IF you fancy a quiet escape off the coast of the UK, then an island is about to become much easier to get to.
The L-shaped Rathlin Island is six miles off County Antrim in Northern Ireland and is home to just 140 residents.
It does get busier during tourist season with holidaymakers hopping over on the ferry – which will relaunch for spring.
And there’s even more on offer with new weekend sailings starting up.
Once on the island, the main port and beach is where you’ll arrive.
Called Church Bay, it’s a small harbour with a gravel shoreline where visitors can spot seals and also check out the island’s only pub.
McCuaig’s Bar sits opposite the bay with an adjoining Ebb and Flow Cafe.
The walls of the bar are decorated with name places from ships that have been wrecked around Rathlin.
In total, there have been over 40 shipwrecks off the coast of Rathlin Island.
The island itself has three lighthouses which are needed because of Rathlin’s unique shape.
It’s on the western tip of Rathlin Island where you’ll find the ‘upside down’ lighthouse.
It was built into the cliff face back in 1912 and has been there to guide in boats and ships ever since.
While it’s not actually upside down, the lighthouse has its lantern room at the bottom of the tower rather than the top – which is traditional.
The reason is that when it guides ships in, the light isn’t obscured by fog that usually settles at the top of the cliff.
The island isn’t just popular for tourists seeking a quiet getaway as it’s also a nature reserve for seabirds.
So you’ll be able to spot razorbills, kittiwakes and puffins.
During the spring and summertime, some of the most popular activities include heading to Knockans viewpoint.
On a clear day, from here you can see across to Donegal.
Seals will be sunbathing at Church Bay and Mill Bay – which is on the east side of the island.
For those who don’t just want a day trip to the island, there is a hotel too.
The Manor House is an 18th century guesthouse with 12 rooms, a restaurant, bar and café.
It has a rich history as the house was built in 1756 for the Gage family, who bought the island 10 years earlier.
The last member of the Gage family to live at the Manor House was Brigadier Rex Gage who died in 1973.
Now, the hotel is owned by the National Trust – single rooms start from £80 and doubles from £140.
Come spring, there will be daily crossings from Ballycastle Harbour to Rathlin Island.
The ferries will run from April 3 to September 20, 2026 with an extra return journey every Saturday and Sunday morning.
The additional return crossings will leave Rathlin at 8.30am and Ballycastle at 9.30am.
It has two ferries, one that’s passenger-only and another that can take larger luggage cases and even pre-booked vehicles onto the island if you fancy driving around.
The quickest ferry takes just 25 minutes.
For more on Northern Ireland, this pretty city has unique black cab tours, and waterfall walks.
And this quirky UK city was named one of the top foodie destinations for 2025 with historic pub crawls and cheap hotels.