The Causeway Coastal Route from Belfast to the north coast is one of the great journeys in these islands. These six stops make a brilliant long day, or a relaxed two.
The route follows the coast of County Antrim north from Belfast, past castles, fishing villages, green glens and dramatic cliffs, to the Giant’s Causeway on the north coast. The road hugs the sea for much of the way, with views across to Scotland on a clear day. Driven without stopping, it takes a few hours, but it deserves far longer.
1. Titanic Belfast
Start in the city, where the Titanic was built. Belfast city guide. The Titanic was built in the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, and launched in 1911, before sailing on her maiden voyage in 1912.
Titanic Belfast, which opened in 2012, stands on the slipways where the Titanic was built. Its striking building, clad in shimmering metal, has four points shaped like the bows of ships, as tall as the Titanic’s hull. Inside, the story of the ship and the city is told through galleries and a ride through a recreated shipyard.
Nearby, the SS Nomadic, the tender that carried passengers out to the Titanic at Cherbourg, is the last White Star Line ship still afloat. The great yellow cranes of Harland and Wolff, known as Samson and Goliath, tower over the area. The whole district is known as the Titanic Quarter.
Titanic Belfast is busy, so book tickets in advance. Allow a few hours. It is a short drive from the city centre, and a good start to the journey north.
2. Carrickfergus Castle
A Norman castle on the shore of Belfast Lough. Carrickfergus Castle was built in 1177 by John de Courcy, a Norman knight, and it is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Ireland. It has stood guard over the lough for more than eight hundred years.
The castle has been besieged by the Scots, the Irish, the English and the French over the centuries. In 1690, William III landed at Carrickfergus on his way to the Battle of the Boyne. It remained in military use until the twentieth century.
Inside, you can explore the great keep, the walls and the towers. The views across Belfast Lough are wonderful. The town around the castle has a harbour and a marina.
Carrickfergus is about half an hour from Belfast city centre. Check opening times before you go. From here, the coast road leads north towards the glens.
3. The Glens of Antrim
Nine glens running down to the sea, with Glenariff’s waterfalls the finest. The Glens of Antrim are green valleys cut into the Antrim plateau, each with its own character. They are among the most beautiful landscapes in Ireland.
Glenariff, known as the Queen of the Glens, has a forest park with walks past waterfalls and through wooded ravines. The waterfall walk is one of the most beautiful short walks in Northern Ireland. There are tea rooms for a break.
The villages of Cushendall and Cushendun sit at the foot of the glens, by the sea. The cottages at Cushendun were designed by Clough Williams-Ellis, the architect of Portmeirion in Wales. The caves at Cushendun were used as a filming location for Game of Thrones.
The coast road through the glens is narrow and winding in places, with steep drops, so take it slowly. It is one of the most beautiful drives in the British Isles. Allow plenty of time to stop.
4. Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
A rope bridge to a tiny island, not for anyone afraid of heights. Salmon fishermen first strung a rope bridge from the mainland to the island of Carrick-a-Rede hundreds of years ago. Today, a modern bridge sways about thirty metres above the sea.
Crossing the bridge is a thrilling experience, with the waves crashing on the rocks below. On the island, there are views along the coast and across to Rathlin Island and Scotland. Seabirds nest on the cliffs.
The bridge is looked after by the National Trust, and tickets must be booked for a set time. It can close in high winds, so check before you go. The walk from the car park to the bridge takes about twenty minutes.
Nearby, Ballintoy Harbour, a tiny harbour at the foot of the cliffs, was another Game of Thrones filming location. The coast here is spectacular. Allow time to explore.
5. The Giant’s Causeway
The UNESCO World Heritage basalt columns, and the legend of Finn McCool. The Giant’s Causeway is made up of around forty thousand interlocking columns of basalt, most of them hexagonal. They were formed by volcanic activity around sixty million years ago, as lava cooled and cracked.
Legend tells a different story. The Irish giant Finn McCool is said to have built the causeway to cross the sea to Scotland and fight the Scottish giant Benandonner. Similar columns can be seen across the sea at Fingal’s Cave, on the Scottish island of Staffa.
The Giant’s Causeway became a World Heritage Site in 1986, and it is Northern Ireland’s most famous sight. The National Trust runs a visitor centre, with exhibitions about the geology and the legends. Paths lead down to the stones and along the clifftops.
The Causeway is busy in the summer, so arrive early or late in the day. Wear sturdy shoes, as the stones can be slippery. Check the visitor centre’s opening times and tickets before you go.
6. Dunluce Castle and Bushmills
Clifftop castle ruins, and the famous whiskey distillery nearby. Dunluce Castle stands on the edge of a cliff above the sea, and it is one of the most romantic ruins in Ireland. Legend says part of the kitchen fell into the sea during a storm.
The castle was a stronghold of the MacDonnell clan in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Its dramatic setting has inspired writers and artists. It is said to have inspired Cair Paravel in C.S. Lewis’s Narnia stories, as Lewis was born in Belfast.
The Old Bushmills Distillery, in the village of Bushmills, holds a licence to distil dating back to 1608, making it one of the oldest licensed distilleries in the world. Tours show how the whiskey is made. Visitors must be old enough to taste.
Nearby, the Dark Hedges, an avenue of twisted beech trees, became famous through Game of Thrones. The seaside towns of Portrush and Portstewart have beaches and golf. Royal Portrush has hosted The Open Championship.
Doing it by car
The route is best enjoyed from the passenger seat. Book a car for the day by the hour, with stops as long as you like, or a journey from Belfast to the coast at a fixed price.
The coast road is narrow and winding in places, and the views are a distraction for anyone driving. With a car by the hour, nobody has to miss the scenery. See 10 ways to use a car by the hour and our Belfast guide.
Ride with ZeroLanes. A car booked ahead, at a price fixed before you confirm, with the driver and the car on your journey page before pickup. Get a fixed price for the journey.