Causeway Coastal Route: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide

The Causeway Coastal Route runs roughly 120 miles from Belfast to Derry~Londonderry, hugging the Antrim coast for most of its length. It’s one of the great road trips in Europe — and it earns that reputation within the first thirty minutes, when the road lifts above Belfast Lough and the landscape opens up into something you weren’t quite prepared for.

This isn’t a motorway drive. It’s a winding, often single-carriageway journey along cliff edges, through fishing villages, past castle ruins, and around headlands with views to Scotland. The road itself is part of the experience. You’ll want to stop constantly. Let yourself.

Route Overview

The route follows the A2 for most of its length, with detours onto smaller roads for specific stops. It traces the coast of County Antrim from Belfast north to Larne, then west through the Glens of Antrim, along the north coast past the Giant’s Causeway, and on to Derry.

Total distance: Roughly 120 miles (195 km) without detours.

Driving time (non-stop): About three and a half hours. But you’re not going to drive it non-stop. Nobody does.

Recommended duration: Two to three days is ideal. One day is possible if you’re selective with stops, but it’s a waste of a great drive. Three days lets you linger.

Direction: The route works in either direction. Belfast to Derry keeps the ocean on your left (the passenger side if driving on the left, so your passenger gets the best views — or you do on the way back). Derry to Belfast puts the ocean on your right, which is better for the driver but means tight passing on cliff-edge roads. Most people drive Belfast to Derry.

The Stops

Here’s the route broken into sections, with the key stops in order from Belfast heading north and west.

Belfast to Larne

Carrickfergus Castle

Twenty minutes north of Belfast on Belfast Lough. One of the best-preserved Norman castles in Ireland — built in 1177 and in continuous military use until 1928. It’s imposing from the outside and interesting within. Allow 45 minutes to an hour.

The Gobbins

A cliff path carved into the basalt cliffs near Islandmagee. Originally built in 1902 as an Edwardian tourist attraction, it was restored and reopened in 2015. The path follows the cliff face via bridges, tunnels, and staircases, with the sea crashing below. Guided tours only — book in advance. Allow two hours including the tour.

It’s a short detour off the main route but worth it if you have the time and a head for heights.

The Glens of Antrim

After Larne, the road enters the Glens — nine green valleys cutting from the Antrim plateau down to the sea. This is the stretch where the drive gets properly scenic. The road clings to the coast, climbs over headlands, and drops into villages.

Glenariff Forest Park

Known locally as the “Queen of the Glens.” A forested valley with three waterfalls accessed via a well-maintained walking trail (the Waterfall Walk is about 3 km and takes an hour). There’s a tearoom at the top. It’s lush, green, and atmospheric even in rain — arguably especially in rain.

Cushendall and Cushendun

Two small coastal villages that make good stopping points. Cushendall is the “capital of the Glens” — a handful of streets, a couple of pubs, and a distinctive red sandstone tower called the Curfew Tower. Cushendun, a few miles north, has a row of Cornish-style cottages (designed by Clough Williams-Ellis, who also designed Portmeirion in Wales) and caves that featured in Game of Thrones. For more on filming sites along this route, see our guide to Game of Thrones filming locations in Northern Ireland.

Both villages have a pace of life that makes Belfast feel like Manhattan. Stop for lunch. Have a pint. Watch the sea.

The North Coast

The northern tip of Antrim is where the route reaches its climax.

Torr Head

A narrow, winding road branches off the main route to Torr Head — the closest point on the Irish mainland to Scotland. On a clear day, the Mull of Kintyre is startlingly close. The road is single-track with passing places and not for the nervous, but the views are worth the white knuckles. The headland itself is raw and windswept, with the ruins of a coastguard station.

Fair Head

A massive basalt cliff — the largest in Ireland — overlooking the sea toward Rathlin Island and Scotland. It’s a scramble rather than a stroll: park at the car park and walk about 30 minutes to the cliff edge across open moorland. Not suitable for young children or anyone uncomfortable near unfenced drops. But on a clear day, with the cliff falling 196 metres to the water below, it’s one of the most impressive viewpoints in Northern Ireland.

Ballycastle

A proper small town with a harbour, a beach, and a good selection of pubs and restaurants. It’s the ferry departure point for Rathlin Island — Northern Ireland’s only inhabited offshore island, home to about 150 people and a massive seabird colony (puffins in May and June). The ferry takes 25 minutes each way. If you have half a day to spare, Rathlin is a detour worth making.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

A rope bridge connecting the mainland to a tiny island, originally used by salmon fishermen. It’s 20 metres long, spans a chasm 30 metres above the sea, and it sways. Crossing it isn’t technically difficult — it’s the psychological element that gets people. The views from the island are superb.

Managed by the National Trust. Timed entry applies in summer — book ahead. Allow about 90 minutes including the coastal walk to the bridge.

Ballintoy Harbour

Just west of Carrick-a-Rede. A tiny harbour at the bottom of a steep road, used as the Iron Islands in Game of Thrones. Even without the TV connection, it’s a beautiful spot — white limestone cliffs, turquoise water (on the right day), and a small boathouse.

Giant’s Causeway

The centrepiece. We’ve written a full guide covering everything you need to know about the Giant’s Causeway, but in summary: 40,000 basalt columns, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and genuinely one of the most extraordinary natural formations on Earth. Allow two to three hours minimum.

Dunluce Castle

Five minutes west of the Causeway. A medieval castle ruin on a headland above the sea, connected to the mainland by a bridge over a deep chasm. It’s dramatic from every angle. The kitchens fell into the sea during a storm in 1639, which must have been something to witness. Part of the castle is thought to have inspired Cair Paravel in The Chronicles of Narnia.

Allow 45 minutes to an hour. The visitor experience has been updated in recent years and is well done.

Portrush and Portstewart

The north coast’s two resort towns, sitting side by side. Portrush has the amusements, the chip shops, and the famous Royal Portrush Golf Club (which hosted The Open Championship). Portstewart has the Strand — a two-mile beach backed by dunes that’s regularly named among the best in the UK and Ireland.

If you’re staying overnight along the route, this stretch has the widest selection of accommodation and restaurants. The north coast sunsets — seen from either town — are worth timing your evening around. For recommendations on where to eat along the coast, see our Northern Ireland food guide.

Portstewart to Derry

Mussenden Temple

Perhaps the most photographed building in Northern Ireland. A small, circular temple perched on the edge of a 120-foot cliff above Downhill Beach. It was built in 1785 by the eccentric Frederick Hervey, the Earl-Bishop of Derry, as a library — based on the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli. The cliff has eroded significantly since then, and the temple now sits right on the edge.

The surrounding Downhill Demesne grounds are managed by the National Trust and include the ruins of Downhill House and the walled garden. Downhill Beach itself — a vast, empty strand stretching west — is magnificent.

The Final Stretch to Derry

The route crosses into County Derry and follows the coast through Castlerock and past the mouth of Lough Foyle. The approach to Derry is along the river, with the city’s walls visible on the hilltop. If you have time, Derry deserves at least a half day — see our Derry~Londonderry city guide for the walls, the Bogside murals, the Peace Bridge, and an increasingly good food scene.

Driving Tips

Drive on the left. If you’re not used to it, the coast road will cure you quickly — there’s nothing like an oncoming tractor on a narrow cliff road to sharpen your lane discipline.

Take it slow. Many sections are single carriageway with speed limits of 40–60 mph. The views tempt you to look sideways. Use the designated pull-offs — they exist specifically because the scenery is distracting.

Watch for cyclists. The Causeway Coastal Route is popular with touring cyclists. The road is narrow in places. Give them room.

Fuel up. There are petrol stations in all the towns, but some stretches between stops are longer than you’d expect. Don’t let the tank get below a quarter.

Weather. The coast is exposed. Conditions can change in minutes. Rain, sun, fog, and wind can all happen in a single hour. This is part of the charm, but keep it in mind for cliff walks and rope bridges.

Where to Stay

Budget

Hostels in Ballycastle, Bushmills, and Portrush offer good value. The Whitepark Bay Youth Hostel, in a converted farmhouse overlooking one of the north coast’s best beaches, is one of the finest hostel locations in the British Isles.

Mid-Range

Bushmills Inn — A coaching inn in the heart of Bushmills village. Turf fires, a good restaurant, and an atmospheric bar. Walking distance to the distillery. One of the best-loved hotels on the Causeway Coast.

The Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy — Small and characterful, right on the coast road between Carrick-a-Rede and the Giant’s Causeway.

Guesthouses and B&Bs are plentiful along the route, especially around Cushendall, Ballycastle, and the Portrush–Portstewart area. Quality is generally high — Northern Irish hospitality at its most personal.

Splurge

The Bushmills Inn also falls here if you take a suite. Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, slightly inland near Ballymena, is a luxury option with outdoor hot tubs and a spa village.

Suggested Itinerary

Two Days

Day 1: Belfast to Ballycastle. Carrickfergus Castle, the Antrim coast road through the Glens, Glenariff Forest Park, Cushendall for lunch, Torr Head or Fair Head in the afternoon. Stay in Ballycastle. If you’re starting in Belfast, see our guide to the best things to do in Belfast for how to spend your time before hitting the road.

Day 2: Ballycastle to Derry. Carrick-a-Rede in the morning, Giant’s Causeway (arrive early), Dunluce Castle, lunch in Portrush or Portstewart, Mussenden Temple, arrive Derry late afternoon.

Three Days

As above, but split day two: spend the morning at the Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Distillery, overnight in the Portrush/Bushmills area, then take day three for Mussenden Temple, Downhill Beach, and a proper exploration of Derry.

The Point

If you’d rather experience this coastline on foot, our guide to walking the Causeway Coast Way covers the 33-mile trail in detail. For practical travel info, see how to get to Northern Ireland.

You could drive from Belfast to Derry in 90 minutes on the motorway. But then you’d miss all of this — the cliffs, the castles, the villages, the sea stacks, the rope bridge, the 40,000 basalt columns, and the feeling of driving a road that was built because the landscape demanded it. Take the coast road. Take your time.

Love a great coastal drive? On the other side of the world, the drive from Sydney to Jervis Bay on Australia’s NSW South Coast offers a completely different but equally beautiful coastal journey — bushland giving way to white sand beaches and turquoise water that rivals anything in the tropics.