Officially Nothern Ireland is a part of the UK. Causeway Coastal Route stretches from Belfast to Derry~Londonderry. As of now, there is no hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland so there is no border control, passport checks, etc. You can drive between these two countries and wouldn't even notice crossing one country to the other. Northern Ireland (NI) is best visited during the summer months. Despite detailed planning, we couldn't make it during the summer months. However, in September, we got to spend a fabulous weekend in Northern Ireland. A day visiting Antrim coast and another day in Belfast. Click here for the trip ideas.
Weather on islands, in general, is very unpredictable. Even forecasts end up being an approximation. Whether forecast projected sunny and clear skies on the day of our visit. On the contrary, it was stone cold with strong winds and cloudy skies. The spellbinding views were worth the trouble. No matter how much I write in this post, I wouldn't do this place a justification. Just hop in a car and drive. You have to be there to see it. All I can say is 'Don't miss it'. We drove from Belfast to Dunluce castle and followed the Coastal Route back to Belfast. In a day, we were able to visit Dunluce Castle, Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Dark Hedges and stop for a few quick photos along the Causeway Coastal route.
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge:
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| View From The Rope Bridge |
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| Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge |
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| Spellbinding Views |
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| Game of Thrones Location Near The Rope Bridge. Also Used As Car Park |
Giant's Causeway:
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| Giant's Causeway |
I came across Giant's Causeway in a kid's encyclopedia. The Giants Causeway is a result of an intense volcanic and geological activity. This is a UNESCO world heritage site with 40000 interlocking basalt columns. The interlocking basalt columns are a result of cooling and shrinking of successive lava flows.
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| How Do I Explain This???? |
A new state-of-the-art visitor center is energy efficient and has a grass roof. This is where the science and the stories come to life. Walking tours and audio tours start from the visitor center. With a nominal price, a shuttle bus runs from the visitor center to and from the Causeway.
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| And This??? |
There are four trails for visitors to choose from. All of them are color-coded and have beautiful views of the Causeway. Green Trail is the easiest of them all. While Blue Trail takes you to The Camel, Giant's Granny, and is moderately difficult, Red Trail and Yellow Trail are challenging. All the cliffs and Causeway routes are unfenced, slippery, and are accompanied by high waves, strong winds, and cold temperatures. Please maintain caution at all times.
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| Sheeeeep!!!!!! |
Dark Hedges:
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| Game of Thrones Location |
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| Dark Hedges |
