The A42 is an east-west route in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. It starts in Maghera in County Londonderry

County Londonderry

The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...

, from where it goes in the direction of Carnlough

Carnlough

Carnlough is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It has a picturesque harbour on the shores of Carnlough Bay. Carnlough is situated on the Coast Road beside the North Channel and at the foot of Glencloy, the second of the nine Glens of Antrim...

 on the shores of the North Channel

North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland)

The North Channel is the strait which separates eastern Northern Ireland from southwestern Scotland...

 of the Irish Sea

Irish Sea

The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...

, at the foot of the Glens of Antrim

Glens of Antrim

The Glens of Antrim , known locally as simply The Glens, is a region of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It comprises nine glens , that radiate from the Antrim Plateau to the coast. The Glens are an area of outstanding natural beauty and are a major tourist attraction in north Antrim...

. The road goes through Gulladuff

Gulladuff

Gulladuff is a small village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 405 people. It lies within the Magherafelt District Council area....

 and Clady (both in County Londonderry), as well as Portglenone

Portglenone

Portglenone is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies 8.5 miles west of Ballymena. It had a population of 2,900 in the 2001 Census...

, Ahoghill

Ahoghill

Ahoghill or Ahohill is a large village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, four miles from Ballymena. It has a population of 3,055 people . It is within the Borough of Ballymena....

, Ballymena

Ballymena

Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....

 Broughshane

Broughshane

Broughshane is a village within the Borough of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is northeast of Ballymena and north of Antrim, on the A42 road. It had a population of 2,364 at the 2001 Census....

 and The Sheddings (all in County Antrim).

The route forms part of the inner ring road of Ballymena and cross the River Bann

River Bann

The River Bann is the longest river in Northern Ireland, the total length being 80 miles . The river winds its way from the south east corner of Northern Ireland to the north west coast, pausing in the middle to widen into the enormous Lough Neagh...

 (the county boundary between Antrim and Londonderry) between Clady and Portglenone. Between The Sheddings and Carnlough the roads climbs down Glencloy

Glencloy

Glencloy is a glen in the County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Like all glens in that area, it was shaped during the Ice Age by giant glaciers.Glencloy meets the sea at the harbour town of Carnlough....

.