Today I head to the Giant’s Causeway. Because of the distance and cost of renting a car, I end up booking a day tour to visit it and a few points of interest along the way. So in the morning, I get to the tour assembly point, check in and get on the bus which will be my home for the next 8-10 hours.
Carnlough
The first stop along our route is a small town called Carnlough. The harbour of the town is very picturesque. However, the main draw is the link a small spot in the harbour has to a scene in the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Without spoiling too much, Arya emerges from the water here, and the spot is commemorated as such. When doing research, I did see some tours which focused on filming locations of the popular show. But I didn’t expect for it to be pointed out on this tour. I suppose that the filming did play a big part in Northern Ireland so you can’t really avoid it! No complaints here as I do enjoy the series so seeing the linkages to the show is pretty neat!
Caves of Cushden
After another half hour or so of driving we arrive at the Caves of Cushden. These are ocean facing caves and have been around for quite some time. They are also, you guessed it, another filming location for Game of Thrones. Apparently the scenes where Melisandre gives birth to the shadow were filmed here. I didn’t care much for the scene itself, the caves are naturally very pretty and worth a few minutes to explore and enjoy the natural beauty.
Dark Hedges
After a bit more driving, we arrive at our third stop of the day, the Dark Hedges. While I don’t think this is a major Game of Thrones stop, these trees are super unique and I’m sure I’ve seen them in a photo or movie or two over the years. While its sad that there are only around 90 trees left, the oddly shaped branches does lend itself to an eerie feeling. I have to imagine in the evening with a bit of fog or mist can really add a creepy vibe!
Fullerton Arms
Because, this is a day tour the options for lunch are rather limited. So for today our bus takes us to the Fullerton Arms where we have a few choices for lunch. I end up ordering a steak and ale pie with mashed potatoes. I really have no complaints about the food, its not amazing but it does fill you up and provides fuel for the rest of the day.
One other very cool thing about the Fullerton Arms is they are in possession of one of the “Doors of Thrones“. In 2016 there was a big storm which sadly knocked down several trees at the Dark Hedges. In using the wood of the felled trees, they crafted some very intricately designed doors. Each door represents a different episode in season 6 of Game of Thrones. The one at the Fullerton arms respresents episode 6 when Daenerys flies Drogon over the Dothraki.
Giant’s Causeway
After lunch, we finally arrive at the Giant’s Causeway. Just in time too, because the otherwise cloudy morning has given way to sunshine and unobstructed views. We really lucked out! Our guide describes the different ways to get to the actual Causeway. For those that fancy a bit of a trek, he suggests that we take the red trail which takes you along the top of the cliffs. You then reach the shepherds steps which descend down to the water below. From there its a short walk to the actual causeway.
The Red Trail
While the Red Trail means you have less time at the causeway, I’m happy I decided to take this route. The views from atop the cliff are spectacular! Along with the clear skies and sun, we really were in for a treat the entire way. The path itself is not super strenuous, however the shepherds steps can be a bit steep and narrow. They do have a rail you can hold onto while going down so there really isn’t much to worry about. Both the views from atop, and from the bottom looking up are breath taking and I’m really glad I got to witness this.
The Giant’s Causeway
After walking the red trail we finally arrive at the Giant’s Causeway. I’ve only seen pictures of this place. But seeing it up close and touching the hexagonal pillars is really something. In all my travels, I can’t really recall seeing formations like this anywhere, so its pretty unique.
It’s also not restricted to a small area but is fairly expansive in its own right! In some ways it almost seems man made, because of how intricate the hexagon pillars are arranged. But when you get up close you do see that its not “perfect” either. It’s pretty trippy! Couple that with the backdrop of the ocean or the cliffs, and it makes for a super unique and beautiful landscape.
Getting up close to the hexagonal stones also gives a pretty cool perspective. While all the pieces do seem to “fit” well together looking down. They all have varying degrees of verticality to it. So when you look at it from an angle or from the side, you can see that it’s a ton of pillars jutting out at different levels. So while you explore the rocks, you do have to pay attention lest you trip or twist an ankle.
Bushmills
While we did have a fair bit of time at the Giant’s Causeway, we did have to make our way back to our bus and start making our way to our next stop. Thankfully the next stop is also something to look forward to as well, the Old Bushmills Distillery.
When I initially looked into this tour, I read that visits to this distillery were cancelled due to to Covid. However, when our guide mentioned the visit, I got excited. Being a bit of a Whisky nerd visiting Bushmills is a boon and I originally resigned myself to not going due to the cancellations. So this is a pleasant surprise.
We didn’t have too long at the distillery. We had just enough time to visit their show room and their in-house bar. I was able to do a tasting of their 21 year old expression and I can safely say that this made up for the limited visit! It’s super smooth and goes down very easy. It’s nice to be able to try these “rarer” options and I’m glad I did!
Dunluce Castle
From Bushmills, our tour had one last stop before making the trek back to Belfast. This would be a very quick “photo stop” at Dunluce Castle. Dunluce Castle are these picturesque castle ruins. To be perfectly honest, I was happy with just the photo stop. If there was more time, visiting and exploring the ruins would have been great. But given how long the day’s been already and the Whisky having its desired effect, I was good! I will say the time of day and the sunlight did give the ruins a very “romantic” look so I am appreciative to have seen it.
From Dunluce, we settled into our seats for the two hour drive back to Belfast. There’s some lovely Irish countryside as we drive but I also feel the fatigue start to set in and I doze off for most of it. As we get back into Belfast, you don’t really spend a full day on a bus with people and not form some connections.
So after we get off the bus a few of us decide to hop into a nearby bar for a few drinks and chats. I think travelling on your own schedule with your own freedom is great. But sometimes these tours are a great way to meet new people and I’m happy to have made a few friends today.
We end up drinking and chatting through the evening before we all go our separate ways. Some will be staying in Belfast, while others will be flying off to Scotland (which I am jealous of!). For me, I will be taking the train back down to Dublin tomorrow and spending the remainder of my time in Ireland in their capital city.
The hexagonal stones are interesting!