B53 (Moorfields - Randalstown)

This article is about the B53 in Antrim.
For the other B53 in Fermanagh, see B53 (Garrison - Rossinver).

Towards Moorfields

The longer of the two roads numbered B53, both dating to classification in 1923, is a cross-country road in central County Antrim.

The road starts on the A36 in Moorfields and heads roughly westwards, soon meeting the B59 at a slightly staggered rural crossroads. This marks the original eastern end of the B53 - but it was extended to meet the A36 later in the 1920s.

On the far side of the B59 the B53 starts to run more southerly. It quickly reaches Kells, one of several villages in Ireland with that name - and not the more famous one in County Meath. The B53 TOTSOs left at a crossroads to cross the Kells Water and run into the centre of the village where it crosses the B98 at a staggered crossroads.

The B53 continues south and turns right at a mini-roundabout to reach open country once more. It runs southwestwards along Fernisky Road across gently undulating fields to reach the dual-carriageway A26. This is crossed at a staggered crossroads where (in both directions) B53 traffic has to turn left then move into lane 3 to pass through the central reservation to return to the B53.

The B53 continues southwestwards across similar terrain to before. It crosses the Belfast to Derry railway line about halfway along this section before descending into the valley of the River Main. Eventually Randalstown is reached. The B53 TOTSOs right at a T-junction to run west along Station Road and end at a T-junction on the A6 opposite a back entrance to the Shane's Castle estate.