Skip to main content
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Topics
  • Publications
  • Consultations
  • Contact

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Arabic — عربي
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 中文简体
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 中文繁體
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • French — Français
  • German — Deutsch
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių kalba
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Spanish — Español
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • Ballyquintin Point ASSI

    Ballyquintin Point ASSI

    Topics:
    • Biodiversity, 
    • Protected areas
    Protected area type: Areas of Special Scientific Interest
    Feature type:
    • Habitat,
    • Species,
    • Earth Science
    County: Down
    Council: Ards and North Down
    Guidance and literature: Ballyquintin Point ASSI

    Ballyquintin Point exhibits an exceptionally well developed raised cobble beach of the cuspate foreland type, with associated ridges and bars, together with a range of contemporary coastal landforms. Although major raised beach complexes are present elsewhere in Northern Ireland, none exhibit such an extensive area and thickness of cobble grade material.

    The vegetation at Ballyquintin Point illustrates a natural transition from maritime to terrestrial communities. Saltmarsh is developed locally, nestled amongst the mosaic of rocky outcrops and shingle bars, and is more extensively formed over the tidally inundated pasture at the northern end of the site. Strandline communities are extensively developed along its shore. Maritime grassland occurs over the tops of rocky outcrops, with species-rich dry grassland around its coastal rim. The interior is dominated by scrub.

    Rare species include slender spike-rush and the rare pill woodlouse which occurs here at its most northerly site in Ireland.

    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Department footer links

    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Accessibility
    • The Northern Ireland Executive
    • The Executive Office
    • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    • Department for Communities
    • Department for Education
    • Department for the Economy
    • Department of Finance
    • Department for Infrastructure
    • Department for Health
    • Department of Justice
    • nidirect.gov.uk — the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens