Cushendall, Co Antrim

Best Place to Holiday

Nominated by Jim Owens, who wrote: "Cushendall, 'the Heart of the Glens', is at the foot of Glenballyeamon one of the most striking of the nine Glens of Antrim, where the scenery is equal to anywhere in Ireland."
Read the full pitch at http://iti.ms/181bhEe


WHAT THE IRISH TIMES SAYS
The village could not be situated more prettily, tucked in at the bottom of the glen with the river running through it, angled away from the sea and sheltered from the wind. A lovely glen stream meanders through the village and the many trees add to a very peaceful environment. The old part of the village has a lot of charm with traditional Irish townhouses and little cottages in pretty colours. It's clear that there's a dedicated group of locals trying their best to attract more visitors. The signage is good; there is good information for tourists. Shopping is limited as the village centre is small.

By car, tourists can take the very scenic inland route or the scenic coastal route from Larne. There is also a good bus service from Belfast/Larne. The road through the oldest part of the village is quite narrow and can be a bottleneck during summer when large numbers of people from Larne and Belfast tend to descend on the Antrim coast. In the town, everything is within walking distance.

There are a couple of takeaway food places and cheap fish ‘n’ chips type diners, as well as the bar and hotel restaurants. The mini-supermarkets do a serviceable range of food for visitors who are self-catering or camping.