Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), drawn by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the forest car park at the end of Toberwine Street, forest tracks run up the glen beside the Glenarm River and come back down. The line then follows the street into the village and past the Barbican Gate Lodge, the miniature medieval gatehouse of Glenarm Castle, crosses the river to the harbour and marina, and returns through the village to the car park.
It is 4.3 km round with 73 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy: gravel tracks and village pavements with a modest climb in the forest. The council describes Glenarm Forest as a working forest, so the walks may occasionally be diverted or closed: pay attention to safety advice on forest signs. There are red squirrel feeding boxes along the gravel path.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council lists the forest walks as 'Free (parking charges may apply)' without giving a charge. The Barbican, built in 1825, is a gate lodge you see from the road; Glenarm Castle's walled garden is a separate attraction that this walk does not enter. The council's separate Layde Walk, a 2 mile loop through the village, is not part of this line.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- Glenarm Forest has three waymarked walks: the red trail is about 2 miles, the blue about 1 mile and the yellow riverside walk about half a mile.
- The Barbican Gate to Glenarm Castle was built in 1825 and is a miniature medieval castle approached over a bridge.
- Red squirrels were introduced to the glen in the 1970s and feeding boxes stand along the gravel path of the forest walk.
- The separate Layde Walk, Larne Country Walks No 4, is a 2 mile loop from the shoreside car park that climbs through the village and passes the Barbican Gate.
Getting there
Start: Glenarm Forest car park, Toberwine Street. 54.96280, -5.95611
Directions to the start
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Glenarm Forest car park: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line is drawn along OpenStreetMap paths and the figures are worked out from it; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.