Northern Ireland's Best Scenic Routes

Northern Ireland packs an extraordinary amount of coastal scenery into a small area — cliff-top castles, hidden beaches and single-track roads that hug the edge of the Atlantic. Here are some of the best routes and stops for a day trip or a longer road trip.

The Causeway Coastal Route

Stretching around 130 miles between Belfast and Derry~Londonderry, the Causeway Coastal Route is regularly named one of the best road trips in the world. Along the way it passes the Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and the Glens of Antrim — a genuinely rare mix of geology, history and coastline all on one road.

Carrickfergus Castle — A near-850-year-old Norman stronghold at the start of the route, and one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Ireland.

The Gobbins — A dramatic Edwardian cliff path carved directly into the rock on the Islandmagee Peninsula, with tubular bridges and tunnels right at the water's edge.

Glenariff Forest Park — Known as the "Queen of the Glens," this forest park hides a series of waterfalls reached via wooden walkways through fern-filled gorges.

Giant's Causeway — Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site, made up of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by ancient volcanic activity.

Dunluce Castle — A ruined 14th-century castle perched dramatically on a cliff edge, with part of the original structure said to have collapsed into the sea during a storm.

Mussenden Temple & Downhill Demesne — A clifftop folly modelled on a Roman temple, with sweeping views over Downhill Strand — especially striking at sunset.

The Torr Head Scenic Route

A narrow, winding detour off the main coastal road between Cushendun and Ballycastle, Torr Head rewards the drive with genuinely wild panoramas across to the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland — on a clear day, it's one of the closest points between the two coastlines.

Antrim Coast Road

Running between Larne and Cushendall, this stretch hugs the coastline beneath the Antrim Glens, passing through pretty harbour villages like Carnlough and Glenarm along the way.