Northern Ireland: Giant’s Causeway and More

The Giant’s Causeway is another of Ireland’s most visited sites. We took a day from Belfast to head north to see that and Dunluce Castle (near Portrush) which is only ten minutes west. Our plan was to actually start at the Castle, then head to Giant’s Causeway, and, time permitting, make our way east and south along the coast back to Belfast.

Dunluce Castle

We had a glorious day! It took just over an hour to get to Dunluce Castle from Belfast. The castle sits on a cliff and, rumor says that it was abandoned when the kitchen fell into the sea. Nothing in any of the information available on site indicates that this is so. The site is still an active archeological dig as they continue to uncover clues about the castle and the surrounding town. The discovery room includes a brief video on the history of the castle as well as kid-friendly exhibits. There are period clothes for kids to try on and drawers containing artifacts and a small sand pit to dig up relics. It is beautiful!

Giant’s Causeway

Ten minutes along the Causeway Coastal road from Dunluce Castle lies the Giant’s Causeway. The sign in the town of Bushmills indicated that parking at the site was full and that we should park in town and catch a shuttle bus (about two miles away). We ignored that and decided to go up anyway. This was a good idea as there is a farmer charging £5 to park in her field and it is only about a quarter mile walk to the Giant’s Causeway from there. She had plenty of spaces available. Another good reason to park off site is to save money. If you park in the official lot, you have to pay the Visitor Experience fee of £12.50 which includes an audio guide and access to the visitor center. However, if you park remote you can walk in for free (but no guide or access to the visitor center). We went for free and didn’t feel like we missed out on much of anything.

I should say that the quarter mile walk gets you to the visitor center (which we could not enter). From there you go through a short tunnel and have about a half mile walk (all downhill) before you get to the Giant’s Causeway itself. It is overrun with tourists! It is interesting but we felt a little over hyped.

There is a shuttle bus (£1 each way) that we took back uphill the half mile to the visitor center.

Causeway Coastal Road

Our hosts had recommended a stop in Ballintoy to see “the cute little harbor” and to eat at the Red Door Cafe. Good recommendations! Ballintoy is only 15-20 minutes east of the Giant’s Causeway and the harbor is both cute and little. The Red Door Cafe was also cute and the food was wonderful. Their other claim to fame is as a setting for Game of Thrones.

The weather clouded up while we ate so we did not follow the coastal route back to Belfast. All in all, a wonderful day!