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World Heritage Site
Giant's Causeway
About 40,000 interlocking basalt columns on the north coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.
A mini guide to
The Causeway Coast
Basalt columns, ruined castles and sea cliffs between Portrush and Ballycastle
Photos
1 / 8Welcome to the area
Basalt columns, ruined castles and sea cliffs between Portrush and Ballycastle
The Giant's Causeway is about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by a volcanic fissure eruption in the Paleogene period. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1986, and it lies about three miles north-east of Bushmills. The village is also home to Old Bushmills Distillery, which dates its company from 1784. Dunluce Castle, a ruin on a basalt outcrop between Portballintrae and Portrush, stands a short drive west.
East of the Causeway, the coast road passes Dunseverick Castle, White Park Bay and Ballintoy Harbour, where a track leads on to the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Ballycastle, at the mid-point of the Causeway Coastal Route, is the ferry port for Rathlin Island. West of Portrush, Portstewart Strand and Mussenden Temple at Downhill continue the coastline. Prices, parking and entry vary by site, so check each operator's page.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Rope bridge
Carrick-a-Rede
Rope bridge, about 20 metres long and 30 metres above the rocks, linking the mainland to Carrickarede Island.
Castle ruin
Dunluce Castle
Ruined medieval castle, seat of Clan MacQuillan, on a basalt outcrop reached by a bridge from the mainland.
Distillery
Old Bushmills Distillery
Irish whiskey distillery in Bushmills; the company that built it was formed in 1784.
Directions Website Report a problem with Old Bushmills Distillery
Tree avenue
The Dark Hedges
Avenue of beech trees on Bregagh Road, planted around 1775, which meet overhead to form a tunnel.
Harbour
Ballintoy Harbour
Small fishing harbour at the end of a steep road down from Ballintoy village, near the Carrick-a-Rede turn-off.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows The Causeway Coast and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Check the rope bridge
Carrick-a-Rede's bridge is owned by the National Trust and has been open all year since 2009, subject to weather, according to Wikipedia. Check the Trust's page for tickets and any closures.
2
Dark Hedges access
Bregagh Road has been pedestrianised and closed to general traffic since October 2017 to protect the trees. Plan to walk in.
3
Giant's Causeway visitor centre
Much of the Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage Site is cared for by the National Trust. Check the Trust's page for parking, visitor centre and access arrangements.
4
Spread it over two days
Bushmills, Dunluce and the Causeway are close together, but Ballycastle and Rathlin are further east and Downhill and Portstewart further west.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- The Causeway Coast (area photo): Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0, source
- Giant's Causeway: Quichot (uploader), Public domain, source
- Carrick-a-Rede: Stuart Yeates, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Dunluce Castle: Aph-ch (uploader), Public domain, source
- Old Bushmills Distillery: Dr Neil Clifton, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- The Dark Hedges: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ballintoy Harbour: Bob Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- White Park Bay: Tony Webster, CC BY 3.0, source
- Kinbane Castle: Gareth James, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Dunseverick Castle: Darrin Antrobus, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne: D LN, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Portstewart Strand: Carroll Pierce, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Rathlin Island: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo, source
- Ballycastle: Dean Molyneaux, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Fair Head: Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY 4.0, source
- Derry~Londonderry: Mario Falcetti, CC BY 4.0, source
- The Mournes & Newcastle: Ardfern, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fermanagh Lakelands: Joli, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Belfast city centre & Cathedral Quarter: Bryn Holmes, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Titanic Quarter & East Belfast: Suicasmo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Northern Ireland