Straight answers to practical questions about driving, travelling, parking and getting around Northern Ireland.
Park inside Silent Valley Mountain Park in the main visitor car park. NI Water charges £5 per car and has capacity for 120 cars; once full, no further vehicle access is permitted.
For the standard Glen River route up Slieve Donard, park at Donard Park in Newcastle. It has 333 regular spaces, 25 accessible spaces and two EV charging bays, and the main mountain path starts from there.
Use the National Trust car park at Murlough. Parking is pay-and-display for non-members: £5 from January–April and September–December, and £7 from May–August; National Trust members and Blue Badge holders park free.
Use the main Castlewellan Forest Park car park. Vehicle parking costs £5 per car; entry on foot or by bicycle is free.
Use Tollymore Forest Park’s main car park inside the forest. Forest Service’s 2026/27 charge is £5 per car, and the principal walking trails start from the main parking/visitor area.
For Newcastle town and beach, Downs Road is one of the closest public car parks to the beach. Other official options include Shimna Road, Islands, Newcastle Centre, Castle Park and Donard Park; use Donard Park if your main purpose is the mountains.
Toome Canal has on-site parking, including disabled parking. Use the canal car park rather than leaving the vehicle on the road beside the River Bann.
Use the official Portglenone Forest visitor car park off the A42, about a mile south of Portglenone. The 2026/27 Forest Service parking charge is £5 per car.
Use Randalstown Forest’s official car park, reached from the entrance off Staffordstown Road. The forest trails and wildlife area are accessed from there; the car park itself is about a mile from the Lough Neagh shore.
Park in the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre’s own free surface car park at Oxford Island. It is directly associated with the Centre and includes Blue Badge spaces.
Use the free visitor parking at Oxford Island/Lough Neagh Discovery Centre. The Discovery Centre has its own free surface car park, and the reserve’s paths and facilities spread out from this central visitor area.
Use the main Antrim Castle Gardens visitor parking and overflow parking when directed. If the site is full, Castle Centre/town-centre parking is only a short walk away and has been promoted by the council as the fallback.
Use the official free Slemish Mountain car park. Mid and East Antrim Council lists 40 spaces with accessible parking, so there is no need to leave the car on the approach road.
Use the free National Trust car parks beside the Corner House tea-room or at Glenmona House. Spaces are limited, so if both are full the National Trust asks visitors to return later rather than parking unsafely.
Use one of Cushendall’s free council car parks. Mill Street is the largest of the central options listed by the council, with Agnews and Shore Street providing smaller alternatives.
Use the free council car park at Carnlough Harbour. Mid and East Antrim Council lists 25 spaces there with accessible parking; South Bay is another free nearby option with 18 spaces.
For Glenarm village itself, use the free council parking in the village or harbour. Mid and East Antrim Council lists 42 spaces at the village car park and 40 at the harbour, plus a smaller South East car park.
Use Glenarm Castle’s own designated visitor parking. The estate has parking for around 100 cars; paid parking operates seasonally, but parking is complimentary for visitors buying qualifying Castle/Garden/Heritage tickets.
Use Carnfunnock Country Park’s own large car park. Mid and East Antrim Council lists 184 spaces and applies a daily parking charge; pay at the barrier/terminal or Visitor Centre as directed.
Use one of the two small public car parks on Waterfall Road (B99). The National Trust identifies both parking entrances there; from the village the waterfall is only about 100 metres away on foot.
Use the main Glenariff Forest Park car park from the A43. The 2026/27 Forest Service charge is £5 per car; the gates open by 8am and are locked at dusk.
For Dungiven Castle Park and the town centre, use Dungiven’s public Main Street car park. The council lists it as a free car park with 51 spaces, putting you within easy walking distance of the park area.
Roe Valley Country Park has four free official parking areas. For a first visit, use the main Dogleap Road car park; the other official options are O’Cahan’s, Carrick Mills and Carrick Rocks.
Use the free car park opposite the Lough Foyle ferry terminal or the parking by the Martello Tower. Visit Causeway Coast & Glens specifically recommends these for Magilligan Point.
“Binevenagh viewpoint” can mean two different stops. For Gortmore Viewpoint on Bishop’s Road, use the viewpoint parking there. For the high Binevenagh Lake/summit area, follow the forest road to the on-site parking at Binevenagh Lake.
Use Ballycastle’s public harbour/seafront parking and arrive early. The Rathlin ferry operator and nidirect both warn that parking close to the terminal is limited at peak times.
Use the Kinbane Castle car park on Whitepark Road, BT54 6LP. It is the proper parking point for the castle; from there you still face a steep walk and steps down toward the ruins.
Use the National Trust countryside car park at Murlough Bay. It is a remote, small coastal parking area reached by narrow roads, so do not expect large-capacity parking or roadside overflow.
Use one of the recognised Fair Head walking/climbing car parks, not the roadside. The National Trust lists a Fair Head countryside car park at BT54 6RG; another commonly used access is the private Sean’s Farm parking for the western side of the crag.
Use the small National Trust car park serving Dunseverick Castle on the Causeway coast. It is a countryside parking stop rather than a large attraction car park, so arrive early in busy summer periods.
