Giant's Causeway

[Tipsntoes]

DS2 has expressed a desire to go and as he's at that 14yo not interested in anything stage, this seems like quite a big deal. Plus, I've wanted to see it since I did Geology at Alevel.

A tour guide friend has suggested it's better to do the Scottish end as it will be less busy, but it also seems less accessible with less to do for the rest of the week.

Does anyone have any tips for either end?

We're in South East England, what the best way to get to either site?

What else is there to do in the area(s)? We're generally happy with walking but a couple of days more exiting outdoor activities for the teen DC is good and some wet weather contingencies?

Plus, DH was in the British Army and is very reluctant to visit Northern Ireland. Can anyone put his mind at rest or is it a valid concern? He's been out for years, but you can still tell just by looking at him that he's an ex-squaddie.

Ooohhh! I started a similar thread a few weeks ago and got loads of excellent advice. I’ll see if I can find it.

previous thread on simular

English DH is still in the army and we live here FGS! Your DH needs to catch himself on, it's a very different place in most areas than it was twenty years ago. Even Lonely Planet just said it was the best place to visit in 2018, and the nearest big town, Coleraine, is hardly well known for its republican leanings. Avoid July and it'll be grand.

Dark Hedges, Rathlin Island, Mussenden Temple and Carrick a rede rope bridge are all close by the Causeway, and Belfast is only about an hour and a half in the car. A car is must, especially up the North Coast.

Wider afield there's the Fermanagh Lakes (don't get raved about enough on these threads IMHO), Hillsborough Castle (the Queen's gaff) is opening again from July after a massive refit, and the Ulster Museum is excellent and has a very sensitive exhibition on the Troubles which might be enlightening.

Oh and if you're getting the Belfast-Birkenhead ferry people will say, "you don't need a cabin! You can sleep on the restaurant benches!". Don't listen to them, they are liars.

I'd go for the NI end because there's a great visitor centre with an exhibition and short audio-visual presentation that allows visitors to learn about the origins of the Causeway, the mythology, the science, the nature and is the ideal starting point for walks along the coastal and cliff top paths. There are guided walks and the Centre also provides a bus service to and from the main causeway. The Centre also has a gift shop and cafe.

There's also a nearby theme park. Of course some of the rides are for little children but there's at least one loop-the-looper and several other thrill ones that a 14 year old definitely would not find too tame. The park is free to enter... you just pay by the ride.
www.barrysamusements.com/family-rides.aspx

Your boys might also enjoy Portrush Sea Tours aboard a high-speed rib boat. www.portrushseatours.com

I forgot to mention an epic go karting track which is over 2km long, they have international competitions there. It's called Nutts Corner.

DP and I went last year and it was absolutely fantastic. The Giants Causeway area itself was great, with a good visitors’ centre, beautiful clifftop walks and a nice lunch at a hotel. The colours were stunning! Orange and green cliffs with a sparkling blue sea: gorgeous.

We also went to the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, which was worth it just for the view alone. We had a RIB tour booked but unfortunately the weather turned and it was cancelled.

Travel-wise, we flew from Luton to Belfast and rented a car. That was well-worth doing.

I live on the North Coast and your husband has nothing to worry about - as others have said hostile attitudes have largely died out and tourism is now such a massive part of the N Ireland economy that the friendliness of the Irish welcome extends to all.

I think it would be cheaper and definitely a whole lot easier to fly over and hire a car - you could fly to Dublin, Belfast (City or Intl) or Derry. There is loads to do in this area, and loads in Belfast and Dublin too. I think staying in 2 places is a good idea, depending on where you fly into you could divide your time between city/Coast, or between different parts of N Ireland.

As a previous poster said the National Trust Centre at the Causeway is now a lot more expensive than it used to be - however they do preserve it well and the Centre is miles better than a few years ago. Anyway - you don’t have to pay to access the Causeway, you can walk down from the car park or the coastal path. You do have to pay for the carpark and access to the Centre.

If you’re interested in travelling round a bit it might be worthwhile taking out NT family membership as it also covers the rope bridge and Mussenden temple on the North Coast (and car access to Portstewart strand from Easter-October) the Marble Arch caves in Fermanagh (which it sounds like you’d also enjoy) and several other big House properties.

I don’t know the Scottish end so can’t speak on that but the Northern Ireland end is v v impressive and it’s a v short easy and often cheap flight if booked in advance

I have been v nice and the cost surrounding it is v stunning

Thanks everyone, I'm all excited now

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Don't just stop at the causeway itself but follow the path round to see other impressive geological formations. The walk from the visitor centre is not far so if you're all mobile don't bother with the bus. If you're into Game of Thrones Dunluce Castle and Ballintoy harbour (Iron Islands) are not far. My sons loved Dunluce Castle when they were about 8 and 10.

I think your husband rather overestimates how interested anyone will be in what he looks like!! But yes, the Causeway is amazing. Also I haven't done it yet due to never being there with good weather since it's opened but I'd give the Gobbins Cliff Path a look too while you're over.

In 2011, 2 DC and I stayed at the Carnside Bed and Breakfast and were very happy. We had a bedroom at the front with views over the coast and an abiding memory will be playing Scrabble in their front room as the sun went down! Breakfast was generous with a lot of wholefood ingredients (the hostess does holistic therapy, too) and they have "fragrant" cows grazing nearby. Carnside. We spent a full day at the Visitors' Centre but only walked about an hour each direction. Well worth a visit.

It was early July, so full Marching Season and we felt slightly uncomfortable at the stares we got in our RoI registered car. Bushmills is definitely proud to be British with their Union Jack bunting and loud drum beating. A few hostile comments were being bandied around the pub, rapidly hushed up by their less drunk companions. I'm British, but I lived in Ireland throughout the 80's so I understand the background and had no doubts about what was said! As our hostess said: "They need their heads knockin' together, the lot of them!"

I've been to both I think - if Staffa is the Scottish side. I would say if he wants to go to the Giants Causeway then you should do Ireland. I really liked it and the Antrim coast where we stayed was incredibly beautiful. I did feel a bit scared though...but it was a long time ago and I am a scaredy cat.
This year we visited Staffa and went to Fingals cave. It was truly amazing. Helped that the sun shone, that we could walk freely on the rocks and that we could climb up and sit on the cliffs with the puffins afterwards. It was my best day of 2017.

Thinking about NI and GC for the Easter holidays. IF we went the first week of April, what's the weather likely to be like? I realise that this is an impossible Q, but after 4 days of wind and rain in Copenhagen last year, and 4 days of wind and rain in Paris the Easter before, it would be nice to stay vaguely warm and dry. WE'd all hate a beach holiday though!

I went last Easter to GC . My partner is Irish/NI and weekend and we made a commitment to explore Ireland every Easter .

We did a short driving trip along the coast and the weather was beautiful, cold but sunny - think T-shirt , hoody and anorak over the top . Windy in parts . I think it rained once .

Think this is a perfect time to go :)

• that makes no sense 😂😂 we went for a long weekend and then made a commitment to do it every Easter weekend .

This year we are doing Connemara

I have a photo of my two sheltering from the rain in a red phonebox near the GC, wearing sweatshirts, cagoules, hats and gloves.

In July!

The "Scottish side" is very inaccessible.

We have holidayed on the Antrim Causeway Coast many times and it's nothing like the N Ireland of the 80s. It's a lovely, welcoming place where unless you're visiting on 12th July you will be able to avoid all mention of troubles.

IF we went the first week of April, what's the weather likely to be like?

Obviously I'm making no promises but generally we find the weather in April and May to be quite pleasant. The days are getting quite long and it tends to be quite sunny. Not warm though! But bright and (often) dry.

The poster upthread who mentioned a theme park nearby...I think if you come expecting a theme park you'll be very disappointed. It's the amusements at the seaside. It's bigger than your average amusements by the seaside and it is loved by every child in N Ireland as the highlight of their summer trip to Portrush, but I just wanted to sound a note of caution in case anyone is trying to sell a trip to N Ireland to their cynical teens with 'but there's a theme park' because it would become a family joke that your offspring would still be mocking you for when they are middle aged. Still worth a visit if you have younger children though (or even with older ones,
as long as you know not to expect too much)

Most of what I came on here to say has already been said, but we LOVED Giants Causeway and the general coastal area.

There is a town called Portstewart nearby, and we stood at the top of a cliff in June and watched a huge pod of dolphins playing in the waves less the a kilometre from the shore, and then went to the beach (the 'strand') which was stunning - huge white sand beach with sand dunes behind and an excellent restaurant called Harry's Shack, selling the best fish and chips we have ever had. They have their own fishing boat which goes out every morning so the fish is so fresh.

If you have the budget, you can take a helicopter ride along the coast and over Giants Causeway. It takes about an hour and was just amazing, especially having seen it from the ground.
Totally recommend it if you have the time and money

The Bushmills whiskey distillery is also worth a visit. Even if your DS can't sample the goods, it's fascinating to learn about how it
Is all made