A picture-perfect little working harbour tucked below the cliffs on the Causeway Coast near Ballycastle — jagged sea stacks, rock pools and a whitewashed quay that stood in for the Iron Islands in Game of Thrones. It's free, and it's one of the loveliest quick stops on the whole coast.
What you'll see & do — the tiny stone harbour and its moored boats, rock pools on the limestone foreshore, sea stacks and islets offshore, and the start of the coast path toward Larrybane, Carrick-a-Rede and White Park Bay. Great for photos.
How long — a short scenic stop, about 30–60 minutes, or longer if you set off along the coast path or stop for tea.
Price & parking — free to visit, all year. A steep, narrow road drops down to a small car park by the harbour (parking charges may apply — confirm on the day).
Food & dogs — a seasonal tea room, Roark's Kitchen, sits on the quay (often closed over winter). Dogs welcome on a lead.
What to bring — sturdy shoes for the rocks, and a coat — it's exposed and can be breezy even on a bright day.
Mind the road down. It's very steep and narrow with tight bends, single-track in places — take it slowly and be ready to give way.
Take care at the water. The rocks and slipway get slippery, and it's a real working harbour — keep little ones back from the edge and clear of the ramp when a boat's on the move.
The car park is small and fills fast in summer — if it's full, park up in Ballintoy village and walk down.
Plan your visit
Can I just turn up? Yes — it's free and always open.
Ballintoy Harbour is free to visit and open all year round — just drive down and park. The one thing to know is the road: it leaves the main coast road and drops to the harbour in a series of steep, narrow, winding switchbacks, single-track in places, so take it slowly and be ready to give way. There's a small car park by the harbour that can fill up fast at busy times and in summer; if it's full, come back a little later or park up in Ballintoy village and walk down. Parking charges may apply — confirm on the day.
Roark's Kitchen caféToilets at the car parkPicnic areaCoastal walks both waysDogs on a lead
It's a real working harbour:
Boats use the slipway, so keep children back from the water's edge and clear of the ramp — mind your footing on the rocks and near the quay, especially when it's wet or the tide is in.
Before you set off
What to bring
🥾Grippy shoes or bootsThe foreshore is uneven limestone and rock — good footing makes the rock pools and the coast path easy.
🧥A coat or windbreakerIt's right on the sea, so it can be breezy even on a bright day — a layer keeps everyone out longer and happier.
🪣A net and a bucketThe rock pools are made for a bit of exploring — crabs, shells and whatever the tide has left behind.
📷A cameraThe harbour, the sea stacks and the Game of Thrones view are worth a shot from the top of the hill and down on the quay.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free to visit and free open access all year. Parking charges may apply at the harbour car park — confirm on the day.
Opening
The harbour itself is open all year, day and night, as an outdoor coastal spot. Roark's Kitchen café is seasonal and tends to close over the winter months, so check before a cold-weather trip.
The access road
A steep, narrow, winding road drops from the main coast road (Knocksaughey Hill) down to the harbour, single-track in places with tight bends. Take it slowly, use passing spots and give way — not one to rush.
Parking
A small car park sits right beside the harbour and can fill up quickly at peak times. If it's full, park in Ballintoy village and walk down.
Food
Roark's Kitchen, a small tearoom on the quayside, does teas, coffee, home baking, ice cream and hot food like soups and stews. Seasonal — often closed in winter. There's a picnic area if you'd rather bring your own.
Toilets
Public toilets are at the harbour car park.
Dogs
Welcome on the coast and the walks — keep them on a lead near the working harbour, the slipway and any livestock on the cliff paths, and clean up after them.
What you'll see
A tiny stone working harbour, sea-thrift on the rocks, rock pools on the limestone foreshore, sea stacks and rocky islets offshore, and cliff-top coastal walks toward White Park Bay and Carrick-a-Rede. It's also the Game of Thrones filming location for Lordsport on the Iron Isles of Pyke.
Getting around
The quay is fairly level but the foreshore is rough rock, and the road down is steep — not ideal for wheels; take care with buggies and anyone unsteady.
How long
Allow one to two hours for a wander, the rock pools and a cup of tea — longer if you set off along the coast path.
Questions
Before you go
How bad is the road down?
It's steep, narrow and winding — a run of tight switchbacks that drops from the main coast road to the harbour, single-track in places. It's perfectly doable in an ordinary car; just take it slowly, use the passing spots and be ready to give way to anyone coming up.
Is it free, and do I need to book?
Yes, it's free to visit with open access all year, and there's no booking. Parking charges may apply at the harbour car park — confirm on the day.
Is there parking?
There's a small car park right by the harbour, but it can fill up fast in summer and at busy times. If it's full, park in Ballintoy village and walk down.
Is there anywhere to eat?
Roark's Kitchen on the quayside does tea, coffee, home baking and hot food. It's seasonal, so it may be closed in the winter months — check before you go. There's also a picnic area.
Can I bring the dog?
Yes — the coast and the walks are dog-friendly. Keep them on a lead near the working harbour and the slipway, and around any livestock on the cliff paths.
Is it really the Game of Thrones harbour?
It is — Ballintoy stood in for Lordsport, the harbour on Pyke in the Iron Islands, where Theon Greyjoy comes ashore. Fans usually spot it straight away from the top of the hill.
Getting there
Harbour Road, Ballintoy, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, BT54 6NA — on the Causeway Coast between Carrick-a-Rede and White Park Bay, about five miles west of Ballycastle. Turn off the main coast road and follow the steep, winding harbour road down to the sea.
Ballintoy is a small working harbour on the Causeway Coast, cut into the limestone at the foot of a steep hill below the village of the same name. Boats have long come and gone from its slipway, and it still earns its keep from the sea — a genuine bit of coastal Antrim rather than a set piece.
Its wider fame arrived with the cameras. When Game of Thrones needed the Iron Islands, Ballintoy became Lordsport, the harbour on Pyke, and visitors from all over the world now find their way down that winding road to stand where Theon Greyjoy came ashore. The pull is easy to understand: sea stacks, rock pools, sea-thrift on the stone and a coast path leading off to White Park Bay and Carrick-a-Rede — a proper piece of the Causeway Coast, still small enough to feel like a find.