Game of Thrones Filming Locations in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland was the home of Game of Thrones. Not just a filming location — the home. Titanic Studios in Belfast served as the primary production base for all eight seasons. The landscapes of County Antrim, County Down, and beyond became Westeros, Essos, and the lands beyond the Wall. More of the show was filmed here than anywhere else in the world.

This matters because it means the filming locations aren’t isolated spots scattered across a continent. They’re concentrated in a small country with good roads and short distances. You can visit the King’s Road, Winterfell, the Iron Islands, and the Haunted Forest in a single day. You’ll also see some of the finest scenery in Ireland along the way — these locations were chosen because they looked extraordinary, and they still do.

Here’s where to go.

The Dark Hedges — The King’s Road

The most photographed Game of Thrones location, and with good reason.

The Dark Hedges is an avenue of beech trees planted in the eighteenth century by the Stuart family along the approach to their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House. The trees have grown into a dramatic tunnel of intertwining branches — gothic, atmospheric, and faintly unsettling even on a bright day.

In the show, this became the King’s Road — the route Arya Stark travelled when disguised as a boy, escaping from King’s Landing. The scenes were filmed early in Season 2.

Visiting: The road is near Armoy in County Antrim, signposted from the A44. It’s been closed to through traffic and is pedestrian-only. There’s a car park nearby. Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon for the best light and the smallest crowds — in peak season, the hedges attract bus tours and the atmosphere can suffer. Autumn and winter, when the branches are bare, arguably look more dramatic than summer.

Castle Ward — Winterfell

Castle Ward, a National Trust property on the shores of Strangford Lough in County Down, served as the primary filming location for Winterfell in Season 1. The farmyard and tower house doubled for the Stark stronghold, and the surrounding landscape appeared in numerous exterior shots.

The setting is convincing. Castle Ward’s combination of old stone buildings, rolling parkland, and a large lough behind it genuinely looks like a working Northern stronghold. The National Trust has leaned into the connection — you can do archery on the Winterfell set, dress up in Stark costumes, and take guided tours of the filming locations within the estate.

Visiting: Castle Ward is about 30 minutes from Belfast, signposted from Strangford village. The estate is large and beautiful beyond the Game of Thrones connection — the house itself (unusually, with a classical front and a Gothic back, because the owners couldn’t agree on a style) and the grounds along Strangford Lough are worth exploring regardless.

Cushendun Caves — Melisandre’s Shadow

The sea caves at Cushendun, on the Antrim coast, are where one of the show’s most memorable scenes was filmed: Melisandre giving birth to the shadow assassin that kills Renly Baratheon (Season 2).

The caves are natural formations carved from red sandstone by the sea over millions of years. They’re small — you won’t spend hours here — but atmospheric. The red-brown rock, the filtered light, and the sound of waves make the location unmistakably recognisable from the show.

Visiting: Cushendun is a charming village on the coast road (A2) between Ballycastle and Cushendall. The caves are a short walk from the village, along the beach and around the headland. Free to visit at any time, though tides can restrict access. Check tide times before you go.

Tollymore Forest Park — The Haunted Forest

The opening scene of the entire series — three Night’s Watch rangers venturing beyond the Wall and encountering the White Walkers — was filmed in Tollymore Forest Park at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in County Down. Our Mourne Mountains hiking guide covers the walking trails in this area.

Tollymore was used for multiple scenes across several seasons, representing various parts of the Haunted Forest and the Wolfswood. The ancient trees, stone bridges, and the Shimna River running through the park create an atmosphere that required minimal set dressing to become a fantasy forest.

Visiting: Tollymore is near Newcastle, about an hour from Belfast. It’s a proper forest park with marked walking trails (ranging from 2 km to 8 km), so you can combine your Game of Thrones pilgrimage with a genuine walk. The park is particularly beautiful in autumn. There’s a car park with a small charge. Look for the Gothic stone gate at the entrance and the various ornamental bridges — the Altavaddy Bridge and the stepping stones across the Shimna River appeared in the show.

Downhill Beach — Dragonstone

The long, dramatic stretch of Downhill Beach (also known as Benone Strand), beneath the clifftop ruins of Downhill Demesne and Mussenden Temple, was used for scenes at Dragonstone — specifically the burning of the statues of the Seven (Season 2) and Melisandre’s fire rituals on the beach.

The location is spectacular independently of the GoT connection. Mussenden Temple — a small circular library perched on the cliff edge, modelled on the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli — is one of the most photographed buildings in Northern Ireland. The beach stretches for miles below, wide and wind-battered.

Visiting: Downhill is on the north coast between Coleraine and Limavady. The beach is accessible from a car park at Downhill or from Benone Strand further west. Downhill Demesne (National Trust) gives access to Mussenden Temple and the clifftop walks. On a stormy day, this place is genuinely dramatic.

Ballintoy Harbour — The Iron Islands

This small harbour on the north Antrim coast, between the Giant’s Causeway and Ballycastle, became the port of Pyke on the Iron Islands. Theon Greyjoy’s return to the Iron Islands (Season 2) and various harbour scenes were filmed here.

Ballintoy Harbour is tiny — a few stone buildings, a slipway, and rugged basalt formations along the shore. It looks exactly like the kind of place where people who worship a Drowned God would live. The harbour is also on the route of the Causeway Coast Way walk.

Visiting: Reached by a steep, narrow road from Ballintoy village. Parking is limited — consider parking in the village and walking down. Near the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, so it can get busy.

Inch Abbey — Robb Stark’s Camp

The ruins of Inch Abbey, a twelfth-century Cistercian monastery on the banks of the River Quoile near Downpatrick in County Down, were used as the setting for Robb Stark’s camp where he is proclaimed King in the North (Season 1).

The abbey ruins are atmospheric — broken arches and stone walls set in flat riverside meadows with the Cathedral Hill of Downpatrick rising behind. The scene in the show used torchlight and hundreds of extras, but even in daylight with nobody around, the location has a powerful quality.

Visiting: Free to visit at any time. Small car park off the A7 south of Downpatrick. A short walk leads to the ruins. Combine with a visit to Downpatrick itself — the grave of St Patrick (or what’s believed to be his grave) is on the hill above.

The Doors of Thrones

After the show’s fifth season, HBO commissioned ten intricately carved wooden doors made from Dark Hedges beech trees that had fallen in a storm. Each door was placed in a different pub, restaurant, or venue across Northern Ireland, and each depicts scenes from a Season 5 episode. They’ve since expanded the series with additional doors for later seasons.

Pick up a “passport” at any participating venue and get it stamped at each door. Notable stops include the Dark Horse in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter and Mary McBride’s in Cushendun.

Self-Drive vs Guided Tours

Self-Drive

The filming locations are well-signposted and spread across a manageable area. A dedicated day of driving could cover the Dark Hedges, Cushendun Caves, Ballintoy Harbour, and Downhill Beach along the north coast — many of these stops are also highlights of the Causeway Coastal Route road trip. Castle Ward, Tollymore Forest, and Inch Abbey are clustered in County Down and make a natural second day.

The advantage of self-driving is flexibility — you can linger where you want and skip what doesn’t interest you. Distances are short. The entire north coast route from Belfast and back is about 200 kilometres.

Guided Tours

Several operators run Game of Thrones tours from Belfast, ranging from half-day trips to multi-day experiences. The best ones use small groups and provide expert commentary — some guides were extras in the show. Particularly worthwhile for Castle Ward, where operator-run experiences include costumes, archery, and access to specific filming spots.

Beyond the Screen

Here’s the thing about visiting Game of Thrones locations in Northern Ireland: the places themselves are more interesting than their TV appearances. The Dark Hedges were planted 250 years before the show existed. Castle Ward’s eccentric architecture tells a better story than any script. Cushendun’s caves have been there for millions of years. Tollymore Forest is one of the finest woodland walks in the country.

For practical travel tips, see how to get to Northern Ireland and our guide to the best things to do in Belfast, where most tours depart from.

Come for Westeros if that’s what brings you. Stay because Northern Ireland’s real landscape is more extraordinary than any fantasy.