Linford to Greenmount Hill Farm & Agricultural College - Antrim Hills Way

Start : The Linford car park and view point, Feystown Rd, Larne BT40 2LZ. Grid ref. : NW 485 627.

(S) From the car park and view point at Linford, the route itself continues South, climbing around the impressive cliffline to reach a short section of stone track.

(1) Now pass over the shoulder of Robin Young’s Hill, and descend to heather moorland at the edge of Sallagh Braes. Follow a fence around the rim of the escarpment, with steep gullies allowing an occasional glimpse into the void below. The airy sensation and the view over the curving cliffs make this a very memorable piece of walking.

A section of rough, peaty ground now brings you to the firmer surface of a farm track. Pass through a series of gates to reach Mullaghsandall Road.

(2) Head left (South-East) along the tarmac for roughly 120m, then turn right (South-West) onto a track enclosed by stone walls.

(3) You’ll need to cross a stream on stepping stones and negotiate two wooden gates before reaching open grassland.

(4) The posts now lead past an artificial lough, where you must cross another stream before climbing through a field to reach a road (C70).

(5) Turn right and follow the road for almost 1km, with good views across the sheer eastern cliffs of Agnew’s Hill.

(6) The ascent of this moutain begins as soon as you leave the tarmac on your left. Climb steeply along the western side of the ridge, with a fence providing guidance on your left. Cross the fence near the top of the slope, and climb the final metres to the summit cairn. (A)

(7) Follow the ridge South and descend to a col (the saddle between 2 peaks). A brief final climb now brings you to the mountain’s southern cairn. This is where the route leaves the ridgeline and begins to head West.

(8) Descend gradually to a track that once formed part of an old droving road, and turn right.

(9) From Donaghy’s Bridge, continue West along the lane. The first part of the road is little more than a track, with a healthy growth of grass splitting the centre of the tarmac. To your right lies an expanse of open grassland, while the dark boughs of a forestry plantation line the road to your left. When the trees drop back, long views open out along the Glenwherry Valley, with the windfarm at the top of Elliot’s Hill forming a prominent landmark.

A gradual descent brings you to Crosswater Bridge. The grass has now abated and the road surface has consolidated underfoot.

(10) Keep straight ahead (around 3.6 Km), still largely descending past several farms and houses. The noise of the traffic on the busy A36 begins to intrude as you near the end of the section. Continue past a row of mature beech trees, then a short distance later you arrive at the entrance to Greenmount Hill Farm and Agricultural College. The entrance to the farm is marked by a large sign for the ‘College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise’.

(11) Turn right and head up the driveway to reach a public car park some 200m later. Another information board for the Antrim Hills Way marks the end of the section. (E)

Start : The Linford car park and view point, Feystown Rd, Larne BT40 2LZ. Grid ref. : NW 485 627.

Parking :
Start : Linford car park at the departure
End point : CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise) car park at the arrival.

Public transport : Translink Journey Planner

Terrain : Please be aware that this walking route passes through areas of open land such as hillside, working farmland and working forests. Livestock and bulls can be present at certain times of the year, ground conditions may be uneven or wet underfoot and all forestry signage should be adhered to. Hills are exposed and mostly covered in heather or tussocky grasses. Good footwear and advance preparation are strongly advised.

Note : The route is in place through permission of landowners. It is mostly off-road through fields which are usually grazed by sheep or cows. For safety reasons dogs are not allowed even if on a lead. Bulls can be present at certain times of the year. Cattle can feel threatened by dogs.

Find more information and walk ideas at Walk NI here.

Spectacular views of Slemish and the coastline.

History of the coastal cliffs : The coastal cliffs of all the hills on this route are a legacy of the last ice age. The most striking formation is Sallagh Braes, a semi-circular basalt escarpment that was created when glaciers cut into unstable slopes and caused a massive land slip. The cliffs of this natural amphitheatre are now some 100m high and 2km long.

(A) On the top of Agnew’s Hill : At 474m this is the highest point of the route, and an opportunity to survey your surroundings once again. From Black Hill in the north to Slemish in the west, almost the entire Antrim Hills Way is visible from here.

History of Agnew’s Hill : In 1595, the peak now known as Agnew’s Hill was marked on maps as ‘Benwellerorie’. Rory Ogue McQuillan was a prominent clan leader, and the name was an anglicisation of Binn Mhaol Ruairí , meaning ‘Rory’s bare peak’. The modern name honours the Agnew family, who came to prominence after the decline of the McQuillans in the seventeenth century.