Rock fall damages bridge at Blackhead Path

And Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has closed a stretch of the scenic location following the incident.

In a statement today (Tuesday), the council said: “There has been rock fall at Blackhead Path and it has led to some damage to one of the bridges.

“We are currently taking steps to close parts of the path that have been impacted while we assess the damage and arrange for repairs to be completed.

“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and would urge anyone visiting the area to heed warning signs which have been erected to help ensure public safety.”

Blackhead Path was attracting around 30,000 users per month after the completion of extensive renovation works in July 2020.

The £3.5m project involved improvement works at four main areas along the coastal path from the Old Castle Road right up to the lighthouse including extensive rock armour protection, new steps and handrails and extensive scaling, fixing and netting of rocks.

The scheme involved repairs in stages over a 12-month period.

Prior to the reopening, the location had been plagued by rock fall incidents which led to its closure and parts of the path had fallen into disrepair.

Earlier this year, volunteers, schoolchildren and council representatives gathered at Blackhead for the official opening of the site as a Local Nature Reserve.

The declaration was seen as endorsing the importance of the area in terms of the species present and the geological interest.