied sources.
No best time is established by the supplied sources. Check local conditions before visiting.
How long to spend
1–2 hours
Perfect for
History lovers · Photographers · Walkers
Before you go
Address
Phone
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
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Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
A ruined castle on a coastal headland, reached by a steep approach with many steps. The path is described as narrow and can be slippery; wheelchair access is not indicated.
Parking
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Toilets
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Accessibility
The source row says the entrance is not wheelchair accessible. Visitor accounts describe a steep approach with many steps and a narrow, potentially slippery path.
Cost
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Check before visiting
Water
Sea
Gallery
Place photographs
Keep exploring
Around Kinbane Castle
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
Place photograph7.8Murlough Bay
Murlough Bay, near Ballycastle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
11.4 km away
Place photograph7.2The Dark Hedges
Bregagh Road, near Stranocum, Ballymoney, County Antrim, BT53 8PX
12.0 km away
