Belfast Lough

The island of Ireland, with the Republic of Ireland in green, Northern Ireland (UK) in magenta, and Belfast Lough in yellow. The jetty at Cloghan Point is used to off-load oil from tankers, for use at the nearby Kilroot power station. Sunset over Belfast Lough, viewed from Bangor. Blackhead Lighthouse is one of three lighthouses in Belfast Lough. Belfast Lough is a large, intertidal sea inlet on the east coast of Northern Ireland. At its head is the city and port of Belfast, which sits at the mouth of the River Lagan. The lough opens into the North Channel and connects Belfast to the Irish Sea. Belfast Lough is a long, wide and deep expanse of water, virtually free of strong tides. The inner part of the lough comprises a series of mudflats and lagoons. The outer lough is restricted to mainly rocky shores with some small sandy bays. The outer boundary of the lough is a line joining Orlock Point and Blackhead. The main coastal towns are Bangor on the southern shore (County Down) and Carrickfergus on the northern shore (County Antrim). Other coastal settlements include Holywood, Helen's Bay, Greenisland and Whitehead.