Visiting the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland
The Giant’s Causeway is more than just a landmark; it’s a part of the landscape so revered that it’s spawned legends and shaped our folklore over the centuries. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site made up of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that formed millions of years ago due to volcanic activity. Legend has it that a giant named Fionn Mac Cumhaill threw the rocks into the sea as a way to reach Scotland. Look for the Giant’s Boot, a large basalt boulder eroded into a boot shape, and the towering Chimney Stacks, the tallest of the basalt columns.
To get here, drive north from Bushmills to the visitor center. The way the car park is set up, you might feel you have to go through the visitor center and pay to see the Giant’s Causeway, but you don’t; it’s free. Look for the trail beside the car park that leads to the coast and walk that way to avoid the visitor center, which charges a £14 entrance fee.
The visitor center is hit and miss, to be honest. It opened with some controversy, as local politicians insisted that their Creationist beliefs be acknowledged despite being at complete odds with scientific fact. These mentions have been removed now, but overall it still feels like an expensive fee for not a whole lot of benefit. If you do choose to pay and go in, there are toilets as well as a gift shop and café.
Hiking and Walking
North Antrim Cliff Path: Dunseverick to Giant’s Causeway
Distance: 7.5 km (4.6 mi) one-way; Duration: 2.5 hours; Elevation gain: 375 m (1,230 ft); Effort: Moderate; Trailhead: Dunseverick Castle or Giant’s Causeway
This scenic coastal trail follows the natural ebb and flow of the cliffs along a well-maintained trail that amazes with outstanding views. There’s a bus route between Dunluce Castle and Giant’s Causeway, so you can park at either end, hike the trail one-way, and catch the bus back. Or make it an out-and-back hike following the same trail on your return.
Food and Accommodations Near the Giant’s Causeway
The Nook
48 Causeway Rd.; tel. 28/7083-2015; daily 8:30am-11pm; from £17
This old schoolhouse has been carefully brought into the modern era and now exists as a small pub that has managed not to lose its historic charm. Wooden furniture and a wooden bar are inside, heated in winter by the open fire. In summer, an outdoor terrace provides a view along with the Taste of Ulster menu that champions local produce. Highlights of the unpretentious offerings are the steak and Guinness pie and deep-fried scampi.
Tartine at the Distillers Arms
140 Main St.; tel. 28/2073-2993; www.distillersarms.com; daily 11am-5pm; from £22
Serving modern brasserie-style dishes at affordable prices, Tartine at the Distillers Arms is worth a visit. The building is the original home of the owners of the Bushmills Distillery, and you can see its age in the exposed rock walls in the dining room, which can accommodate 85. The chef prides himself on simple dishes that let the quality of Northern Irish ingredients shine. The slow-roasted lamb with braised root vegetables, champ (mashed potatoes and green onions), and capers is a popular choice.
Bushmills Inn
9 Dunluce Rd.; tel. 7894-854791; www.bushmillsinn.com; £200
First built as a coach inn in the 1600s, the Bushmills Inn is now a 41-room, four-star hotel that still has many original and historic features, like the striking tower-like entrance and sash windows. Each day, two flags are flown outside from their collection of 300, which you can see in the Flag Room. The rooms have simple traditional style with crisp white bed linens and heavy curtains, but there are modern amenities too, with flat-screen TVs and Wi-Fi in each room. There’s a restaurant on-site, and the bar is a standout thanks to the roaring open fireplace and old-world furniture.
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