B147 (Northern Ireland)

Stranocum

The B147 is a cross-country road in north County Antrim. It was originally unclassified but gained its number in the late 1920s.

The road starts at a sharply angled junction on the A2, which is not actually the coast road at this point, and heads south. There is a good view over a valley to the right. We soon cross the B17 at a staggered crossroads and descend gently before climbing again to reach the B67. We go over that road on a low, narrow bridge known as the Dry Arch, then slip roads go off in both directions, making this a GSJ between two S2 roads.

The road now starts to become more winding as it bears off to the southwest. We go over the Stracam River and then pass the grounds of Gracehill House, with the famous avenue of beech trees known as the Dark Hedges approaching from the left. A bridge over the wide River Bush then takes us into Stranocum. We head west out of town, following a similar course to the river, but presently bear left again to avoid meeting the B66. After running along the top of a ridge we descend to cross the A26 Ballymena bypass at a staggered crossroads then run into town along the residential Newal Road. The road passes the hospital then ends at a roundabout, where it meets the B62 and B66.

Although the B147 has ended here for many years the road originally continued on to Coleraine, although the western extension had been declassified by 1946. At that time the road multiplexed west through Ballymoney along the A26 Queen Street, then regained its number by continuing along Charlotte Street to leave town. The road continued west and zigzagged through Balnamore then reached Glenstall Road in the valley of the River Bann.

The road now continued north to pass the long-gone Macfin station and then continue downstream along the river. After running through Loughan the road entered Coleraine along Mountsandel Road to end in the town centre on the original line of the A2 by the town hall.