Castlerock is a small seaside village around 5 miles west of Coleraine, at the mouth of the River Bann and the western edge of the Causeway Coast route. Fewer than 1,500 people live here, but the beach, golf course, and surrounding countryside — within the Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — pull in far more visitors than that in season.
The beach
Castlerock’s Blue Flag beach is just under a mile long, backed by protected dunes. Free car parking, boardwalk access, accessible facilities, and seasonal RNLI lifeguards (1 June–15 September). Dogs are allowed at certain times of year. The beach won a Rural Beach Seaside Award in 2014.
Heritage
A heritage walking trail through the village takes in The Villas (1860), the Presbyterian Church (1880), the train station (1853), the “Twelve Apostles” terrace (1882) overlooking the beach, and Christ Church (1882) — most of the village’s built history dates from this mid-to-late Victorian period, around when the railway and tunnel (c.1845) first opened the area up.
Hezlett House, a mile south of the village on Sea Road, is a well-preserved 17th-century thatched cottage — one of the oldest buildings in Northern Ireland, now run by the National Trust. It becomes a haunted house each Halloween.
Downhill Forest and Mussenden Temple
South-east of the village, National Trust-managed Downhill Forest (80 hectares of mixed woodland) has a permanent orienteering course and the Forest Café.
Nearby, on the cliffs above Downhill Strand, is Mussenden Temple — a circular stone building built in 1785, originally a library, perched dramatically on a 280ft cliff edge. It sits within Downhill Demesne, the ruined estate of Frederick Hervey, the Earl Bishop, largely destroyed by fire in 1851.
Castlerock has one real literary connection worth mentioning: C.S. Lewis spent childhood holidays in the area, and it’s often suggested locally that this coastline influenced his writing.
Castlerock Golf Club
Founded in 1901 and rated among Ireland’s finest courses, Castlerock Golf Club overlooks the dunes and beach — 9 holes on the Bann Course, 18 on the Mussenden Course, plus a pro shop, clubhouse, bar, and restaurant.
Getting there by train
Castlerock has its own station, on the line between Coleraine and Derry~Londonderry. The approach from Derry runs along Lough Foyle with views to Inishowen, then through a long tunnel at Tunnel Brae just before the village — a genuinely dramatic stretch of track.
Downhill Beach, Benone Strand, and Magilligan
West of Castlerock, Downhill Beach marks the start of a roughly seven-mile stretch of dune and sand running all the way to Magilligan Point and Benone Strand — also Blue Flag, and one of Ireland’s longest beaches. It’s popular for kite surfing, jet skiing, and gliding as well as swimming and walking; lifeguards are on duty in July and August, and dogs aren’t permitted on Benone Strand between May and September. At the far end, Magilligan Point has a 19th-century Martello tower, built as part of coastal defences against a feared Napoleonic invasion.
Staying and eating
Castlerock has B&Bs, hotels, and self-catering options, several with views over the beach or estuary. The Castlerock Golf Club clubhouse serves food to non-members as well as golfers, and the village has a small handful of cafés and restaurants.
