Depending on once you go, your Giant’s Causeway go to might be superb or common. We are going to share how one can go to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland that can assist you fall in love with it the manner we did.
The Giant’s Causeway is the hottest attraction in all of Northern Ireland and with good cause. It is really unbelievable.
Tips for Visiting the Giant’s Causeway
We have visited the Giant’s Causeway on three separate events totaling 5 visits (dawn and sundown) and it by no means ceases to amaze us. However, out of our 5 visits, one Giant’s Causeway go to was lower than stellar as a result of crowds. So that can assist you keep away from making the similar mistake we did on our first go to, we’re going to share the greatest methods to go to the Giant’s Causeway.
Where is the Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway is situated in Country Antrim on the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland. It is simply 2.5 miles north of Bushmills and 1 hour and 20 minutes from Belfast. Many folks go to the Giant’s Causeway on a highway journey round the Causeway Coast or as a part of a day tour from Belfast. Many bus excursions cease at the Giant’s Causeway beginning at 10 am.
If you aren’t driving, it is a good day tour that features a go to to Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle and the Dark Hedges. Visit RentalCars.com to see costs for automobile leases from Dublin or Belfast.
What is the Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was shaped 60 million years in the past throughout a volcanic eruption. It is really a marvel of the world. There are greater than 40 thousand basalt columns which can be completely stacked creating what seems like an enormous set of interlocking bricks main out to the sea.
The basalt columns have been shaped throughout the eruption when the flowing lava crashed into the waves of the sea. As the ocean cooled the lava, it turned them into volcanic stones. There are comparable basalt columns round the world together with in Iceland and Scotland however the Giant’s Causeway might be the most well-known. We’ve seen others and so they simply don’t appear to match.
Other Places with Columns in the World
A fast Google search will present you that there are dozens of hexagonal columns round the world. We famous Iceland and Scotland however they are often discovered from Mongolia to Thailand. Ones that we’ve seen with our personal eyes are Iceland, Namibia, Australia, and California.
Giant’s Causeway Visitor’s Center
The Giant’s Causeway Visitor Center opens at 10:00 am and closes relying on the time of 12 months, wherever from 5 pm to 9 pm. But you’ll be able to go to it by yourself and stroll down anytime if you’re staying at the Causeway Hotel. From the parking zone, you’ll stroll by a tunnel taking you to the Blue Trail which is a half-mile stroll downhill.
If you might be staying at the Causeway Hotel you’ll be able to go to the Giant’s Causeway without cost. If you might be driving, you’ll need to buy a parking ticket. Parking is per particular person so it provides up rapidly making the Causeway Hotel a fascinating choice. The price for parking is £13 per every grownup in the automobile. £32.50 for a household and £6.50 for youngsters.
When you buy a ticket on-line, it contains parking, a guided tour, and audio guides. You even have entry to the Visitor Centre’s exhibition. If you guide a tour from Belfast or Dublin, you received’t want to fret about any of this. This full-day guided tour is very rated and takes you alongside the Causeway Coastal Route to see the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Dunluce Castle, The Dark Hedges and Giants Causeway.
If you need to save a bit of money, The Causeway Coast Way Car Park is a 6-minute stroll and can price you £10.
If you aren’t staying at the Causeway lodge you’ll need to pay for parking or you’ll be able to stroll. Some of the visitor homes close to Giant’s Causeway aren’t too far-off as nicely. There are some good mountain climbing trails to the Giant’s Causeway as nicely and if you’re up for a hike, you’ll be able to stroll from Dunserverick Castle or Portballintrae.
Giant’s Causeway Walking Trails
Blue Trail – This is the widespread path that’s alongside the paved highway resulting in Giant’s Causeway from the Visitor Centre.
Green Trail – This is a 3.2 km (2 miles) hike that takes 1.5 hours. This path begins at the Causeway Hotel and follows the path towards path in the direction of Runkerry Head. This path is appropriate for folks with disabilities and is wheelchair pleasant. It can also be kid-friendly for buggies. This path takes you out to see the Portcoon Cave, 150 yards lengthy and 40-foot excessive, sea cave.
Red Trail – The Red Trail is a average path that takes about 1.5 hours. It begins at the customer’s middle and goes alongside the prime of the cliffs.
Yellow Trail – The Yellow Trail is a difficult hike, that begins at Runkery Head and ends at Hamilton’s Seat. The trailhead is accessible close to the village of Portballintrae and goes previous the Causeway Hotel and Visitors Centre. You’ll meet up with the Blue Trail and may go right down to the Giant’s Causeway or keep excessive to proceed on the yellow path. There are sheer cliffs on this path so make certain to take warning.
Where to Stay at the Giant’s Causeway
We extremely advocate spending extra time at the Giant’s Causeway than simply on a fast day journey. The cause being is that if you happen to be a part of a tour, you’ll arrive at the Giant’s Causeway at noon with all the crowds. On two of our visits, we stayed at the Causeway Hotel and will stroll right down to see the Giant’s Causeway at dawn and sundown. During these instances of the day, we had all of it to ourselves.
Causeway Hotel
The Causeway Hotel is the closest lodge to the Giant’s Causeway situated immediately at the customer’s centre. But there are many BnBs round the space and different accommodations in Bushmills which is simply 2.5 miles away. You can then simply drive to the Giant’s Causeway for dawn or sundown. See critiques on TripAdvisor and Check costs on Booking.com
The Causeway Hotel has a bar and restaurant so that you don’t have to go away in any respect and may spend most time at the Giant’s Causeway. The rooms are fairly primary although and wish an replace. What the rooms lack in ambiance is made up for in its location.
Bushmill’s Inn
The Bushmills Inn is one other nice choice situated in city. We ate right here and had a tremendous meal. It dates again to 1600 and was a training inn at the time. It has been fully renovated and the rooms are actually a 4-star luxurious. If you need one thing extra upscale and don’t thoughts needing to drive to the Giant’s Causeway, it is a nice choice. See critiques on TripAdvisor and Check Prices on Booking.com
Finn McCool – Legend of the Giant’s Causeway
Inside the guests middle there’s a present store, a snack bar, and a espresso store. There can also be a movie telling the story of Finn McCool. Before science, it was believed that the Giant Finn McCool made the Giant’s Causeway to create a bridge to Scotland.
Legend says that rivals Fionn Mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) of County Antrim in Ireland have been continually bickering with the Scottish Giant Bennandoner. One day Finn McCool determined to construct a bridge to cross the sea and problem Bennandoner to a combat. It’s a simple legend to imagine as every stone appears as if it was positioned there for a function. Read the full legend at The Legend of the Giant’s Causeway – Do You Believe?
Best Time to Visit the Giant’s Causeway
The greatest time to go to the Giant’s Causeway is at dawn or sundown. We visited each instances in completely different years and instances of 12 months and each instances we had it just about to ourselves. We walked down at dawn nicely earlier than the customer’s middle opened and will hike throughout the rocks taking in views from completely different angles. By the time the buses began arriving, we had our fill and went again to the lodge for breakfast.
We did the similar factor at night time. Once the buses left is once we walked down to observe the sundown with a bunch of two different folks. When you might be alongside the Giant’s Causeway it’s actually magical.
The one time we have been on a bus tour we arrived in mid-day and it was chaos.
Mobility and the Giant’s Causeway
For these with mobility points, there’s a bus you could take down and as much as the Giant’s Causeway from the customer’s middle. They even have wheelchairs and scooters obtainable to borrow at the customer centre. Note that they’re obtainable on a primary come first serve foundation. The bus prices
Things to do Near the Giant’s Causeway
After the morning go to, there are many issues to see and do close by. Giant’s Causeway is situated alongside the Causeway Coastal Route and it’s one in all the most spectacular highway journeys on earth.
Dunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle is a stunning cease situated simply 10 minutes from Giant’s Causeway. The ruins sit excessive on a cliff and are one in all the most picturesque castles in Northern Ireland.
Make positive to proceed driving west to cease at the viewing platform only a quick distance additional. This simply opened this 12 months and there are two improbable lookouts the place you’ll be able to see Dunluce Castle on one aspect and the excessive sea cliffs of Northern Ireland on the different.
Bushmills Distillery
Bushmills is Dave’s favorite whisky and we at all times cease to choose up a bottle of their signature 16-year-old. You can do a distillery tour and it’s extremely beneficial. Even if you happen to don’t do a tour, you may get into the grounds for a peak and into the present store to buy a bottle or two. Bushmills is only a five-minute drive from Giant’s Causeway
Dark Hedges
The Dark Hedges is 20 minutes from Giant’s Causeway and they’re the most photographed place in Northern Ireland. The Dark Hedges are situated on Bregagh Road close to the city of Ballymoney in County Antrim. It is lined with 90 beech timber forming an arch all the manner alongside the highway. It was used as The King’s Road in Game of Thrones.
Carrick a Rede
The Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge is one other superb cease that’s situated simply quarter-hour from Giant’s Causeway. It was as soon as a harmful bridge to cross solely utilized by fishermen, however at the moment it has been restored and vacationers can stroll throughout this suspension bridge for unparalleled views of the shoreline.
The Giant’s Causeway and the Causeway Coast are extraordinary locations to go to. Spending time in this a part of Northern Ireland is bound to create recollections to final a lifetime as you discover one in all the most lovely coasts in the world.
Giant’s Causeway Belfast Tours
You can guide day excursions to the Giant’s Causeway from Belfast if you happen to aren’t doing a self-drive round the Causeway Coastal Route. This extremely rated tour takes you to see well-known sights alongside the Antrim coast earlier than reaching the Giant’s Causeway. Places you’ll see en path to the Giant’s Causeway are Cushendun Caves, Carnlough Harbour, and the Dark Hedges. Learn about the historical past from dwell commentary on board.
Another glorious choice for a tour from Belfast to the Giant’s Causeway is that this standard Game of Thrones Tour. You’ll get pleasure from the fantastic thing about the Antrim Coast earlier than hitting the world-famous Giant’s Causeway. During this guided day tour you’ll cease at locations like Carrickfergus Castle, and the 9 Glens of Antrim earlier than seeing the coastal city of Ballycastle. It’s then time to see HBO’s Game of Thrones filming places like Magharmorne Quarry which is the location of Castle Black and the Dark Hedges to see King’s Road.
Tours to the Giant’s Causeway even be booked from Dublin. This extremely rated tour is the good day journey for folks with restricted time however who nonetheless need to get pleasure from a few of the prime Northern Ireland locations once they go to Ireland. Visit the Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle, and Giant’s Causeway, and spend a while in Belfast on a guided tour from Dublin.
Admire the formations of the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage SiteHead to Portaneevy View Point to see the Carrick-a-Rede Rope BridgeMarvel at the beautiful surroundings of the Antrim coastal routeHear tales of folklore and historical past with just a few myths and legends tooSee a few of the Game of Thrones websites all through the day