Giant’s Causeway to Ballycastle

Introducing Giant’s Causeway to Ballycastle

Between the Giant’s Causeway and Ballycastle lies the most scenic stretch of the Causeway Coast, with sea cliffs of contrasting black basalt and white chalk, rocky islands, picturesque little harbours and broad sweeps of sandy beach. It’s best enjoyed on foot, following the 16.5km of waymarked Causeway Coast Way between the Carrick-a-Rede car park and the Giant’s Causeway, although the main attractions can also be reached by car or bus.

About 8km east of the Giant’s Causeway is the meagre ruin of16th-century Dunseverick Castle, spectacularly sited on a grassy bluff. Another 1.5km on is the tiny seaside hamlet of Portbradden, with half a dozen harbourside houses and the tiny, blue-and-white St Gobban’s Church, said to be the smallest in Ireland. Visible from Portbradden and accessible via the next junction off the A2 is the spectacular White Park Bay with its wide, sweeping sandy beach.

A few kilometres further on is Ballintoy (Baile an Tuaighe), another pretty village tumbling down the hillside to a picture-postcard harbour. The restored limekiln on the quayside once made quicklime using stone from the chalk cliffs and coal from Ballymoney.

The main attraction here is the famous (or notorious, depending on your head for heights) Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (2076 9839; Ballintoy; adult/child £3.30/1.80; 10am-7pm Jun-Aug, to 6pm Mar-May, Sep & Oct). The 20m-long, 1m-wide bridge of wire rope spans the chasm between the sea cliffs and the little island of Carrick-a-Rede, swaying gently 30m above the rock-strewn water.

The island has sustained a salmon fishery for centuries; fishermen stretch their nets out from the tip of the island to intercept the passage of the salmon migrating along the coast to their home rivers. The fishermen put the bridge up every spring as they have done for the last 200 years – though it’s not, of course, the original bridge.

Crossing the bridge is perfectly safe, but it can be frightening if you don’t have a head for heights, especially if it’s breezy (in high winds the bridge is closed). Once on the island there are good views of Rathlin Island and Fair Head to the east. There’s a small National Trust information centre and café at the car park.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009