Browns Bay Beach & Ferris Bay

About

Browns Bay Beach is a popular sandy, safe beach at the northern tip of Islandmagee, nestling between Skenaghan Point and Barrs Point in a horse shoe shaped bay. It is 600m long with rocks and loose boulders around the edge. Access is via a set of steps at one end and a gentle ramp at the other.

The rural setting and the relative remoteness of this site gives it a real “away-from-it-all” feel. The view across the horizon is beautiful showing five headlands all the way up the Antrim coast. This beach is popular for swimming. Waves are generally not very high. Perfect location for picnics, walking, swimming, windsurfing or just enjoying the great outdoors.

A sizeable car park is on the other side of the road. There is a wide grassy area that is suitable for wheelchairs. There are also public toilets onsite and at Ballylumford Harbour.

This beach has been awarded the Seaside Award for achieving the required standard of bathing water quality and for its general cleanliness and provision of information and facilities. Bathing quality water standards can be found here: www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/bathing-water-quality

Skenaghan point, on the east of the bay, is a National Trust property and features a short walking route past the “rocking stone”. Looking to the north one gets a clear view of the “Maidens rocks” far out in the North Channel, and their two lighthouses, only one of which is now in operation.

A footpath follows the road to the west past the golf course to another sandy beach at Ferris Bay. This bay is bounded at the western side by Ferris Point on which stands the lighthouse that guides shipping into the busy port of Larne.

Dogs are welcome but restrictions apply. For more details go to: www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/things-to-do/causeway-coastal-route/dogs-on-beaches-legislation