Quick answer: Escarmouche is at Shane's Castle, Shane Street, Randalstown, County Antrim, BT41 2AD - about twenty minutes from Belfast on the M2. Use the Randalstown entrance, not the Antrim entrance: the estate has more than one way in, and the Antrim side will not bring you to us. Parking on site is free.
Most of what we are about to tell you is one sentence long, and it is the sentence that saves groups fifteen minutes of their own session time:
Use the Randalstown entrance. Not the Antrim entrance.
Why that matters more than it sounds
Escarmouche sits inside the Shane's Castle estate, and the estate has more than one way in. Put "Shane's Castle" into a phone and there is a decent chance it will route you to the Antrim side, which is a perfectly nice entrance to a perfectly nice estate and will not bring you anywhere near us.
Groups who take it lose a quarter of an hour doubling back, and because sessions are booked in advance with marshals allocated, that is fifteen minutes out of their own game time rather than ours. It is the single most common arrival problem we see, and it is entirely avoidable.
The address to use is:
Escarmouche, Shane's Castle, Shane Street, Randalstown, County Antrim, BT41 2AD
How long it takes to get here
| Coming from | Roughly | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Belfast | 20 minutes | M2 north, then towards Randalstown |
| Antrim | 10 minutes | Short hop west - but still come in via Randalstown |
| Ballymena | 20 minutes | South on the M2 corridor |
| Lisburn | 30 minutes | M1 then M2 |
| Magherafelt | 25 minutes | East towards Randalstown |
Those are relaxed estimates rather than optimistic ones. The M2 behaves itself outside rush hour, and the last stretch into Randalstown is straightforward.
Parking, and the drop-off scrum
Parking is free, private and on site, which matters more than it sounds when you are running a children's party and eleven cars arrive within four minutes of each other. There is room to pull in, unload, and let everyone find each other without anybody standing on a road.
Coaches and minibuses are fine. If you are bringing one for a school or youth group, mention it when you book so we can tell you where to put it.
When to arrive
- Aim for fifteen minutes before your slot. Kitting up a group takes longer than one person expects, and the safety brief runs properly rather than quickly.
- All sessions are booked in advance. We are not a turn-up-and-see venue, because marshals and zones are allocated to your group.
- We open 08:00 to 20:00, seven days a week, through whatever the weather is doing.
What is waiting when you get here
Basecamp is sheltered and seats 100, with free tea and coffee, snacks on site and changing facilities. That matters in January, and it matters when a group of nine-year-olds needs feeding at an unpredictable moment.
If you want the full list of what comes as standard before you book, it is set out in what's included in a day at Escarmouche.
If you get lost anyway
Ring 07774 636254. Somebody on site will answer and talk you in. It happens most weekends and nobody minds.
The short version
- Use the Randalstown entrance to Shane's Castle, never the Antrim entrance.
- The postcode is BT41 2AD - about 20 minutes from Belfast on the M2.
- Parking is free, private and on site, with room for coaches if you say in advance.
- Arrive about fifteen minutes before your slot; kitting a group up takes longer than you think.
- Open 08:00 to 20:00 seven days a week, in all weather, advance booking only.
Frequently asked questions
What is the postcode for Escarmouche?
BT41 2AD. The full address is Escarmouche, Shane's Castle, Shane Street, Randalstown, County Antrim. Use the Randalstown entrance rather than the Antrim one.
How far is Escarmouche from Belfast?
About twenty minutes, north on the M2 and then towards Randalstown. From Antrim it is roughly ten minutes, from Ballymena about twenty, and from Lisburn about half an hour.
Is there parking?
Yes - free, private parking on site, with enough room for a group arriving in convoy. Coaches and minibuses are fine, but tell us in advance so we can point you to the right spot.
Can we just turn up?
No. Every session is booked in advance so that marshals, kit and the right zones are ready for your group. Send an enquiry or ring 07774 636254.
What time should we get there?
About fifteen minutes before your session starts. That covers kitting up and a proper safety brief without eating into your game time.
Do you open on Sundays and bank holidays?
We run seven days a week, 08:00 to 20:00. Check your specific date when you book, especially over Christmas and New Year.