Giant's Causeway - Antrim Coast - Northern Ireland
May 9 2023
Visiting Giant's Causeway. From Belfast, I travelled to Bushmills to visit Northern Ireland's biggest tourist attraction.
Just a couple of miles east of the small town of Bushmills in County Antrim, you'll find The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland's most famous natural wonder and biggest tourist attraction.
The Giant's Causeway will blow your mind, and will be the highlight of your trip to Northern Ireland.
How was the Giant's Causeway formed?
The interlocking basalt columns were formed by volcanic explosions over 60 million years ago. Around 40,000 of them. They look like stepping stones leading down to the sea.
Giant's Causeway Myth:
The Giant's Causeway will blow your mind, and will be the highlight of your trip to Northern Ireland.
How was the Giant's Causeway formed?
The interlocking basalt columns were formed by volcanic explosions over 60 million years ago. Around 40,000 of them. They look like stepping stones leading down to the sea.
Giant's Causeway Myth:
Legend, has it, that the basalt columns are the remains of a causeway built by the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool), from the Fenian Cycle of Gaelic mythology. The story goes that he was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two could meet.
Check out these amazing Giant's Causeway photos:
I have a few more photos from a little further east than where I walked today on my next post, when I backpacked Benbane Head.
How to get to Giant's Causeway:
Giant's Causeway is in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, just a few miles from the lovely town of Bushmills, the Home of Irish Whiskey.
From Belfast, I took a train to Portrush, changing in Coleraine and then a bus to Bushmills where I stayed at the Bushmills Youth Hostel, which is now sadly (2025) closed.
And from right outside the hostel you can take the bus, the same one you took from Portrush which goes to Ballycastle, and get off at Causeway Head.
Or you can take the cute little tram if it is running. Bushmills is tiny. It's easy to find. And if the tram isn't running you can walk on the cycle path alongside the tracks. It isn't very far. 2 miles is all.
There is no charge to visit Giant's Causeway though you can visit the National Trust office and get an Audio Guide for £15 and then even get a shuttle bus from the visitors centre to the Giant's Causeway itself but of course, I walked and not just to save money. I love walking. In a previous life, I walked the 1071 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats. There ain't much you can tell me about walking!
From Belfast, I took a train to Portrush, changing in Coleraine and then a bus to Bushmills where I stayed at the Bushmills Youth Hostel, which is now sadly (2025) closed.
And from right outside the hostel you can take the bus, the same one you took from Portrush which goes to Ballycastle, and get off at Causeway Head.
Or you can take the cute little tram if it is running. Bushmills is tiny. It's easy to find. And if the tram isn't running you can walk on the cycle path alongside the tracks. It isn't very far. 2 miles is all.
There is no charge to visit Giant's Causeway though you can visit the National Trust office and get an Audio Guide for £15 and then even get a shuttle bus from the visitors centre to the Giant's Causeway itself but of course, I walked and not just to save money. I love walking. In a previous life, I walked the 1071 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats. There ain't much you can tell me about walking!
Bushmills Station:
Follow the tracks for 2 miles:
The Giant's Causeway is free to visit:
After, I continued heading east on the footpath. The views are outstanding. And then I retraced my steps, stopping in The Nook for a pint of black and a Bushmills Whiskey on the side before continuing on, walking on the beach to Portballintrae and finally back to Bushmills.
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