The Glens of Antrim, which have been designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ includes forests, open grasslands, peat bogs and mountain uplands. County Antrim has wonderful coastal scenery with some spectacular cliffs, especially at Fair Head and the Giant’s Causeway, which are formed of perpendicular basaltic columns.
County Antrim has several popular seaside towns: to the north lie Portrush and Ballycastle, and to the east lie Cushendun, Cushendall, Carnlough, Glenarm, and the port town of Larne. Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland’s only inhabited offshore island, lies six miles from Ballycastle. It is a popular place for birdwatchers as it has a RSPB nature reserve that offers great views of its bird population, which includes Puffins, Kittiwakes and Razorbills .
County Antrim also has a number of busy towns. In Ballymena, the nearest town to Broughshane, you will find not only local family shops and many well-known stores but also the Braid Arts Centre and Museum, the People’s Park, the Seven Towers’ Leisure Centre (with swimming pool) and a multi-screen cinema. Between Broughshane and Ballymena sits the Ecos Centre: 150 acres of parkland managed by the Ulster Wildlife Trust, and an organic market garden and nursery.