River Dun

The River Dun flows through Glendun, one of the nine Glens of Antrim in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Its brown colour comes from peat bogs on the slopes of Slievenanee on the Antrim Plateau. The river starts a few hundred metres from the River Bush, which reaches the sea at Bushmills. Cushendun is a small coastal town at the river’s mouth, where the Glendun Viaduct stands. The Glendun Viaduct, known locally as the Big Bridge, was built between 1834 and 1839 by workers from County Monaghan and County Donegal. The river supports brown trout, sea trout, salmon and eels. Brown trout rarely exceed one pound due to the water’s acidic chemistry. Salmon and sea trout move upstream from July to spawn. Visitors find the arched viaduct crossing the river in Glendun. The town of Cushendun lies at the river’s mouth, where the water meets the coast. Anglers visit the river to fish for trout, salmon and eels. The surrounding glen offers scenic views of the Antrim Plateau. The peat-stained water gives the river its distinctive brown colour.