A6 Road (Northern Ireland)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The A6 road in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
runs for 71.4 miles (114.9 km) from
Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
to
Derry Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...
, via
County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...
and
County Londonderry County Londonderry (Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry (), is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two Counties of Ireland, count ...
. While stretches of the road before
Randalstown Randalstown () is a small town and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, between Antrim and Toome. The town, which contains a prominent disused railway viaduct, lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate. Randalstown is bypas ...
have now been superseded by a motorway (the M2 and M22), the A6 remains one of the most important arterial routes in Northern Ireland, connecting its two largest cities and urban areas. Between Randalstown and Derry, the road forms part of
European route E16 European route E16 is the designation of a main west–east road through Northern Ireland, Scotland, Norway and Sweden, from Derry to Gävle, via Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh, previously by ferry to Bergen, Voss, through the Gudvanga Tunnel and ...
. The A6 begins at Carlisle Circus, a roundabout with Clifton Street and the Crumlin Road, running up the
Antrim Road The Antrim Road is a major arterial route and area of housing and commerce that runs from inner city north Belfast to Dunadry, passing through Newtownabbey and Templepatrick. It forms part of the A6 road (Northern Ireland), A6 road, a traffic rou ...
past
Belfast Royal Academy The Belfast Royal Academy (also known as ) is the oldest school in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar school in north Belfast. The Academy is one of 8 schools in Northern Ireland ...
towards
Belfast Castle Belfast Castle (Irish language, Irish: ''Caisleán Bhéal Feirste''Ireland Highlights: Belfast Castle. https://www.irelandhighlights.com/info/belfast-castle/ ) is a mansion located in Cavehill, Cave Hill Country Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland ...
,
Cavehill Cave Hill or Cavehill is a rocky hill overlooking the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland,with a height of . It is marked by basalt cliffs and caves, and its distinguishing feature is 'Napoleon's Nose', a tall cliff resembling the profile of the ...
and
Belfast Zoo Belfast Zoological Gardens (also known as ''Belfast Zoo'') is a zoo in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is in a relatively secluded location on the northeastern slope of Cavehill, overlooking Belfast's Antrim Road. Opened in 1934, it is the secon ...
and onwards through
Glengormley Glengormley () is a townland (of 215 acres) and electoral ward in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Glengormley is within the urban area of Newtownabbey bordering Belfast, and is located in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It ...
. Much of this section is urban in character and there are many two-lane stretches, allowing vehicles to overtake or bus lanes operating at peak times or rush hour. Outside of Belfast, the majority of the road is now dual carriageway. On the outskirts of Glengormley the route passes through Sandyknowes roundabout ( M2 Junction 4) where it connects with the A8(M) route towards
Ballyclare Ballyclare () is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 10,850 according to the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census, and is located within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It is part of, and ...
and
Larne Larne (, , the name of a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic territory)Larne/Latharna
Placenames Database of Ireland.
is a to ...
. The A6 then passes through the suburban district known as
Mallusk Grange of Mallusk, or Mallusk, is a village and townland (of 933 acres) in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Mallusk is within the urban area of Newtownabbey, and it is also within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It is situated i ...
which forms the outer-most periphery of the Greater Belfast urban area, characterised by industrial estates. Thereafter the A6 becomes markedly rural in aspect. It passes under the Belfast-Derry Railway Line, through
Templepatrick Templepatrick (; ) is a village and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast, and halfway between the towns of Ballyclare and Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim. It is also close to Belfa ...
village (via a multiplex with the A57
Ballynure Ballynure () is a village and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish near Ballyclare in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is part of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and had a population of 677 people in the 2001 United Kingdom census ...
- Aldergrove road),
Dunadry Dunadry () is a hamlet and townland (of 657 acres) 3 miles (5 km) from Antrim in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the civil parish of Grange of Nilteen and the historic barony of Antrim Upper. It is within the Antrim a ...
and then enters Antrim town. Passing the Antrim Forum and the ruins of Antrim Castle, the A6 forms a multiplex with the A26 (
Coleraine Coleraine ( ; from , 'nook of the ferns'Flanaghan, Deirdre & Laurence; ''Irish Place Names'', page 194. Gill & Macmillan, 2002. ) is a town and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, No ...
-
Banbridge Banbridge ( ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. It is in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iveagh Upper ...
road) and crosses the
Six Mile Water The Six Mile Water is a river in southern County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is an indirect tributary of the River Bann, via Lough Neagh. Name The river was historically called the ''Ollarbha'' and is known in Irish language, Irish as ''Abhainn ...
. Leaving Antrim town the road passes Massereene and
Shane's Castle Shane's Castle is a ruined castle near Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, which was mostly destroyed in 1816 by fire. The castle is situated on the north-east shores of Lough Neagh, 2.7 miles from Randalstown. Built ...
and then heads towards
Randalstown Randalstown () is a small town and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, between Antrim and Toome. The town, which contains a prominent disused railway viaduct, lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate. Randalstown is bypas ...
. Until this point the A6 runs parallel with the M2 and M22 motorways, which since their construction in the 1960s/1970s have removed the vast bulk of the cross-country traffic from the A6. However, approximately one mile west of Randalstown, the A6 meets with the M22 motorway and from this point onwards the A6 carries almost all traffic bound for Mid-Ulster and the North West. The A6 enters into
County Londonderry County Londonderry (Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry (), is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two Counties of Ireland, count ...
after this, crossing the Bann between Lough Neagh and Lough Beg, and following the course of the Moyola toward Castledawson, where traffic for
Magherafelt Magherafelt ( ; , ) is a town and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 9,071 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. It is the biggest town in the south of the county an ...
and
Cookstown Cookstown (, ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the fourth-largest town in the county and had a population of 12,546 in the 2021 census. It, along with Magherafelt and Dungannon, is one of the main towns in the Mid-Ulster ...
veers off southwards along the A31. After Castledawson, the road reverts to single carriageway for the duration of the section known as the Glenshane Road. The A6 goes over generally flat agricultural land near the hamlet of Curran and the village of Knockcloghrim, passing the town of
Maghera Maghera ( ; ) is a small town at the foot of the Glenshane Pass in Northern Ireland. Its population was 4,235 in the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. Formerly in the Barony (Ireland), barony of Loughinsholin within the historic County ...
and cutting through the Sperrins mountain range via the
Glenshane Pass The Glenshane Pass () is a major mountain pass cutting through the Sperrin Mountains in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is in the townland of Glenshane Pass on the main Derry to Belfast route, the A6. A large wildfire broke out in Gle ...
. At
Dungiven Dungiven () is a small town, townland and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is near the main A6 road (Northern Ireland), A6 Belfast to Derry road, which bypasses the town. It lies where the river ...
, the A6 reverts to dual carriageway along a bypass built to avoid the town itself which for many years caused a significant
bottleneck Bottleneck may refer to: * the narrowed portion (neck) of a bottle Science and technology * Bottleneck (engineering), where the performance of an entire system is limited by a single component * Bottleneck (network), in a communication network * ...
on the route. The A6 then passes Foreglen,
Claudy Claudy () is a village and townland (of 1,154 acres) in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the Faughan Valley, southeast of Derry, where the River Glenrandal joins the River Faughan. It is situated in the civil parish of Cumber ...
, Burntollet, crossing a series of bridges to reach the eastern outskirts of Derry city. Upon entering the Derry urban area, the A6 goes through
Drumahoe Drumahoe () is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies to the east of Derry. It was home to Institute F.C., an NIFL Championship football club. The busy A6 road from Belfast to Derry passes through the townland ...
and passes Altnagelvin Hospital where it then continues via the Dungiven Road to the city centre. The A6 ends at the bottom of the Glendermott Road at a traffic-light controlled junction with the A2
Limavady Limavady (; ) is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. Lying east of Derry and southwest of Coleraine, Limavady had a population of 11,279 people at the 2021 Census. In the 40 years between 1 ...
Road. City-bound traffic then follows the A2 along King Street and Duke Street before crossing the double-decked Craigavon Bridge over the River Foyle into the city centre.


Investment

Investment in the northwestern region has greatly improved and modernised the route. As of 2023, of
high-quality dual carriageway A high-quality dual carriageway (HQDC) is a road category in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is defined as an all-purpose dual carriageway road type built to near Controlled-access highway, motorway standards, but without motorway classification ...
on stretches of the route between Belfast and Randalstown and Derry and Dungiven have been constructed through the A6 Dualling Scheme at an estimated total cost of £420m.


Gallery

File:Drumahoe.jpg, Drumahoe, County Londonderry File:A6 near Randalstown - geograph.org.uk - 633575.jpg, Near Randalstown, County Antrim


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:6-0006 Roads in Northern Ireland Roads in County Antrim Roads in County Londonderry