Carrickfergus Waterfront is an area of

Carrickfergus Carrickfergus ( , meaning " Fergus' rock") is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It sits on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,998 at the 2011 Census. It is County Antrim's oldest ...

situated on the north shore of

Belfast Lough Belfast Lough is a large, intertidal sea inlet on the east coast of Northern Ireland. At its head is the city and port of Belfast, which sits at the mouth of the River Lagan. The lough opens into the North Channel and connects Belfast to ...

, which includes two harbour facilities, several restaurants and bars and promenade areas. The waterfront area is mainly composed of two harbour facilities, a harbour and a marina. Both harbours feature rugged rubble stone

breakwaters A breakwater is a permanent structure constructed at a coastal area to protect against tides, currents, waves, and storm surges. Part of a coastal management system, breakwaters are installed to minimize erosion, and to protect anchorages, h ...

, absorbing energy from heavy swells. Carrickfergus-Marina

Carrickfergus Harbour

The harbour is a 12th-century

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

harbour, made during the construction of

Carrickfergus Castle Carrickfergus Castle (from the Irish ''Carraig Ḟergus'' or "cairn of Fergus", the name "Fergus" meaning "strong man") is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Be ...

, built in 1127. It is split into two sections, the larger section being closer to the mouth of the harbour and the smaller inner section being used primarily for less frequently used boats, and featuring a

slipway A slipway, also known as boat ramp or launch or boat deployer, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats, and for launching and retrieving small ...

. The promenade from the castle grounds to the other side of the harbour was refurbished during 2008/2009 along with the promenade along the Marine Highway. The harbour features a 258-metre quay which is a popular area for fishing and short leisurely walks (especially in the case of tourists to the town).

Carrickfergus Marina

200 metres west of the harbour is Carrickfergus Marina, a purpose-built marina basin opened in 1985. It provides 300 berths, is professionally supervised and offers individual access to water and electricity. Fuel services are at hand and the complex also provides lifting equipment. The Marina is located in a hub of activity close to a modern complex accommodating restaurants, a children's play facility/park, a six-screen cinema, a

Sainsbury's J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is the second largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, with a 14.6% share of UK supermarket sales. Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company ...

supermarket, a

sailing club A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to yachting. Description Yacht clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations. Yacht or sailing clubs have either a mari ...

and ''The Windrose'' - a popular bar/restaurant overlooking the marina.{{Cite web, url=https://www.destinations-uk.com/tourist-information.php?link=tourist%20information&id=14&articletitle=Northern%20Ireland%20Tourist%20Information%20Centres, title=Northern Ireland Tourist Information Centres, website=www.destinations-uk.com, access-date=2019-03-25 During 2004/2005 the "Harbour Point" was built in the area between the harbour and marina. The building features a restaurant as well as a bar/lounge on the ground floor and a popular nightclub on the floor above. In the same time period several other establishments were built surrounding the harbour, including ''Brewer's Fayre'', a family restaurant specialising in seafood, and a

Premier Inn Premier Inn is a British limited service hotel chain and the UK's largest hotel brand, with more than 72,000 rooms and 800 hotels. It operates hotels in a variety of locations including city centres, suburbs and airports competing with the like ...

References

Marinas in Northern Ireland Carrickfergus County Antrim