Northern Ireland’s 130 mile road trip, Causeway Coastal Route, provides a perfect activity for this weekend’s May Day Bank Holiday.
The Causeway Coastal Route starts in Belfast and travels north to Derry following the Antrim Coast. You could take in the whole route this bank holiday across three days.
Some of the trip’s highlights are the Giant’s Causeway, the historic Belfast Castle and the Dark Hedges Estate, famous for it’s Game of Thrones appearance.
The Route
Still not sold on a Coastal Causeway weekend? Well, don’t just take our word for it, Laurence Norah from the travel blog Finding the Universe has the lowdown on the route.
Laurence and his wife Jess post about their road trips and have completed the Coastal Causeway route twice.
Laurence says: “Jess and I love road trips, and we’ve been lucky enough to drive some of the world’s most well known road trips, including Route 66 and Scotland’s North Coast 500.
“When we visited Northern Ireland and we heard that there was a road trip along the coast that took in some of the country’s best scenery, we had to try it out.
“The first time we did it in a day, and the second time we took our time and did it over three days as realised there was so much to see and do.”
Laurence and Jess took on the route in their car.
“We found the route easy to follow, although the roads were narrow in places so we had to drive carefully.
“Still, the views were so nice that we were driving pretty slowly anyway to take it all in!”
The Gobbins Walk
Laurence says they enjoyed all of the trip but there was a standout moment.
“The Gobbins, had us walking along a spectacular cliff face path. It’s both scenic and historically interesting, and well worth trying in our opinion.
The cliff-face path runs along the water’s edge of Northern Ireland’s stunning coastal scenery.
Along the walk people can see caves and , local flora, even the possibility of sealife and birdlife if the weather is clear – offering views across to Scotland.
Giants Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway, a World Heritage site and a must-visit in Northern Ireland, features around 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns formed by cooling lava 50 million years ago.
A National Trust Touring Pass offers free access to the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, and other properties across Northern Ireland and the UK.
Laurence acknowledges the many benefits of road trips like the Coastal Causeway Path.
“A road trip in your vehicle gives flexibility to do all the things you want to at your own pace. A road trip really gives you freedom to have a trip your way.
“What we really like about the Causeway Coastal Route is you can see a lot in a relatively short timespan. It doesn’t require you to drive thousands of miles, but there’s more than enough to see. It makes for a perfect mini road trip.”
What makes Road Trips Special?
Laurence discussed his and Jess’ shared love of road trips. They often miss road trips when stuck at home for too long.
“For us it’s all about the freedom of doing what we want in a timescale that suits us. If we like an area, we can extend how long we’re staying there. If we see an interesting sign we can head there.
Finally, Laurence has some tips for if you decide to give the Coastal Causeway Route a go.
“The main thing is to take it slowly and stop a lot. Compared to other road trips, this one isn’t that long at only 130 miles. So you could easily drive the whole route in a few hours, but there is so much to see that we’d recommend spreading it out over at least three days.
“You should do a bit of research before you go to work out the sights and attractions you want to see to help you plan your trip. A bit of planning to ensure you don’t miss anything is definitely worth it and book any activities and accommodation in advance to avoid disappointment.
“Otherwise, just enjoy the trip and have fun!”
For more inspiration for your Coastline Causeway road trip check out Laurence’s review of their trip 11 Highlights of the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland – Finding the Universe.
More bank holiday inspiration:
Bournemouth – OPINION: Escape to Bournemouth this bank holiday – Nine to Alive
Bristol – https://ninetoalive.co.uk/2024/05/23/opinion-explore-the-best-of-bristol-this-bank-holiday-weekend/
Cornwall – https://ninetoalive.co.uk/2024/05/23/opinion-escape-to-cornwall-this-bank-holiday/
