Causeway Coastal Route
John Goodall in Northern Ireland
Antrim preserves one of the most unspoilt stretches of coastline in northern Europe. it’s also one of the most spectacular, with rugged cliffs and spreading beaches. By far its most famous sight is the Giant’s Causeway, a natural wonder comprising some 40,000 interlocking columns of basalt, which has long been celebrated and, in recent years, has become a major tourist attraction, but there’s much else besides to see on the drive.
it’s a landscape that’s been populated since pre-history; natural harbours or havens along the coast developed from the middle Ages onwards as settlements and the most important were fortified, as at Carrickfergus, the predecessor town to Belfast. its towering castle, constructed in the late 12th century, commands the harbour and was intended to bind ireland into the orbit of Anglo-norman power.
in 1588, it was along this rockbound coast that several vessels of the Spanish Armada foundered, including La Trinidad Valencera.
the area has long enjoyed close connections with the west of Scotland, which is distantly visible from many places. it was from Scotland that much of the Protestant population of northern ireland arrived during the 17th-century Plantation of Ulster. they brought with them their architectural styles and, as a result, the houses and castles of the area share much in common with those of Scotland. much of the money for the Plantation of Ulster, of course, came from the city of London, hence the naming of Derry—or Londonderry.
‘Northern Ireland is astonishing to explore, full of under-appreciated surprises and marvels
in the events of the Plantation and the dispossession of irish families were introduced the seeds of the strife that has intermittently troubled northern ireland —and still does. For the tourist they are, happily, all but invisible and, travelling in this area, it can be difficult to believe that these difficulties continue to simmer away. their clearest physical legacy lies in such monuments as the walls or fortifications of Derry, which still survive as a complete circuit.
in the 19th century, Ulster was rapidly industrialised and the wealth from shipbuilding—famously, Titanic was built here, a story celebrated in the titanic Belfast Experience, and nearby is HMS Caroline, the only vessel engaged in the 1916 Battle of Jutland that has survived—and linen manufacture transformed the province. the Antrim coast became a popular resort for workers from Belfast.
nearly everywhere, the landscape meets the sea without the intrusion of strip development. its beauties have also recently been made internationally familiar by the tv series Game of Thrones, much of which was filmed in the area. the small towns and hamlets are almost unfailingly pretty.
Northern Ireland has, in recent years, grown in popularity as a tourist destination. It’s not always as careful as it should be with the heritage and natural beauties that it does possess: Belfast, Derry and Carrickfergus, in particular, all have developments that are deeply regrettable, yet it remains astonishing to explore, full of under-appreciated surprises and marvels. When the sun shines —and even when it doesn’t—it’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place to be.