Overview
The Carey River is a small stream in the north of County Antrim, classified as such rather than as a proper river, and on its own it wouldn’t pull many people off the coast road. What makes it worth knowing about is where some of its water comes from: an underground link to Loughareema, the Vanishing Lake, a couple of miles inland. The river rises in the mixed woodland of Ballypatrick Forest, on the hills between Ballycastle and Cushendall, and runs down toward the sea near Ballycastle, passing the village of Ballyvoy on the way.
If you only have time for one thing here, make it Loughareema itself, which sits right beside the road and empties in a matter of hours. The Carey is the quiet other end of the same story.
The Loughareema connection
Loughareema, midway between Cushendun and Ballycastle, is famous for draining completely and then refilling. Three streams feed the basin, but its only outlet is a natural plughole in the bed that clogs with peat and debris; when the water pressure builds it forces the blockage open and the lake runs out.
Where that water goes is the interesting part. Dye-tracing experiments have followed it underground: dye tipped into the Loughareema sinkhole reappears roughly 1.6 miles (2.5 km) away in a spring that feeds the Carey River. So the river’s flow is tied to the lake’s cycle. After heavy rain, or when Loughareema refills and drains again, the Carey rises noticeably. The name Loughareema comes from the Irish loch an rith amach – ‘the lake that runs out’ – which fits a place where water moves as much below ground as above it.
Ballypatrick Forest and the walk
The practical starting point is Ballypatrick Forest, where the river rises. The forest drive is signposted from the A2 midway between Ballycastle and Cushendall, and there’s a car park on the north-east side of the forest with toilets, picnic areas and a waymarked trail. Parking is free, though spaces are limited.
Don’t expect a groomed riverside promenade. This is forest walking on tracks that dip toward the water in places, and the lower, steeper sections turn muddy after rain, so wear boots you don’t mind wrecking. Mobile reception is patchy under the trees – download an offline map before you set off.
Carey Mill and Ballyvoy
The river left its mark on the local map. About a mile east of Ballycastle, on a side road off the A2, is the small clachan of Carey Mill, which takes its name from the river. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of the 1830s record a corn mill here – the ‘Mill of Carey’ – where tenants were required to grind their corn. A little further along the coast road, 5 km east of Ballycastle, Ballyvoy village sits between a high ridge to the north and the valley of the Carey to the south.
Practical information
- Access – Main entry is via the Ballypatrick Forest car park, signposted off the A2. Parking is free but spaces are limited, and there are basic toilets.
- Opening hours – Open year-round with no formal opening times.
- Difficulty – Forest tracks are mostly easy going; the sections nearer the water are steeper and slippery when wet.
- Mobile reception – Patchy under the trees and in the glen. Bring a physical map or offline GPS tracks.
- Dogs – Welcome on the tracks, but keep them on a lead near livestock boundaries.
- When to come – Flow is strongest after winter rain, when the Loughareema drainage is at its most active; early mornings often bring mist over the valley.
Time your visit to take in Loughareema on the same trip: pull in at the lay-by beside the lake first to see whether it’s full or empty, then head up into Ballypatrick to find where that water comes back out.