The Antrim Coast—the north of Northern Ireland—is one of the most interesting and scenic coastlines in Ireland. Portrush, at the end of the train line, is an ideal base for exploring the highlights of the Antrim Coast. Within a few miles of the train terminal, you can visit evocative castle ruins, tour the world’s oldest whiskey distillery, catch a thrill on a bouncy rope bridge, and hike along the famous Giant’s Causeway.
You need a full day to explore the Antrim Coast, so allow two nights in Portrush. With a car, you can visit the Giant’s Causeway, Old Bushmills Distillery, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and Dunluce Castle in one busy day.
On this day, get an early start. My ideal day would start with the Giant’s Causeway, arriving by 9:00, when crowds are lightest; choose between a one-hour quickie visit or the scenic three-hour, five-mile “Clifftop Experience” guided hike (from Dunseverick Castle to the causeway). Early birds will find that the trails are always open.
Follow this with a tour of Old Bushmills Distillery (call ahead to reserve). For lunch, you can bring a picnic, or eat cheaply in either the visitors center at the causeway or the Old Bushmills hospitality room.
After lunch, drive to Carrick-a-Rede (about 20 minutes from the distillery). Note, though, that crossing the rope bridge now requires timed-entry tickets, which can sell out in peak season (only available same-day and assigned starting at 9:30). If tickets are sold out, you can still enjoy the scenic cliff-top trail hike all the way to the bridge, as well as the nearby viewpoint for dramatic views of the bridge. But if crossing the actual bridge is your priority, consider going to Carrick-a-Rede first thing in the morning to ensure tickets.
From here, hop in your car and double back west all the way to dramatically cliff-perched Dunluce Castle for a late-afternoon tour. The castle is only a five-minute drive from Portrush. In summer months, the long days this far north extend your sightseeing time (and most golf courses stay open until dusk).
If driving on to Belfast from Portrush, consider the slower-but-scenic coastal route via the Glens of Antrim.
By Car: A car is the best way to explore the charms of the Antrim Coast. Distances are short and parking is easy.
By Bus: In peak season, an all-day bus pass helps you get around the region economically. The Causeway Rambler links Portrush to Old Bushmills Distillery, the Giant’s Causeway, and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (stopping at the nearby town of Ballintoy). The bus journey from Portrush to Carrick-a-Rede takes 45 minutes (£6.50/day, runs roughly 10:00-18:00, hourly May-Sept, every two hours March-April, fewer off-season). Pick up a Rambler bus schedule at the TI, and buy the ticket from the driver (in Portrush, the Rambler stops at Dunluce Avenue, next to public WC, a 2-minute walk from TI; operated by Translink, tel. 028/9066-6630, www.translink.co.uk).
By Bus Tour: If you’re based in Belfast, you can visit most of the sights on the Antrim Coast with a McComb’s tour (see here). Those based in Derry can get to the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge with City Sightseeing (see here).
By Taxi: Groups (up to four) can reasonably visit most sights by taxi (except the more distant Carrick-a-Rede and Rathlin Island sailings from Ballycastle). Approximate one-way prices from Portrush: £6 (Dunluce Castle), £8 (Old Bushmills Distillery), £11 (Giant’s Causeway). Try Andy Brown’s Taxi (tel. 028/7082-2223), Hugh’s Taxi (mobile 077-0298-6110), or North West Taxi (tel. 028/7082-4446).
Homey Portrush used to be known as “the Brighton of the North.” It first became a resort in the late 1800s, as railroads expanded to offer the new middle class a weekend by the shore. Victorian society believed that swimming in salt water would cure many common ailments.
This is County Antrim, the Bible Belt of Northern Ireland. When a large supermarket chain decided to stay open on Sundays, a local reverend called for a boycott of the store for not honoring the Sabbath. And in 2012, when the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre opened, local Creationists demanded that, alongside modern geologic explanations about the age of the unique rock formations, an exhibit be added explaining their viewpoint (that, according to the Bible, the earth here was only 6,000 years old—not 60 million—carbon dating be damned).
While it’s seen its best days, Portrush retains the atmosphere and architecture of a genteel seaside resort. Its peninsula is filled with lowbrow, family-oriented amusements, fun eateries and B&Bs. Summertime fun seekers promenade along the tiny harbor and tumble down to the sandy beaches, which extend in sweeping white crescents on either side.
Superficially, Portrush has the appearance of any small British seaside resort (and Union Jacks fly with a little extra gusto around here), but its history and large population of young people (students from nearby University of Ulster at Coleraine) give the town a little more personality. Along with the usual arcade amusements, there are nightclubs, restaurants, summer theater productions (July-Aug) in the town hall, and convivial pubs that attract customers all the way from Belfast.
Portrush’s pleasant and easily walkable town center features sea views in every direction. On one side are the harbor and most of the restaurants, and on the other are Victorian townhouses and vast, salty vistas. The tip of the peninsula is filled with tennis courts, lawn-bowling greens, putting greens, and a park.
The town is busy with students during the school year. July and August are beach-resort boom time. June and September are laid-back and lazy. There’s a brief but intense spike in visitors in mid-May for a huge annual motorcycle race (see “Helpful Hints,” below). Families pack Portrush on Saturdays, and revelers from Belfast crowd its hotels on Saturday nights.
Tourist Information: The TI is located underneath the very central, red-brick Town Hall (July-Aug Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun from 11:00; shorter hours off-season and closed Oct-March; Kerr Street, tel. 028/7082-3333). Consider the Collins Northern Ireland Visitors Map (£5), the free Visitor Attractions brochure, and, if needed, a free Belfast map.
Arrival in Portrush: The train tracks stop at the base of the tiny peninsula that Portrush fills (no baggage storage at station). Most of my listed B&Bs are within a 10-minute walk of the train station. The bus stop is two blocks from the train station.
Helpful Hints: Over a four-day weekend in mid-May, thousands of die-hard motorcycle fans converge on Portrush, Port Stewart, and Coleraine to watch the Northwest 200 Race. Fearless racers scorch the roads at 200 miles per hour on the longest straightaway in motorsports. Accommodations fill up a year ahead, and traffic is the pits (dates and details at www.northwest200.org).
Causeway Laundry offers full service (Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri 9:00-16:30, Wed and Sat until 13:00, closed Sun, 68 Causeway Street, tel. 028/7082-2060).
This fun arcade is bigger than it looks and offers a chance to see Northern Ireland at play. Older locals visit for the nostalgia as many of the rides and amusements go back 50 years. Prices for the various rides are listed at the door. Everything runs with tokens (£0.50 each, buy a pile from coin-op machines). Located just below the train station on the harbor, Barry’s is filled with “candy floss” (cotton candy) and crazy “scoop treats” (July-Aug daily 12:30-22:00, weekends only Easter-May, closed Sept-Easter, www.barrysamusements.com).
Irish courses, like those in Scotland, are highly sought after for their lush greens in glorious settings. Serious golfers can get a tee time at the Royal Portrush, which hosted the British Open in 1951 and is set to host it again in 2019 (green fees generally £205, less most days in off-season). Those on a budget can play the adjacent, slightly shorter Valley Course (green fees £25-£55, 10-minute walk from station, tel. 028/7082-2311, www.royalportrushgolfclub.com).
For some easygoing exercise right in town, this well-organized park offers lawn-bowling greens (£5/hour with gear), putting greens, tennis courts, and a great kids’ play park. You can rent tennis shoes, balls, and rackets, all for £10/hour (Mon-Sat 10:00-dusk, Sun from 12:00, closed mid-Sept-May, tel. 028/7082-4441).
For more fun, consider Waterworld, with pools, waterslides, and bowling (£5, Mon-Sat 10:30-18:00, Sun from 12:00, closed Sept-May; wedged between Harbour Bistro and Ramore Wine Bar, tel. 028/7082-2001).
Portrush has a range of hotels, from depressing to ritzy. Some B&Bs can be well-worn. August and Saturday nights can be tight (and loud) with young party groups. Otherwise, it’s a “you take half a loaf when you can get it” town. Rates vary with the view and season—probe for softness. Many listings face the sea, though sea views are worth paying for only if you get a bay window. Ask for a big room (some doubles can be very small; twins are bigger). Lounges are invariably grand and have bay-window views. Most places listed have lots of stairs. All but Shola Coach House are perfectly central and within a few minutes’ walk of the train station. Parking is easy.
$$$ Shola Coach House is a memorable treat that exceeds other B&B experiences in Northern Ireland. About 1.5 miles south of town, it’s easiest for drivers (otherwise it’s a 30-minute uphill walk or £5 taxi ride). The secluded, 170-year-old, renovated stone structure once housed the coaches and horses for a local landlord. The decor of the four rooms is tasteful, the garden patio is delightful, and Sharon and David Schindler keep it spotless (parking, no kids under 18, 2-night minimum, 110A Gateside Road at top of Ballywillan Road, tel. 028/7082-5925, mobile 075-6542-7738, www.sholabandb.com, sholabandb@gmail.com).
$$$ Adelphi Portrush is a breath of fresh air, with 28 tastefully furnished modern rooms, an ideal location, friendly staff, and a hearty bistro downstairs (family rooms, 67 Main Street, tel. 028/7082-5544, www.adelphiportrush.com, stay@adelphiportrush.com).
$ Anvershiel B&B, with seven nicely refurbished rooms, is a great value (RS%, family rooms, parking, 10-minute walk south of train station, 16 Coleraine Road, tel. 028/7082-3861, www.anvershiel.com, enquiries@anvershiel.com, Alan and Janice Thompson).
$ Beulah Guest House is a traditional, old-fashioned place. It’s centrally located and run by cheerful Helen and Charlene McLaughlin, with 11 prim rooms (parking at rear, 16 Causeway Street, tel. 028/7082-2413, www.beulahguesthouse.com, stay@beulahguesthouse.com).
$ Harbour Heights B&B rents nine retro-homey rooms, each named after a different town in County Antrim. It has an inviting guest lounge, supervised by two tabby cats, overlooking the harbor. Friendly South African hosts Sam and Tim Swart—a photographer—manage the place with a light hand (family rooms, 17 Kerr Street, tel. 028/7082-2765, mobile 078-9586-6534, www.harbourheightsportrush.com, info@harbourheightsportrush.com).
¢ Portrush Holiday Hostel offers clean, well-organized, economical lodging for bottom-feeding vagabonds (private rooms available, tel. 028/7082-1288, mobile 078-5037-7367, 24 Princess Street, www.portrushholidayhostel.com, info@portrushholidayhostel.com).
As a family getaway from Belfast and a beach escape for students from the nearby university in Coleraine, Portrush has more than enough fish-and-chips joints. And in recent years, the refined tastes of affluent golfers and urban professionals out for a weekend has prompted the town to up its culinary game.
$ Ground Espresso Bar makes fresh sandwiches and panini, soup, and great coffee (daily July-Aug 9:00-22:00, Sept-June until 17:00, 52 Main Street, tel. 028/7082-5979).
$ Babushka Kitchen Café serves fresh sandwiches and creative desserts with an unbeatable view—actually out on the pier (daily 9:15-17:00, West Strand Promenade, tel. 077-8750-2012).
$$ Café 55 Bistro serves basic sandwiches with a great patio view (daily 9:00-17:00, longer hours in summer, shorter hours off-season, 1 Causeway Street, beneath fancier 55 North restaurant, tel. 028/7082-2811).
$ Mr. Chips Diner and Mr. Chips are the local favorites for cheap, quality fish-and-chips (daily 12:00-22:00, 12 and 20 Main Street). Both are mostly takeout while the diner also has tables. The smaller Mr. Chips cooks with lard (less healthy, more traditional). The bigger Mr. Chips cooks with vegetable oil (healthier) and hangs the stars and bars of the Confederate flag on the wall (when it comes to the Catholic/Protestant issue, this is a conservative town with some redneck tendencies).
Groceries: For picnic ingredients, try Spar Market (daily 7:00-20:00, June-Aug until 23:00, across from Barry’s Arcade on Main Street, tel. 028/7082-5447).
(See “Portrush” map.)
A creative, diverse, and lively quintet of restaurants clusters together overlooking the harbor. With the same owner, they all have a creative and fun energy, are often jammed with diners, and are basically open nightly from 17:00 to 22:00 (exceptions noted below). All are described at RamoreRestaurant.com (only the Mermaid Kitchen & Bar takes reservations).
$$ Ramore Wine Bar is a salty, modern place, with an inviting menu ranging from steaks to vegetarian food. It’s very casual but with serious cuisine. Order at the bar and take a table (also open for lunch, tel. 028/7082-4313).
$$ Coast Pizzeria is a hit for its pizza, pasta, and burgers. It’s noisy and youthful with tight seating (tel. 028/7082-3311).
$$$ Harbour Bistro is dark, noisy, and sprawling with a sloppy crowd enjoying chargrilled meat and fish (tel. 028/7082-2430).
$$ Mermaid Kitchen & Bar is all about fresh fish dishes with a Spanish twist and great harbor views. Those at the bar get a bird’s-eye view of the fun banter and precision teamwork of the kitchen staff (closed Mon-Tue, tel. 028/7082-6969).
$$$ Neptune & Prawn (just across the inlet from the others) is the most yacht-clubby of the bunch. Serving Asian and other international food, with a fancy presentation and many plates designed to be shared, this place is noisy and high-energy, with rock music playing (tel. 028/7082-2448).
$$$ 55 North (named for the local latitude) has the best sea views in town, with windows on three sides. The filling pasta-and-fish dishes, along with some Asian plates, are a joy. Their lunch and early-bird special (order by 18:45) is three courses at the cost of the entrée (daily 12:30-14:00 & 17:00-21:00, 1 Causeway Street, tel. 028/7082-2811).
$$ Ocho Tapas Bistro brings sunny Spanish cuisine to the chilly north, featuring a great early-bird menu—choose any three tapas from a varied list (Tue-Fri 17:00-21:30, Sat-Sun 12:30-14:30 and 17:00-22:00, closed Mon, 92 Main Street, tel. 028/7082-4110).
Harbour Bar is an old-fashioned pub next to the Harbour Bistro (see listing above). Harbour Gin Bar (above Harbour Bar) is romantic and classy—a rustic, spacious, and inviting place with live acoustic folk music from 20:30 (almost nightly) and a fun selection of 45 gins.
Neptune & Prawn Cocktail Bar (above the restaurant by the same name; see earlier listing) has great views over the harbor and is the most classy-yet-inviting place in town for a drink.
Spring Hill Pub is also a good bet for its friendly vibe and occasional live music (17 Causeway Street, tel. 028/7082-3361).
Consider a £17.50 Zone 4 iLink smartcard, good for all-day Translink train and bus use in Northern Ireland (£16.50 top-up for each additional day; for more on iLink cards, see here). Translink’s website has updated schedules and prices for both trains and buses in Northern Ireland (tel. 028/9066-6630, www.translink.co.uk).
From Portrush by Train to: Coleraine (hourly, 12 minutes), Belfast (15/day, 2 hours, transfer in Coleraine), Dublin (7/day, 5 hours, transfer in Coleraine or Belfast). Note that on Sundays, service is greatly reduced.
By Bus to: Belfast (12/day, 2 hours; scenic coastal route, 2.5 hours), Dublin (4/day, 5.5 hours).
The craggy 20-mile stretch of the Antrim Coast extending eastward from Portrush to Ballycastle rates second only to the tip of the Dingle Peninsula as the prettiest chunk of coastal Ireland. From your base in Portrush, you have a varied grab bag of sightseeing choices: Giant’s Causeway, Old Bushmills Distillery, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and Rathlin Island.
It’s easy to weave these sights together by car, but connections are patchy by public transportation. Bus service is viable only in summer, and taxi fares are reasonable only for the sights closest to Portrush (Dunluce Castle, Old Bushmills Distillery, and the Giant’s Causeway). For details on how to plan your day on the Antrim Coast, and for more on your transportation options, see “Planning Your Time” and “Getting Around the Antrim Coast,” at the beginning of this chapter.
The Romans called the Irish the “Scoti” (meaning pirates). When the Scoti crossed the narrow Irish Sea and invaded the land of the Picts 1,500 years ago, that region became known as Scoti-land. Ireland and Scotland were never conquered by the Romans, and they retained similar clannish Celtic traits. Both share the same Gaelic branch of the linguistic tree.
On clear summer days from Carrick-a-Rede, the island of Mull in Scotland—only 17 miles away—is visible. Much closer on the horizon is the boomerang-shaped Rathlin Island, part of Northern Ireland. Rathlin is where Scottish leader Robert the Bruce (a compatriot of William “Braveheart” Wallace) retreated in 1307 after defeat at the hands of the English. Legend has it that he hid in a cave on the island, where he observed a spider patiently rebuilding its web each time a breeze knocked it down. Inspired by the spider’s perseverance, Robert gathered his Scottish forces once more and finally defeated the English at the decisive Battle of Bannockburn.
Flush with confidence from his victory, Robert the Bruce decided to open a second front against the English...in Ireland. In 1315, he sent his brother Edward over to enlist their Celtic Irish cousins in an effort to thwart the English. After securing Ireland, Edward hoped to move on and enlist the Welsh, thus cornering England with their pan-Celtic nation. But Edward’s timing was bad—Ireland was in the midst of famine. His Scottish troops had to live off the land and began to take food and supplies from the starving Irish. He might also have been trying to destroy Ireland’s crops to keep them from being used as a colonial “breadbasket” to feed English troops. The Scots quickly wore out their welcome, and Edward the Bruce was eventually killed in battle near Dundalk in 1318.
This was the first time in history that Ireland was used as a pawn by England’s enemies. Spain and France saw Ireland as the English Achilles’ heel, and both countries later attempted invasions of the island. The English Tudor and Stuart royalty countered these threats in the 16th and 17th centuries by starting the “plantation” of loyal subjects in Ireland. The only successful long-term settlement by the English was here in Northern Ireland, which remains part of the United Kingdom today.
It’s interesting to imagine how things might be different today if Ireland and Scotland had been permanently welded together as a nation 700 years ago. You’ll notice the strong Scottish influence in this part of Ireland when you ask a local a question and he answers, “Aye, a wee bit.” The Irish joke that the Scots are just Irish people who couldn’t swim home.
This five-mile-long stretch of coastline is famous for its bizarre basalt columns. The shore is covered with largely hexagonal pillars that stick up at various heights. It’s as if the earth were offering God a choice of 37,000 six-sided cigarettes.
Geologists claim the Giant’s Causeway was formed by volcanic eruptions more than 60 million years ago. As the surface of the lava flow quickly cooled, it contracted and crystallized into columns (resembling the caked mud at the bottom of a dried-up lakebed, but with far deeper cracks). As the rock later settled and eroded, the columns broke off into the many stair-like steps that now honeycomb the Antrim Coast.
Of course, in actuality, the Giant’s Causeway was made by a giant Ulster warrior named Finn MacCool who knew of a rival giant living across the water in Scotland. Finn built a stone bridge over to Scotland to spy on his rival, and found out that the Scottish giant was much bigger. Finn retreated back to Ireland and had his wife dress him as a sleeping infant, just in time for the rival giant to come across the causeway to spy on Finn. The rival, shocked at the infant’s size, fled back to Scotland in terror of whomever had sired this giant baby. Breathing a sigh of relief, Finn tore off the baby clothes and prudently knocked down the bridge. Today, proof of this encounter exists in the geologic formation that still extends undersea and surfaces in Scotland (at the island of Staffa).
Cost and Hours: The Giant’s Causeway is free and open all the time. But in practice, anyone parking there needs to pay £11.50, which includes an audioguide (or guided walk) and entrance to the visitors center (daily 9:00-18:00, June-Sept until 19:00, Nov-March until 17:00, tel. 028/2073-1855, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giantscauseway). A gift shop and café are in the visitors center.
Visiting the Causeway: For cute variations on the Finn story, as well as details on the ridiculous theories of modern geologists, start in the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre. It’s filled with kid-friendly interactive exhibits giving a worthwhile history of the Giant’s Causeway, with a regional overview. On the far wall opposite the entrance, check out the interesting three-minute video showing the evolution of the causeway from molten lava to the geometric, geologic wonderland of today. The large 3-D model of the causeway offers a bird’s-eye view of the region. There’s also an exhibit about the history of tourism here from the 18th century.
The causeway itself is the highlight of the entire coast. The audioguide (included with the visitors center ticket) highlights 15 stops along the causeway, each with a photo of the formation being described; all stops are shown on the map you’ll receive with your ticket. (Your admission also includes a one-hour guided walk—leaving regularly with demand—covering the same information as the audioguide.)
From the visitors center, you have several options for visiting the causeway:
Short and Easy: A shuttle bus (4/hour from 9:00, £1 each way) zips tired tourists a half-mile from the visitors center down a paved road to the causeway. This standard route (the blue dashed line on your map) offers the easiest access and follows the stops on your audioguide. Many choose to walk down and then take the shuttle back up.
Mid-Level Hike: For a longer hike and a more varied dose of causeway views, consider the cliff-top trail (red dashed line on your map). Take the easy-to-follow trail uphill from the visitors center 10 minutes to Weir’s Snout, the great fence-protected precipice viewpoint. Then hike 15 minutes farther (level) to reach the Shepherd’s Steps. Then grab the banister on the steep (and slippery-when-wet) stairs that zigzag down the switchbacks toward the water. At the T-junction, go 100 yards right, to the towering rock pipes of “the Organ.” (You can detour another 500 yards east around the headland, but the trail dead-ends there.) Now retrace your steps west on the trail (don’t go up the steps again), continuing down to the tidal zone, where the “Giant’s Boot” (6-foot boulder, on the right) provides some photo fun. Another 100 yards farther is the dramatic point where the causeway meets the sea. Just beyond that, at the asphalt turnaround, is the shuttle bus stop.
Just below the bus stop is a fine place to explore the uneven, wave-splashed rock terraces, watching your every easy-to-trip step. Look for “wishing coins”—rusted and bent—that have been jammed into the cracks of rock just behind the turnaround (where the trail passes through a notch in the 20-foot-high rock wall).
Return to the visitors center by hiking up the paved lane (listening to the audioguide at stops along the way). Or, from the turnaround, you can catch the shuttle bus back to the visitors center (just line up and pay the driver).
Longer Hike: Hardy hikers and avid photographers can join the guided three-hour Clifftop Experience trek exploring the trail that runs along a five-mile section of the Causeway Coast, starting at the meager ruins of Dunseverick Castle (yellow dashed line on your map). Operated by the National Trust, the hike is led by a naturalist, who ventures beyond the usual big-bus tourist crowds to explore the rugged rim of this most-scenic section of the Antrim Coast. Expect undulating grass and gravel paths with no WC options and no shelter whatsoever from bad weather (£35, daily March-Oct at 12:15, must prebook, no kids under 12, includes bus from visitors center to Dunseverick trailhead, tel. 028/2073-3419, www.giantscausewaytickets.com, northcoastbookings@nationaltrust.org.uk).
This same hike could also be done on your own. Occasional rock falls and slides can close this trail (ask first at Portrush TI, or call ahead to visitors center). If going independently, a good plan is to take the Causeway Rambler bus (see “Getting Around the Antrim Coast,” earlier) or a taxi from Portrush to Dunseverick Castle (east of Giant’s Causeway on B-146). Get off there and hike west, following the cliff-hugging contours of Benbane Head back to the visitors center. You’ll have a fence on your left and the cliff on the right, so there’s no doubt about the route. When you’re finished, travel back to Portrush by taxi or Rambler bus (check bus schedules ahead of time at Portrush TI or at www.translink.co.uk). For more info on hiking the route without a naturalist, see www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com and search for “North Antrim Cliff Path.”
Bushmills claims to be the world’s oldest distillery. Though King James I (of Bible translation fame) only granted Bushmills its license to distill “Aqua Vitae” in 1608, whiskey has been made here since the 13th century. Distillery tours waft you through the process, making it clear that Irish whiskey is triple distilled—and therefore smoother than Scotch whisky (distilled merely twice and minus the “e”).
Cost and Hours: £8 for 45-minute tour followed by a tasting; tours go on the half-hour Mon-Sat 9:30-16:00 (last tour), Sun from 12:00; Nov-March tours run Mon-Sat 10:00-15:30 (last tour), Sun from 12:00; tours are limited to 30 people and book up—reserve ahead in summer; note that in July, you can still tour, but the distillery machinery is shut down for annual maintenance; tel. 028/2073-3218, www.bushmills.com.
Visiting the Distillery: Tours start with the mash pit, which is filled with a porridge that eventually becomes whiskey. (The leftovers of that porridge are fed to the county’s particularly happy cows.) Bushmills is made of only three ingredients: malted barley, water, and yeast. You’ll see a huge room full of whiskey aging in oak casks—casks already used to make bourbon, sherry, and port. Whiskey picks up its color and personality from this wood (which breathes and has an effective life of 30 years). Bushmills shapes the flavor of its whiskey by carefully finessing the aging process—often in a mix of these casks.
To see the distillery at its lively best, visit when the 100 workers are staffing the machinery—Monday morning through Friday noon. (The still is still on weekends and in July.) The finale, of course, is the opportunity for a sip in the 1608 Bar—the former malt barn. Visitors get a single glass of their choice. Hot-drink enthusiasts might enjoy a cinnamon-and-cloves hot toddy. Teetotalers can just order tea. After the tour, you can get a decent lunch in the hospitality room.
Warning to Shoppers: Customs allowance is one liter per person, which the distillery cannot ship home. To bring some home, you must pack it in your checked bag (pad it well and put it in a plastic bag in case it leaks; airlines will not accept liability for bottles breaking).
Nearby: The distillery is just outside of Bushmills town, which is a loyalist festival of red, white, and blue flags and bunting. Banners posted throughout the town celebrate illustrious Ulster men and women and people far and wide with Ulster heritage (like Mark Twain and Dolly Parton).
For 200 years, fishermen hung a narrow, 90-foot-high bridge (planks strung between wires) across a 65-foot-wide chasm between the mainland and a tiny island. Today, the bridge (while not the original version) gives access to the sea stack where salmon nets were set (until 2002) during summer months to catch the fish turning and hugging the coast’s corner. (The complicated system is described at the gateway.) A pleasant, 30-minute, one-mile walk from the parking lot takes you down to the rope bridge. Cross over to the island for fine views and great seabird-watching, especially during nesting season. A coffee shop and WCs are near the parking lot.
Cost and Hours: £8 trail and bridge fee; daily 9:30-18:00, June-Aug until 20:00, Nov-Feb until 15:30; last entry 45 minutes before closing, tel. 028/2076-9839, www.nationaltrust.org.uk.
Timed-Entry Tickets: Due to an increase in visitors, timed tickets are now required to cross the bridge. Arrive as early as possible; they sell only 240 tickets (same-day only) for each hour-long entry window. If you arrive on a busy day, you may have to wait an hour or even find that all the day’s tickets are sold. Cruise groups and big buses arrive after 11:00. (If you’re frustrated at the ticket booth, you’re welcome to hike down to the bridge for free but won’t be able to venture onto it.)
Nearby Viewpoint: If you have a car and a picnic lunch, don’t miss the terrific coastal scenic rest area one mile steeply uphill and east of Carrick-a-Rede (on B-15 to Ballycastle). This grassy area offers one of the best picnic views in Northern Ireland (tables but no WCs). Feast on bird’s-eye views of the rope bridge, nearby Rathlin Island, and the not-so-distant Island of Mull in Scotland.
These romantic ruins, perched dramatically on the edge of a rocky headland, are a testimony to this region’s turbulent past. During the Middle Ages, the castle was a prized fortification. But on a stormy night in 1639, dinner was interrupted as half of the kitchen fell into the sea, taking the servants with it. That was the last straw for the lady of the castle. The countess of Antrim packed up and moved inland, and the castle “began its slow submission to the forces of nature.”
Cost and Hours: £5, daily 10:00-17:00, winter until 16:00, tel. 028/2073-1938.
Visiting the Castle: While it’s one of the largest castles in Northern Ireland and is beautifully situated, there’s precious little left to see among Dunluce’s broken walls.
Before entering, catch the eight-minute video about the history of the castle (across from the ticket desk). The ruins themselves are dotted with plaques that show interesting artists’ renditions of how the place would have looked 400 years ago.
The 16th-century expansion of the castle was financed by treasure salvaged from a shipwreck. In 1588, the Spanish Armada’s Girona—overloaded with sailors and the valuables of three abandoned sister ships—sank on her way home after the aborted mission against England. More than 1,300 drowned, and only five survivors washed ashore. The shipwreck was more fully excavated in 1967, and a bounty of golden odds and silver ends wound up in Belfast’s Ulster Museum.
The only inhabited island off the coast of Northern Ireland, Rathlin is a quiet haven for hikers, birdwatchers, and seal spotters. Less than seven miles from end to end, this “L”-shaped island is reachable by ferry from the town of Ballycastle.
Getting There: The Rathlin Island passenger-only ferry departs from Ballycastle, just east of Carrick-a-Rede (10 trips per day in summer). Six are fast 25-minute trips, and four are slower 45-minute trips (£12 round-trip per passenger, smart to prebook, as the ferry can sell out on summer days; tel. 028/2076-9299, www.rathlinballycastleferry.com).
Travelers with rental cars park in Ballycastle (only special-permit holders can take a car onto the ferry). A taxi from Portrush to Ballycastle runs £25 one-way. Bus service from Portrush to Ballycastle is spotty (check with the TI in Portrush, or contact Translink—tel. 028/9066-6630, www.translink.co.uk).
Visiting Rathlin Island: Rathlin’s population of 110 islanders clusters around the ferry dock at Church Bay. Here you’ll find the Rathlin Boathouse Visitor Centre, which operates as the island’s TI (daily 10:00-12:30 & 13:00-17:00, closed in winter, on the bay 100 yards east of the ferry dock, mobile 077-0886-9605).
In summer, a shuttle bus (£5 round-trip) meets arriving ferries and drives visitors to the Rathlin Island Seabird Centre at the west end of the island. Entry to the Seabird Centre (£5) includes a tour of its unique lighthouse, extending down the cliff with its beacon at the bottom. It’s upside-down because the coast guard wants the light visible only from a certain distance out to sea. The bird observation terrace at the center (next to the lighthouse) overlooks one of the most dramatic coastal views in Ireland—a sheer drop of more than 300 feet to craggy sea stacks just offshore that are draped in thousands of seabirds. Bring your most powerful zoom lens for photos.
Rathlin has seen its fair share of history. Flint ax heads were quarried here in Neolithic times. The island was one of the first in Ireland to be raided by Vikings, in 795. Robert the Bruce hid out from English pursuers on Rathlin in the early 1300s (see “The Scottish Connection” sidebar, earlier). In the late 1500s, local warlord Sorely Boy MacDonnell stashed his extended family on Rathlin and waited on the mainland at Dunluce Castle to face his English enemies...only to watch in horror as they headed for the island instead to massacre his loved ones. And in 1917, a WWI U-boat sank the British cruiser HMS Drake in Church Bay. The wreck is now a popular scuba-dive destination, 60 feet below the surface.
Not particularly high (never more than 1,500 feet), the Antrim Mountains are cut by a series of large glens running northeast to the sea. Glenariff, with its waterfalls—especially the Mare’s Tail—is the most beautiful of the nine glens (described next). Travelers going by car can take a pleasant drive from Portrush to Belfast, sticking to the (more scenic but less direct) A-2 road that stays near the coast and takes in parts of all the Glens of Antrim.
Glenariff Forest Park offers scenic picnic spots and hiking trails as well as a cozy tea shop. The parking lot alone has a lovely view down the glen to the sea. You’ll find more spectacular scenery on the two-mile waterfall trail along the river gorge, while an easygoing half-mile stroll on the viewpoint trail via the ornamental gardens also provides lovely views (£5 parking fee, daily 10:00-dusk, trail map available at café onsite, tel. 028/7034-0870, www.nidirect.gov.uk).
Getting There: The entry is off A-43 (via A-26; eight miles south of Cushendall, follow signs).
Nearby: Continue along the A-2 scenic coastal route and take a short jog up to Cushendall, where there’s a nice beach for a picnic, or just head south on A-2 toward the Gobbins Cliff Path and the castle at Carrickfergus (see listings in the Belfast chapter).