Pans Rock

Pans Rock sits at the eastern end of Ballycastle Beach, a basalt outcrop that takes its name from the iron salt pans used here during Ballycastle’s 19th-century salt production industry — seawater was collected and boiled down in large iron pans to harvest salt, and the remains of that ironwork are still fused into the rock. Coal and iron-ore mining also went on in the wider area from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

A carved face in the rock near the old bridge has drawn local folklore for generations — some say it represents Manannán mac Lir, the sea god of Irish mythology; others tell different, older stories about the site. Nobody knows for certain who carved it or when.

Access note: the wooden footbridge to Pans Rock was badly damaged in Storm Éowyn on 24 January 2025 and has been closed since. Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council has been assessing the structure to decide between repair and replacement — check locally before planning a visit that depends on crossing it. The rock and its views are still visible from the beach in the meantime.

When open, it’s a popular spot for fishing and rock-pooling, and for the view across the North Channel to Rathlin Island and back along the coast to Fair Head.