Ballylumford ‘dolmen’ is well signposted at the junction of the main A2 Belfast to Larne road and the causeway road across the southern end of Lough Larne on to the peninsula of Islandmagee. After that, you’re practically on your own for the 9 kilometres you must travel until you nearly drive into the tomb.
Roadside tombs and megalithics are great but this is ridiculous. It’s also very wonderful. The adjacent house seems to be empty, possibly abandoned by the residents who seem to have retreated to the rear of the building in reverence and out of respect. Or maybe not. I knew this was close to the road but I wasn’t expecting just how close. I’d also expected to have to knock at the house – not a bit of it. There’s a car-park right beside the monument and we appreciated the “go ahead” we received on asking permission to park from one of the locals.
The stones of the chamber of this passage tomb are all substantial. I found it hard to examine it too closely, caught up the whole drama of it. Taking a photo of the south-west side could be hazardous as you step back into the road. On our visit it was very quiet, no cars passed by in the 20 minutes we spent there. As you can imagine, views are mostly blocked, but I did notice, way away to the north-north-west beyond the side of the house, the bulk of the south end of the Mull of Kintyre, an added bonus on a sun-filled visit.