Glenballyemon River

Also within

Antrim County Antrim Coast and Glens Scenic Area

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine · Rock Type: Basalt, Limestone

Landscape processes: Fluvial, Volcanic / Igneous

Birds & fish recorded

Fish

Description

Glenballyemon River River The area is of special scientific interest because of the physical features of the river and its associated riverine flora and fauna. The Glenballyemon River is a short sinuous river, which rises on the Antrim Plateau near Glenariff Forest Park. It has a relatively small but steep catchment most of which is unforested mountainside. Fast flowing, this spate river is characterised by sequences of riffles, runs and pools where its gradient is shallow and the river beds are composed of cobbles, with scattered boulders and sandy margins. Where the gradient is steep and the bed is composed of bedrock and boulder the flow is more dramatic with rapids, cascades and waterfalls. Towards its headwater on the plateau the river is fast flowing and dynamic with rapids, riffles and several small waterfalls. The channel substrate is composed of bedrock and liverwort species such as water earwort Scapania undulata and compressed flapwort Nardia compressa are the dominant aquatic species. The river descends precipitously off the plateau through a series of three very large falls along a steep bedrock gorge. The channel substrate has a mixed geology of basalt and limestone, which has allowed calcareous caverns and caves to be formed at the bottom of falls. Channel macrophytes are restricted to bryophytes, particularly long beaked water feather moss Rhyncostegium riparioides. The banks are extremely high, steep and wooded with species such as rowan Sorbus aucuparia, willow Salix spp., ash Fraxinus excelsior, hazel Corylus avellana, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus, alder Alnus glutinosa and downy birch Betula pubescens. Further downstream the gradient decreases and the predominant land use is semi-improved pasture. In this mid-reach section of the river the channel meanders and the banks are extensively wooded. The channel substrate is composed of basalt and limestone cobble, boulder and bedrock. The flow regime is dynamic and characterised by rapids, falls and deep pools. The river drops in a series of falls and cuts through steep areas of gorge. Bryophyte cover is often limited due to the size and instability of the channel substrate. Calcareous rocks tend to be dominated by the crustosa red alga Hildenbrandia rivularis and the blue-green alga Lyngbya. The banks and wet margins are vegetated by the liverworts great scented liverwort Conocephalum conicum, overleaf pellia Pellia epiphylla and the mosses fox tail feather moss Thamnobryum alopecurum and rusty feather moss Brachythecium plumosum. Sandy marginal deposits and cobble side and point bars are common channel features. The Glenaan River joins the Glenballyemon River upstream of Cushendall to form the Dall. The channel substrate is composed of bedrock and scattered boulders with marginal deposits of sand. The flow morphology is characterised by sequences of riffle and run although there are occasional deep pools. The banks are steep and tree lined and exposed tree roots are common along the margins of the channel. Towards the lower reaches of the river, the channel is dominated by cobble and the flow morphology is composed of long riffles and run. The river is of importance for its associated fauna. otter Lutra lutra are present while characteristic species of riverine birds such, as the dipper Cinclus cinclus are common. The river habitat is suitable for the spawning activity of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, brown trout and sea trout Salmo trutta. Other species inhabiting the system include the minnow Phoxinus phoxinus, eel Anguilla anguilla and the three spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus. These species frequent deeper pools and slower flowing regions. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/glenballyemon-river-assi

Species mentioned

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities