Giant's Causeway

Background

The Giant's Causeway lies on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, about 5 kilometres north-east of the town of Bushmills. About 40,000 interlocking basalt columns stretch into the sea, mostly hexagonal but some with four to eight sides, the tallest about 12 metres; in places the solidified lava is about 28 metres thick. The site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1986 and declared a national nature reserve in 1987. The columns formed in the Paleocene, about 50 to 60 million years ago, when lava from a volcanic fissure eruption cooled, contracted and cracked into regular columns. The National Trust owns and manages most of the site; the rest belongs to the Crown Estate and private landowners. Walking to the causeway itself is free, and you do not need to go through the paid visitor centre.

Local customs

• Walk about 1.3 kilometres on the direct Blue Trail from the visitor centre to the shore (a shuttle bus also runs) and step across the columns to the sea's edge
• look for rocks named after their shapes, such as the "Giant's Boot", the "Organ" and the "Chimney Stacks"
• follow the clifftop path for sea birds and a full coastal panorama.

Travel tips

• Visitor centre admission and opening hours are subject to the official website, and booking ahead is recommended in high season
• the columns are slippery and the sea is windy with strong waves, so know your limits, and allow half a day.
• From Belfast you can take a train to Coleraine, then the Portrush branch line and local buses
• timetables are subject to the official information. If you drive, follow the coastal road
• the site has a car park. You can visit all year round: summer days are long and busy, while winter winds are strong, so dress warmly and windproof.