Engineers Ireland - Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge – conservation of an historic landmark

With our thanks to the Institution of Civil Engineers Northern Ireland and the National Trust, Engineers Ireland Northern Region are delighted to partner in this technical talk on the preservation of one of Northern Ireland’s most stunning heritage sites.

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, owned by the National Trust, is situated on the North Antrim Coast, Northern Ireland, between Ballycastle and Ballintoy. The name, from the Gaelic Carraig-a-Rade, means The Rock in the Road, an obstacle for the migrating salmon as they search for the river in which they were born. A bridge has been in use since the mid-1600s and was historically, traditionally, constructed and maintained by local fishermen.

This presentation will present a brief history of the historic rope bridge, and the coast area owned by the National Trust, an overview of current footbridge form and an overview of the Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) coastal landscape.