Things to Do on Rathlin Island

Despite its small size, Rathlin Island offers a genuinely impressive range of activities and attractions. Whether you are visiting for a day or staying for a week, there is more than enough to fill your time — and the island’s unhurried pace of life means that even simply sitting on a clifftop watching the sea can feel like an activity in itself.

Birdwatching and wildlife

The RSPB Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre is the island’s headline attraction, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year between late April and August. The chance to watch thousands of puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars at close range is genuinely world-class birdwatching. Beyond the Seabird Centre, the whole island is excellent for wildlife watching year-round — look for grey seals, Irish hares, buzzards, ravens and chough.

walking trails

Rathlin Island has a network of walking trails that take in the island’s most dramatic coastal scenery. The main walk from Church Bay to the West Light Seabird Centre is around 4 miles each way along the island’s single-track road and offers stunning views throughout. The RSPB Roonivoolin Trail on the southern arm of the island is an excellent off-road alternative, passing through nature reserve land rich in wildflowers, birds and butterflies. The Craigmacagan Trail at the eastern end of the island offers views towards Scotland.

Cycling

Bike hire is available at Church Bay harbour, making cycling an excellent way to explore the island at your own pace. The route from Church Bay to the West Light takes around 20 to 30 minutes by bike and is a hugely enjoyable way to experience the island’s scenery — and considerably less tiring than the 4-mile walk each way.

scuba diving and Snorkelling

The waters around Rathlin Island are outstanding for scuba diving. The island is surrounded by more than 40 shipwrecks, ranging from ancient merchant vessels to World War One naval ships. The most famous dive sites include the HMS Drake, a Royal Navy cruiser sunk in 1917 and now a listed war monument, the SS Lugano, and the HMS Brisk. The clear, cold waters around the island also support rich marine life on the rocky seabed. Rathlin is considered one of the finest dive destinations in the British Isles.

Boat Tours

Seasonal boat tours operate around Rathlin’s coastline, offering a sea-level perspective on the island’s dramatic cliffs and wildlife that simply cannot be matched from land. Tours typically cost around £20 per person and allow visitors to see puffins and other seabirds diving into the water, seals on rocky outcrops, and the full scale of the island’s cliff scenery.

The three lighthouses

Rathlin’s unusual L-shape means it requires three separate lighthouses to warn ships of its coastline. Each has its own character and appeal. The West Lighthouse — the famous upside-down lighthouse at the Seabird Centre — is the most visited. The East Lighthouse is the oldest and sits above Bruce’s Cave. The Bull Point Lighthouse stands at the north of the island. Rathlin’s lighthouses are all part of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland heritage trail.

Exploring Church Bay Village

The island’s only settlement, Church Bay, is worth taking time to explore. The Boathouse Visitor Centre (run by the RSPB) provides maps, wildlife information and an introduction to the island’s history and ecology. McCuaig’s Bar — the island’s only pub — is a wonderfully authentic place for a pint and a conversation with locals. The small harbour is picturesque and often has interesting boats moored up.

Swimming and Beach

Rathlin has a small white-sand beach near Church Bay that is popular with brave souls willing to brave the Atlantic waters. The sea around Rathlin is clean and clear — and undeniably cold — but swimming here in summer is a memorable experience.

Photography

Rathlin Island is a photographer’s paradise. The combination of dramatic cliff scenery, abundant wildlife, the upside-down lighthouse, the picturesque harbour and the ever-changing Atlantic light creates endless photographic opportunities. Dawn and dusk on the island, when the day-trippers have gone, are particularly magical times for photography.