A short walk, 500m or so, through pleasant woodland brings you to the river with a wooden bridge across and a path that winds its way up the gorge to overlook the waterfall and pool. Ferns perch on the steep rock wall to the left and tall trees cast shadows on the water where the fall crashes into the pool. From the shallow, rocky edge the pool quickly becomes deep, I could stretch my legs fully down in the centre and not feel the bottom, with the rush of the waterfall blocking all other noise you can lose yourself in a fantasy of a jungle-book adventure.
The sunlight catches on the spray as the water tumbles from the pool above creating patterns on the waters’ surface as it glimpses through the overhanging trees. Swimming right into the melee I then drifted back, looking up at the throng of ferns waving down at me, applauding as they cling to the sheer rock face above. Thoughts of a Midsummer Nights’ Dream, would Puck appear any time with his mischievous grin? Follow the stair case and path on up, stepping over tree roots and giving vertiginous views of the pool, and it leads you to the higher pool, a smaller cascade tumbles in but still with a mighty power and again the water quickly becomes deep, a fallen tree stretches high above spanning the chasm and again I am pulling into visions of old stories, this time Robin Hood and Little John and their fight at first meeting, wooden staffs their weapons and balancing above a river; this is a fall I would not want to take.
Above this pool you can climb to the first tier of the falls, tall and narrow, plummet into a much smaller plunge pool.
Spend an afternoon picnicking, swimming and scrambling. Take sandals or jelly shoes to get over the sharp rocks into the pools and keep a close eye on children as all the pools quickly get very deep.
Picnic tables at the car park area.
View video on Instagram
From Belfast take the shore road out past Carrickfergus’ ancient castle and continue on this A2 towards Larne, passing Whitehead and Islandmagee and on to Magheramorne just past Blue circle Sailing club turn left onto Rectory Road which brings you to The Dairy Bistro and farm shop near Gleno Village
from here take the Waterfall Road a few hundred metres and you’ll see the car park signposted on your left.
While you’re in the area take the time to explore the pretty village which climbs the hill below the waterfall with impossibly narrow and winding streets
Hope you enjoy!
