Glenarm Beach

About Glenarm Beach

Glenarm's beach is a short, sheltered bay between the river mouth, harbour and marina on the Antrim coast road. A local sea glass jeweller says it was the first beach she ever collected from and still pictures it on all her branding, and a BBC nature programme filmed a sea glass hunt there. It's small, but collectors call it steady rather than spectacular.

Sea glass at Glenarm Beach

Green, white and pale blue/aqua are the regular finds, with occasional amber and cobalt and rare black and lavender; one jeweller found a perfectly formed amber teardrop. Start at the river mouth and harbour end on the high-tide pebble ridge, then work west along the wet pebbles, ideally at low tide after a storm.

Visiting Glenarm Beach

Getting there

On the Causeway Coastal Route (A2). Translink's Larne–Ballycastle coastal bus stops in Glenarm; Larne, about 10 miles south, has trains from Belfast.

Parking

Glenarm Visitor Information Centre (old Seaview School) car park, with more parking near the marina and harbour.

Toilets

Public toilets, including accessible, at the Visitor Information Centre; facilities near the marina with seasonal hours.

Safety

Check the tide times before you go and head out on a falling tide, so you're never cut off. Keep away from the bottom of cliffs, wear sturdy shoes on rocks, and only take sea glass and other man-made rubbish: pebbles, sand and shells should stay on the beach.