Northern Ireland is known for having the most beautiful landscapes to visit, the natural beauty of this part of the island is widely recognized.
In a previous post we told you what we had to see in Belfast, and we also told you that it could be an excellent point to use as a base to go out and explore the natural environment of the island.
Well, that’s what we’re going to do today, take the car (since we had rented it at Belfast airport) and go driving along those beautiful roads of Ireland, surrounded by dreamlike landscapes. Do you have to rent a car?, try searching for prices on Discovercars
But before we set off to visit the most beautiful natural landscapes in Northern Ireland, how about a good breakfast? In the previous post about Belfast we told you that we were staying at the Ten Square Hotel, and from there we would leave to do the tour.
Indice:
Getting ready to visit the landscapes of Ireland
You can do the tour on your own (as we did) by car, but you can also do it by public transport. For the latter you have the Translink website where you will find all the information about stops, schedules, and even buy your ticket.
Taking a road trip through Northern Ireland is a very interesting option, you will pass through charming coastal towns, and the views from the coast are truly wonderful. But it is also true that driving on the left side is quite a challenge, so if you do not feel prepared to do so, it may be better to go by public transport or book a tour.
If you don’t want to complicate things, there are several tours that depart from Belfast and take you to visit these beautiful places.
Let’s visit the most beautiful landscapes in Northern Ireland!!
Now we were ready for the tour. Shall we begin? First stop Carrick a Rede.
Carrick-a-rede rope bridge
Considered one of the best experiences in Ireland, Carrick a rede receives around 250,000 visitors a year to cross its rope bridge. And we were going to be one of them to be able to live the experience.
Carrick a Rede is, as we said, a suspension bridge located near Ballintoy, it is 20 metres long and 25 metres high.
There is evidence that fishermen knew from the 17th century that salmon passed through the islet of Carrick. Boats had difficulty getting close to the islet, so it was easier to cross by a bridge made of ropes and thus carry out salmon fishing. Today, with an improved structure, tourists can visit this magnificent place.
The visit
Visiting hours are from 9.30am to 6pm between April and September, and until 3.30pm in November and December. We visited in August (although you might not believe it when you see the coats), and we queued to buy tickets, and we also had to wait a while for the next group to enter, because they open the doors in groups due to the number of tourists who visit the place, but I imagine that at other times it must be less crowded.
The walk along a path to reach the bridge is very interesting, always offering very beautiful views. This is a route that we recommend doing, it was a magnificent experience.
You buy the entrance there and it costs £7. Tickets are issued by hour so that not too many tourists enter at once, so once you arrive they will tell you the next available entry time.
Although it is a must-see in Northern Ireland, if you suffer from vertigo it is advisable to refrain from doing so.
Next stop……
Giant’s Causeway
We arrived at the Giant’s Causeway in typical Irish weather…raining. Perhaps and without a doubt, the Giant’s Causeway is the most anticipated visit for all of us who go to Northern Ireland. The place you must visit on a tour of the natural landscapes of Northern Ireland.
This is an area containing 40,000 basalt columns resulting from the rapid cooling of lava from a crater, which occurred some 60 million years ago. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986.
This incredible rock formation has a legend. The same story goes that Fionn, who lived on this side of the island, had a disagreement with Benadonner, a Scottish giant. Fionn took pieces of the coast and threw them into the sea until he made a path and crossed to face the Scotsman. But… seeing Benadonner so big, he fled to his home, not realizing that he had left the path made for the Scotsman to follow, which he did.
Fionn’s wife was quick to deal with the situation, and disguised her husband as a baby. The Scotsman, seeing how big the baby was, fled, imagining how big the father of that creature would be. Benadonner fled to Scotland, destroying the causeway.
The visit
There are several ways to get here. We did it by car as we already told you, you can do it by bus (at the beginning of the post we left you the link to the website where you will find timetables, stops, etc.), or if you feel like it, you can do it by bike. Following the Causeway Coast Way you can do the journey on foot or by bike if you have time, it really sounds very tempting. This section is just one section of the Ulster Way, a 1000 km route through Northern Ireland.
Tips
Pay attention to the next tip: visiting the Giant’s Causeway itself is… free. What does cost is the entrance to the visitor centre, £10 is the entrance fee. Whether it is worth going in is not known, because we chose to do the visit for free, so on arrival we bypassed the Visitor Centre and walked straight to the paths that lead to the causeway.
Another tip: take your time, you will need it. Don’t plan to see too many sights on your day trip to the natural sites, because the Giant’s Causeway will take up a lot of your time.
There are different types of routes, the main ones being the green and the red. One is of low difficulty, and the other is longer and has steps.
Wear appropriate footwear, it is usually wet and you can slip, so be careful! Always wear a waterproof coat, as it is usually drizzling or raining in Ireland.
The Giant’s Causeway was discovered in 1693, and today it is one of the main tourist destinations in Northern Ireland. If you did not choose to visit it by bus, bicycle, or car, you may choose to take a tour from Belfast, there are several options since as we said it is a very chosen destination. What we do recommend is not to miss this place, you will surely enjoy it as much as we did.
What else can I add to this tour?
Dunluce Castle
Located in County Antrim, in the village of Bushmills, the ruins of Dunluce Castle, built in the 12th century, amaze us. They appear in the series Game of Thrones.
Ballintoy Harbour
This place has the natural beauty of all the places we find in Ireland, but it also served as a setting for the filming of Game of Thrones. In the next post we will make a route following the steps of Game of Thrones in Ireland and there we will detail it more. But even if you are not a fan of the series I encourage you to visit the place, it is very close to Carrick a Rede and it is very beautiful.
The Dark Hedges
If we continue thinking about the series, this is another place we will visit. This road with the trees on the side of it is wonderful, they have already closed the traffic due to the large number of tourists.
These are some of the many places you can visit in Northern Ireland. Also cities such as Londonderry or Belfast, its capital, and a city that at least we use as a base to go out and tour the island from there.
Have you already looked for accommodation in Belfast?
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NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links.
