The Giant's Causeway is a mass of interlocking basalt columns formed by volcanic cooling around 60 million years ago, sitting where the coast road meets the Atlantic. A visit works as a half-day at the stones themselves plus a half-day on the wider Causeway Coastal Route, which is where this trip earns a full day rather than a quick stop. The columns themselves take under an hour to walk if that's all you do; the surrounding cliff paths and nearby villages are what stretch it out.
| Distance | 90 km from Belfast (~1 hr 10 min drive) |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 1 hour 10 minutes by car; 2.5 hours by public transport |
| Getting there | Drive: A26 north to Coleraine then A29/B67. Public: Train to Coleraine (1h 20min from Belfast Central, £9/$11) + Rambler bus 172 (40 min, £5/$6) |
| Address | Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre, 44 Causeway Road, Bushmills, BT57 8SU |
How to get there
- Self-drive hire car
- Translink train + bus 172
- Guided day tour from Belfast
Location
Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre, 44 Causeway Road, Bushmills, BT57 8SU
55.2408, -6.5116 View on map
Highlights
- Giant's Causeway stones - the basalt columns and the Grand Causeway viewing point are the reason for the trip
- Causeway Coast Way cliff path - the red trail to Benbane Head gives views back over the columns that the lower path doesn't
- Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge - a short drive/coastal path away, a rope bridge over a chasm to a small former fishing island
- Bushmills - the nearby distillery town, useful for lunch and a distillery tour if time allows
- Dunluce Castle - ruined clifftop castle a few minutes' drive along the coast road, worth the stop even from the outside