Kintra Boat Tours

Ready to set sail? On your expertly guided boat tour you’ll discover exceptional marine wildlife and snap stunning photos from the water of Rathlin Island’s three lighthouses – including the unique “upside down” Rathlin West Light.

Home to the RSPB Seabird Centre, over quarter of a million sea birds nest on Rathlin each year and your skipper knows just where to find the best bird-watching spots.

While aboard, you’ll take in the breathtaking beauty of the world famous North Coast, a UNESCO Heritage Area and home to famous giants, Scottish kings, and of course ‘Game of Thrones’.

With trips to suit your every mood, don’t miss the early rising dawn tours and the captivating evening tours, which chase one of the most magical sunsets on the planet.

Trips Include:

Puffins, Lighthouses and Seals Tour

Visit the North Coast and the Scottish islands in search of wild and colourful sea life.

Round Rathlin Island Tour

Sailing past the towering cliffs and sea stacks hosting the hundreds of thousand sea birds who visit the island to nest and raise their chicks in the summer months.

Plus many more trip options.

 A quick history

• Rathlin West Lighthouse was built into the cliff face between 1912 and 1917. A special pier and an inclined railway from the pier to the cliff top had to be built to facilitate the lighthouse’s construction.
• The light was first exhibited in 1919.
• Lightkeepers lived in the lighthouse until it was automated in 1983.
• The lighthouse’s fog signal, dubbed the ‘Rathlin Bull’, could be heard from more than 30km away. It was removed in 1995 after 70 years of service.

Did you know?

• Rathlin Island is only 11 miles (18 kilometres) from the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland.
• Robert the Bruce, the famous Scottish King, is
 said to have taken refuge in a cave on Rathlin during a fight against the English in 1306. He was inspired to keep up the struggle for Scottish independence by a spider in the cave, which tried again and again to spin its web.
• Over 250,000 seabirds return to breed on Rathlin Island every year. Fulmars, a grey and white seabird related to the albatross, can live for up to 40 years. Guillemots, which only come on land to nest, can dive to a depth of 180 metres underwater.
• It is one of 65 lighthouses operated by the Commissioners of Irish Lights around the coast of Ireland and continues to provide a vital role in maritime safety today.