With news that the weather would be better today than tomorrow we decided to drive out of Belfast today to visit Giant’s Causeway and seek out some of the filming locations for Game of Thrones. The drive would take us through the heart of Northern Ireland and back down the famed A2 which hugs the rugged Eastern coastline.
Our first stop was the Dark Hedges in County Antrim, aka The King’s Road. This remarkable road flanked on either side by centuries-old Serpentine trees is the eerie location used in filming the scene where Arya Stark leaves King’s Landing. Obviously some CGI touches were added and the bitumen road was covered in dirt, but it was easy to picture the scene at this location.
The next stop was a must do detour for me as a whisky drinker. It was impossible to be so close to Ireland’s oldest distillery without stopping. The Old Bushmills is also one of Ireland’s most known distilleries and creates some fine examples of single malt. Unfortunately, with the kids in tow it was a bit to ask to indulge in the tour and I was driving so couldn’t even have a wee dram. Nonetheless it was nice to visit the place that created the first whisky I ever tasted many years ago.
From Bushmills we had a very short, but breathtaking, drive to the Giant’s Causeway. We had seen numerous images of the seemingly hand carved rock formations over the years so we were excited by the opportunity to see it for real. After a lengthy conversation with the parking attendant about United’s chances that afternoon, we entered the visitors’ centre to purchase tickets and collect our audio guide. Inside the centre we learned of the mythology of the Causeway and the science behind the formations.
We had the option of catching a bus down to the Causeway or a self-guided walk. Our choice was to walk down and catch the bus back when we had finished. It was a good choice because the audio guide explained some of the formations on route both in science and mythology which intrigued us all. It talked of camel rock, the haystacks, the pipe organ and the chimney. Each was aptly named and the resemblance was close enough for us to match. The scenery around the Heritage Site was stunning also making the walk very pleasant.
Eventually we arrived at the site of the famed hexagonal rock formations that supposedly remain of the mythical Finn McCool’s Causeway from Ireland to Scotland. No pictures prepare you for the beauty of the site. The symmetry of the shapes and perfection of their tessellation defies belief. I could have spent hours capturing the many unique angles and images but for the throngs of people with the same idea. Instead I opted for a few shots and we walked on further in search of the Giant’s Boot and a closer look at the chimney and pipe organ.
With the days getter shorter we were forced to cut short our admiration of the area and catch the bus back to the visitors’ centre because we had a few more stops to make, and wanted some daylight to enjoy the A2 journey home. Luckily a bus was waiting and delivered us to the gift shop before we were on the road again.
We followed the A2 along the rugged coastline bound first for Ballintoy Harbour, known as Pyke Harbour to Game of Thrones Fans. Again it was easy to see the resemblance even without the CGI added extras. We were then bound for Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge, also used, with the help of CGI, as the home of the kingdom of Pyke in the HBO series. Unfortunately, we arrived minutes after closing time so had to settle for admiring the views of the rugged coastline around the area rather than walking the bridge (leaving Harry and I a little disappointed).
For the next couple of hours we followed the A2 to Larne before heading back to Belfast. The views along the whole drive were stunning but the fast fading light meant we had no chance of capturing them. Instead we have the memories and the regret we didn’t set off earlier. When we returned to Belfast we found a local pub and tucked into a hearty meal and pints of Guinness and local craft ales before retiring for the night.
Mark (on behalf of the wandering winrows)
wanderingwinrows 