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Port town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Photo: Mary and Angus Hogg, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Larne is a port in County Antrim in Northern Ireland, with a population in 2021 of 19,000. Most visitors are just passing through on the ferry from Scotland, and all they will see is drab industrial docklands, yet the town has a surprising collection of sights right on its doorstep. Just south is Islandmagee, where The Gobbins is Ulster's answer to the Italian via ferrata. All around are glens where streams roar out of the Antrim hills over waterfalls and cascades. The best known are to the north, the nine Antrim Glens; those closest are described on this page. Take the time to explore them and don't just hurry down the well-worn track to Giant's Causeway.
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Housed in the former library, opened in 1906 with funding from Andrew Carnegie - that library has moved 100 yards along the street. The museum displays the agricultural, industrial, military and maritime history of the area, while the John Clifford Gallery has rotating exhibitions.
Closed for redevelopment.
Museum and depot of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. Seldom any train rides, but plenty of locos in the sheds and workshops, as well as a replica signal box.
These are a line of basalt sea-cliffs, traversed by a remarkable metal walkway built in 1902. It was the best of several embellishments by railway engineer Berkeley Deane Wise to boost Whitehead as a holiday destination. Early visitors paid 6d to follow it across chasms, caves, tunnels and a sea-stack. It has suffered repeated storm damage and landslip, and is closed in the 2020s. Access is by guided walk in hard hat from the Visitor Centre, from where you're led down a lane to the coast and on to the walkway. It's 5 km there and back, not suitable for anyone with impaired mobility, young children or dogs.
Clean welcoming place half a mile from ferry pier.
Pleasant spacious guesthouse.
Bright welcoming place next to harbour railway station.
Smart dog-friendly B&B near harbour and town centre.
"This is luxury you can afford, by Cyril Lord!" but that carpet tycoon (1911-1984) frankly couldn't afford the upkeep, nor could his firm nor even his ghost, one of the few spectres not reputed to haunt these corridors. It's a charming fortified house of 1625 in Scottish baronial style that withstood assault during the rebellion of 1641. It's now a hotel in the Hastings group getting good reviews for comfort, service and ambiance.
P & O Ferries sail 6 times a day from Cairnryan near Stranraer in Scotland, taking two hours to Larne.
Read in the guideBus 162 runs north along the coast to Ballygalley, Glenarm and Carnlough, with four M-Sa.
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