Causeway Coastal Route | Northern Ireland | P&O Ferries
Discover one of the world’s top road trips, the Causeway Coastal route, with P&O Ferries. Popular due to its stunning scenery and number of wonderful attractions to see along the way, this is a car journey that offers plenty of adventure and unmissable photo opportunities. Sail into Larne Harbour and get ready to drive from Belfast through the nine glens of Antrim on a trip that’ll take you past castles, caves, and parks in addition to spots that’ll be very recognisable to Game of Thrones fans.
One of the most dramatic sites that you’ll see along the Causeway Coastal route is the Giants Causeway. Irish legend has it that the causeway was created during a fight between two giants, but science suggests that the basalt columns were formed by volcanic eruptions around 60 million years ago. The Giants Causeway was Northern Ireland’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, which makes it a very important part of the country’s history, and you can find out all about it in the attraction’s informative Visitors Centre.
If you love to explore castles you’ll really enjoy this road trip, as there are a number of stunning examples to discover. Marvel at Carrickfergus Castle, a Norman structure which is one of Northern Ireland’s best-preserved medieval buildings, and get swept up in the romance of Dunlace Castle, which consists of picturesque ruins from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Game of Thrones fans will be able to spot a few filming locations along the Causeway Coastal route. The famous Dark Hedges, a striking tunnel of beech trees and one of the most photographed natural phenomena in the country, are situated on the route, as are the Cushenden Caves which were used as the backdrop to The Stormlands in the popular television series.
When it’s time for a tipple, stop off at the Old Bushmills Distillery, Ireland’s oldest working distillery, where you can learn about whiskey production and try the drink for yourself. Don’t worry if you’re the designated Causeway Coastal Route driver, you can skip the bar and head straight to the gift shop where you can pick up a bottle to take home with you.
Ready to discover the beauty of the Causeway Coastal Route? Book your Cairnryan to Larne crossing today and travel across the Irish Sea for 2 hours before embarking on your epic drive.
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Causeway Coastal Route Road Trip
With three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty – The Causeway Coastal Route from Belfast to Derry~Londonderry offers some of Northern Ireland’s most beautiful landscape and coastlines.
The ever-changing tapestry of scenery and colours, set against the dramatic coastal backdrop will no doubt take your breath away – making it the perfect place for a leisurely tour.
It is no surprise that the route has been rated one of the Top Five Road Trips worldwide and when you drive it, you’ll see why. #CCRRoadTrip
Causeway Coastal Route | Northern Ireland | County Antrim
Our trip to the Causeway Coastal Route which included passing by Dunluce Castle ( and Bushmills ( in county Antrim, Northern Ireland.
We believe that whenever the trip combines different destinations that are located close to one another, it turns out to be more adventurous and interesting - that's apart from hitting a place that takes a lot of time and drains energy - which was the case with this trip to the Causeway Coastal Route that gave us the chance to visit those other destinations as well.
The Causeway Coastal Route is a marked drive around the coast of Northern Ireland between the cities of Belfast and Londonderry, and there are different shorter scenic loop drives that tourists and visitors could explore. This route is long enough for people to spend a couple of days discovering all the treasures it carries and this will also depend on the two cities which one will be travelling between.
During this trip, we passed by some different destinations that included the Dunluce Castle, which is a ruined medieval castle that is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping and which could be accessed and reached through a bridge that connects it to the mainland. Even though for some people this is considered a ruined building which they might not get excited about visiting, it is still considered a historical place for lots of others and a place that definitely should be visited in order for people to know more about the history of the place and at the same time get the chance to see the view from up there (
In addition to the Dunluce Castle, we also stopped at the Bushmills town which is also found on the Causeway Coastal Route and which is the home town for the old Irish Whiskey that is known as Bushmills. Bushmills name came from two different factors playing a role in it, which are the River Bush as well as the old 17th century watermill that was built there - so it turned out to be Bushmills as we know it today. We spent our time in this town mainly playing on the beach and enjoying the sea breeze but for those who might be looking for other places which they could visit in this town and check, there is also the Bushmills Distillery which is all about the Irish whiskey we have just mentioned (
Playing around with the kids on the beach and getting them introduced to Dunluce Castle was the main purpose of the trip but there are other destinations which we have been to before and which are also part of the Causeway Coastal Route - even one of them is the reason behind giving that route this name. These destinations include the Giant's Causeway ( passing by the famous Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, or else getting the chance to visit any of the other towns which might be found near such as Ballygally and Ballintoy (
There are always a lot of places that one could see and come across when it comes to the Causeway Coastal Route, but this will be a long journey to go through because it passes through lots of cities and thus you will need to divide them if you are already living in Ireland or else choose the one that is mostly known with its sightseeing places and visit if you are not living in Ireland and coming just for a visit.
Northern Ireland and Ireland in general are known with their unexpected weather, so always make sure you are choosing one that is not the worst in order to head to these places - we were not much lucky because we went in the rain and had to suffer that all the way to there but we eventually came to the beach with this rain stopping eventually. Yes, we have to mention that spring might face bad weather when it comes to the rain just like the same way winter would - so always take your precautions :-)
We have been to different trips before in the Causeway Coastal Route which you could check on our channel, such as the Whiterocks Beach in Portrush ( there is also the Ballymacran Bank Myroe ( we have also been to the Ballintoy Harbour before ( visited the Torr Head ( and of course been to the Glens of Antrim ( Every single trip of these is a different one but you will eventually get to enjoy the nature that surrounds you and will also love the idea of visiting some important destinations and locations related to Northern Ireland.
The Causeway Coastal Route is a long one with lots of places to visit, so pick and start your trip.
The best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Walk this Way for the Causeway Coastal Route
Discover the range of stunning walking trails along the Causeway Coastal Route
Causeway Coastal Route (Northen Ireland)
Driving the Causeway Coastal Route
A timelapse drive along the Causeway Coastal route in Northern Ireland.
Cycle along the Causeway Coastal Route: Giant's Causeway Coast Sportive
Watch the competitors in action around the iconic North Coast of Ireland as they take on the Giant's Causeway Coast Sportive!
The eyes of the world were on Northern Ireland when it hosted the Giro d'Italia, with viewers marvelling at the landscapes the route took the riders through. However, one section in particular stood out: the incredible Causeway Coastal Route.
It was only natural that the Giant’s Causeway Coast Sportive was created so that cyclists of all abilities could test themselves like the peloton did during the Giro d’Italia. And with a choice of three route distances (35 miles; 85 miles; 115 miles), 1,100 competitors embraced the ocean views as they started and finished in the seaside town of Ballycastle in County Antrim.
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Welcome to Tourism Ireland’s YouTube channel! Subscribe to follow our Ireland adventures, get ideas for your travel bucket list and learn about our unique culture, incredible castles and iconic cities with the best in both curated and exclusive videos.
Ireland Trip Part 1 Bushmills and the Giants Causeway
An overcast cast day in beautiful Bushmills and chasing giants at the causeway.
Day 3 Northern Ireland - May 2016 - Driving along the Causeway Coastal Route
Day 3 Northern Ireland - May 2016 - Driving along the Causeway Coastal Route
Day 3 time to move on - we decided to drive along the causeway coastal route from Dundonald caravan park just outside Belfast up to Ballyness Caravan Park near Bushmills, Weather was fantastic & the views were great, Here is a video of part of the journey
Video was created with Movavi Video Suite
Coastal Route from The Giant's Causeway to Belfast
Northern Ireland
VISITING OLD BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY & GIANT'S CAUSEWAY | NORTHERN IRELAND VLOGS
Northern Ireland Vlogs - Part Two.
As you may already know, we travelled to Northern Ireland on 28th March for Emily's 24th birthday. Overall, we stayed in Londonderry for 5 days and travelled to some of the most beautiful sites along the northern coast.
In part two of our vlogs we visited The Old Bushmills Distillery and The Giant's Causeway. We had a great time discovering how Bushmills make there whiskey.. and also having a taste at the end of the tour! The Giant's Causeway was such a beautiful, fascinating site. This was definitely our favourite day.
We hope you enjoy part two!
We're covering part two in the form of a blog also, so be sure to check it out here:
Check out part one of our vlogs if you haven't already:
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Riding the Coast Road - From Belfast to Bushmills via Torr Head
A ride on a Honda ST1100 along the Scenic Coastal Route on Northern Ireland's beautiful Antrim Coast. The Pan Euro I'm riding is an ex-police fully-liveried Blood Bike equipped with blue lights and tri-sound siren and had just had new tyres fitted which I was scrubbing in.
Driving on the Causeway Coastal Route
Causeway Coastal Route
Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland #tramatrip
Giant's Causeway Northern Ireland - Bushmills County Antrim
Popular Questions -
Where is the Giant's Causeway? Its along the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland. Travel from Belfast towards Portrush and its on the very Northern Coast of the Island (
Giant's Causeway County? Its County Antrim - Northern Ireland
Giant's causeway opening hours? The causeway is accessible 24 hours a day (or dawn to dusk officially) - the visitors centre has opening hours - normally from 9 am - 6 pm
Giant's Causeway Address? 44 Causeway Rd, Bushmills BT57 8SU
Giant's Causeway Postcode? BT57 8SU
If you went online in order to search for the different places which you could visit in Belfast, you will always find the Giant's Causeway from the different suggestions that are found out there and that is exactly when all these different questions start to pop up so that people could know more about the destination they are heading to (
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns which resulted from an ancient volcanic eruption and which is located in county Antrim, northeast the town of Bushmills. This place always amazes the visitors who come to check it for the way those rocks are formed - or the way they have landed - since the tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea (
The Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre opened in 1986 and the different facilities which could be now found there include the tourist information offices, the Bureau De Change, the accommodation booking service, an interpretive audio-visual presentation, as well as the gift shop - so there are different services which those going to check the site could make use of in general, making the whole place much more touristic and willing to accept different visitors (
As much as this is regarded as a different place that one could visit in Northern Ireland, it was actually regarded as the fourth greatest natural wonder in the United Kingdom in 2005 poll of Radio Times Readers. The Giant's Causeway was actually declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 and a national nature reserve in 1987 by the Department for the Environment for Northern Ireland (
There are interesting information which we got the chance to know about apart from the history of the place and the formation of those volcanic rocks. The Giant's Causeway is actually a haven for sea birds such as fulmar, petrel, cormorant, shag, redshank guillemot, and razorbill; this actually makes walking in this area trying to explore it much more interesting for seeing those sea birds along the way as well. In addition to the sea birds, we also found out that there are some plants which survived the feet of millions of visitors and which include the sea spleenwort, hare's foot trefoil, vernal squill, sea fescue, and frog orchid; this makes the whole place much more interesting for botanists who in summer could also check the great stretches of sea campion.
We believe that the Giant's Causeway is not just an important touristic attraction that should be visited in Northern Ireland by those visiting the country, but it is actually a place for the locals as well who are interested in the different types of birds as well as those botanists or even other people interested in plants to come and see what this place has to offer.
For those who will succeed to come to the Giant's Causeway and check this wonder in county Antrim in Northern Ireland, there are still other things which they should be doing, such as going to the Bushmills Distillery ( checking Bushmills town in general ( visiting the famous old Dunluce Castle ( and checking the old Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge which is a thrilling experience for lots of people (
It is always interesting to reach out for those famous destinations in the city you are traveling to and come back with lots of pictures - which is definitely one of the things which you should never forget to do when it comes to the Giant's Causeway - take pictures in this place of wonder.
Have you ever been to the Giant's Causeway before to check this place which is considered from the wonders of the UK? The Giant's Causeway is welcoming tourists and visitors all day long - of course apart from night trips - and the visitor centre could provide them with all the information they might be searching for. There are loads of places to stay around the Giant's Causeway - from camping, B&B to youth hostels all the way to hotels.
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Places to see in ( Bushmills - UK )
Places to see in ( Bushmills - UK )
Bushmills is a village on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Bushmills is located 60 miles from Belfast, 11 miles from Ballycastle and 9 miles from Coleraine. Bushmills owes its name to the River Bush and to a large watermill that was built there in the early 17th century.
The village is best known as the location of the Old Bushmills Distillery. The distillery's products include the Bushmills Original and Black Bush blends, as well as the 10-, 12-, 16-, and 21-year-old Bushmills Single Malts. To celebrate the 400th anniversary of distilling starting in the area the distillery released a unique whiskey called the 1608 which included crystal malt. The distillery draws its water, not from the River Bush itself, but from a tributary known as Saint Columbs Rill. The Giant's Causeway, which attracts over two million visitors per year, is located 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the town.
Bushmills railway station opened on 28 January 1883, but finally closed on 1 October 1949. There is a narrow-gauge steam train running in the summer from Bushmills to the Giant's Causeway.
The Belfast-Derry railway line run by Northern Ireland Railways connects to Coleraine and along the branch line to Portrush. Local Ulsterbus provides connections to the railway stations. There is a scenic walk of 7 miles from Portrush alongside Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway.
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the town of Bushmills.
( Bushmills - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Bushmills . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Bushmills - UK
Join us for more :
Walk this Way for the Causeway Coastal Route (short version)
A quick glimpse of the range of stunning walking trails along the Causeway Coastal Route
Places to see in ( Bushmills - UK )
Places to see in ( Bushmills - UK )
Bushmills is a village on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Bushmills is located 60 miles from Belfast, 11 miles from Ballycastle and 9 miles from Coleraine. Bushmills owes its name to the River Bush and to a large watermill that was built there in the early 17th century.
The village is best known as the location of the Old Bushmills Distillery. The distillery's products include the Bushmills Original and Black Bush blends, as well as the 10-, 12-, 16-, and 21-year-old Bushmills Single Malts. To celebrate the 400th anniversary of distilling starting in the area the distillery released a unique whiskey called the 1608 which included crystal malt. The distillery draws its water, not from the River Bush itself, but from a tributary known as Saint Columbs Rill. The Giant's Causeway, which attracts over two million visitors per year, is located 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the town.
Bushmills railway station opened on 28 January 1883, but finally closed on 1 October 1949. There is a narrow-gauge steam train running in the summer from Bushmills to the Giant's Causeway.
The Belfast-Derry railway line run by Northern Ireland Railways connects to Coleraine and along the branch line to Portrush. Local Ulsterbus provides connections to the railway stations. There is a scenic walk of 7 miles from Portrush alongside Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway.
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the town of Bushmills.
( Bushmills - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Bushmills . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Bushmills - UK
Join us for more :
Northern Ireland: Giant's Causeway & Coastal route
Our trip to Giant's Causeway in may 2011.
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Sleeping Giant at Giant's Causeway, Bushmills
Video by Kirsten Elder, by kind permission of the Belfast Telegraph.
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