Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Travel Itinerary

So you’re wondering, what is there to do around the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough? Well, I’m here to share just a few of the many things to do around this beautiful coastal area. Let me start by telling you that there wasn’t one thing I didn’t like about this trip. The Causeway Coast has so many incredible things to offer, things of quality and culture. The people are welcoming, warm and friendly, the views are amazing and the activities exceeded my expectations tenfold. Honestly, this might be my new favourite area!

*This post is part of a paid partnership – All views & opinions are my own.

How to get to the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough

Getting to the Causeway Coast is easy! If you’re coming in from Belfast Airport, it’s only a short 40 min drive. From Dublin, it is only 2 and a half hours. It is most easily accessible by car.

Where to Stay?

There are many places to stay along the causeway coast. I of course have to recommend Thornfield Farm Pods where I was during our stay. These pods were absolutely AMAZING!

They are a step up from your typical ‘Glamping’ and have a fully operational toilet, shower, heating and more! These pods are ideal for couples or couples with young children. A large Double bed and two small bunk beds, a couch, a small kitchenette and a bathroom are all located within the pod. It really has everything you need, not to mention beautiful views to wake up to.

 

 

 

 

 

They also have a cottage if you are going with more than 2 adults or on a group trip!

How long to Stay?

I would recommend 4-5 days along the Causeway Coast if you want to experience some of the great food, and activities and take in the sights. However, it is possible to see and do a lot in just 2-3 days if you are limited in time! You can mix and match some of these days and activities to suit your style and interests.

Day One – Arrive

Kayaking

Start off your trip with a very fun Kayaking trip with Causeway Coast Kayaking Tours. This beautiful coastline is amazing from this different perspective. What’s different about kayaking from a boat tour is you are experiencing it right from the water. The guys at Causeway Coast Kayaking tours were so nice and helpful as fun!

We got in the water at Ballintoy and kayaked up towards the rope bridge. We even saw a school of dolphins in the distance as well as many different types of birds, which Barry had excellent knowledge of!

This area is also used as a filming location for one of the Iron Islands, Pyke in Game of thrones. (Iron islands is the home of Greyjoys. – Theon and Yara Greyjoy)

-> After the kayaking is done, you should head to Thornfield Farms to check in, relax and get ready for your evening activity.

Bushmills Banquet – Dine Around Bushmills

Your evening event, Dine around Bushmills of course! I was shocked as I never realised just how much good food was in this small town! This experience was a highlight of my trip! We all know of Bushmills whiskey, as the world’s oldest licensed distilleries it certainly put Bushmills on the map. But there is so much more to Bushmills, as we found out!

Not only will you visit multiple restaurants and locations during this tour, but you will also be brought around in a 1950’s vintage coach!! I’ve never eaten so much good food in my life! Starting off with some whiskey tasting at the Bushmills distillery, you will visit popular Bushmills restaurants such as Market Square, The French Rooms and Tartine at Distillers Arms. Also, you will find some of the locals on this tour which goes to show just how good it is and what kind of experience you will be getting. It was so lovely to hear about the history of some of the buildings and more from them.

But you’ll need to be quick, this experience books out well in advance and is NOT to be missed! 10/10!! This experience was a highlight for me!

Day Two

Snorkelling

You have to go out on the boat with Aquaholics. We went on the Snorkel the hidden caves of White Rocks and Dunluce Castle and it was quite an experience. I hadn’t really snorkelled in nearly 2 years so getting back out in the water was so nice! The instructors are so helpful and friendly. When I lost my fins (I’m so sorry again guys!!) I got into a little bit of a panic and the instructor David was so helpful and reassuring and swam me back to the boat at this location.

We went out towards the skerries and I got to fly my drone where I captured some shots I was very happy with!

Slow Food Spanish Tapas Cookery Class

This Cooking class takes place at Ocho Tapas. Now I have always LOVED Spanish food, especially tapas because I love having lots of variety when I’m eating (maybe I’m not really Irish at heart haha). Cooking is actually something I’ve been trying my hand at recently and I was so excited to try this class.

Owners, Sean and Trudy, have spent a lot of time travelling and have spent time living in Spain, where they loved the food. They wanted to bring the magic of good Spanish food to their hometown on the Causeway Coast, so they opened this award-winning restaurant in 2015. Their cooking classes are not only educational but fun and creative as well.

We made a Spanish Tortilla, prawns and meatballs, as well as were taught the perfect Sangria recipe! Honestly, I couldn’t believe I had made these dishes and they tasted so good. Trudy and Sean really taught us about bringing flavours out in food and the magic of cooking. I will certainly be retrying the recipes on my own at home, hopefully, I won’t burn the house down!

Day Three

Ballycastle Traditional Music Trail

Let me tell you just how good of an experience the Ballycastle Traditional Music Trail was. I won’t lie, I’m not usually a huge fan of Irish music and wasn’t sure what to expect from this tour. I was happily surprised by how much fun I had! It was so great to learn about the actual history of Irish Traditional music, the story behind certain tunes, the difference between a jig and reel, and the origins of certain instruments in the genre. We also got to learn about the history of Ballycastle and the surrounding areas and Islands.

We visited multiple pubs around the area where we learned and got to hear some well known and some of the guide’s own tunes! Our guides Melanie and Ruairidh were amazing and really made the experience fun!

Dinner at Marconi’s

After your music trial, you are going to need to refuel! I was so excited to try Marconi’s in Ballycastle, many of the locals had suggested it and expressed how good it was. The style and interior of this restaurant are that of a modern upscale dinner.

The colours, and the booth couches make it a comfortable setting to sit in, while the food is that of a high scale luxury restaurant. Marconi’s is a hidden gem when it comes to food in this region! I got Goats cheese fritters for a starter, fish & chips for my main and then we shared a peanut butter cheesecake for dessert. The cheesecake did not disappoint, even the ice cream was peanut butter flavoured, I don’t think it gets much better than that!

Day four

Giants Causeway

What kind of trip to the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough would be complete without a stop at the Giants Causeway?! This popular tourist destination is a main stop for most visiting the island, and it’s easy to see why. The story of course goes that the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill had built the causeway to get across to a giant on a Scottish island nearby. The scientific evidence shows that of volcanic activity, which results in these basalt columns. Whatever story you think is the real story is up to you!

This was my third time visiting the Giants and I learned more than any previous time because I went on the guided tour. This tour was a short walk down from the visitor centre and very informative. I loved learning about the history of the people in the area, how the Giants causeway came to be part of the National Trust in the 1960s and what kind of wildlife lives around it.

Chainmail Making Lesson & Coffee Tasting

So of course for some of you, chainmail might bring up a knight in armour, but as I discovered, there is a lot that can be done with Chainmail. Emma from Atlantic Rose is beyond gifted with what she can do with chainmail. Besides the fact that she is just so lovely and easy to chat with, her attention to detail enables her to create the highest quality products.

It’s so impressive how she crafts this armour style characteristic into luxury and sometimes dainty jewellery.

When it comes to coffee, I’m a big drinker! I didn’t know what to expect with Causeway Coffee as I had not tried it before. I was sceptical when Emma said it is not bitter when it cools down – I was wrong to be sceptical! During this tasting session, we tried 3 roasts – Grainne, Aoife, and Niamh. We tried them black and we were OBSESSED with Aoife! It’s now my favourite coffee every morning! All 3 coffees had a different style, roast and aroma to them. Aoife actually has blackcurrant essence to it which is so interesting as it’s not flavoured, it’s got to do with how it’s roasted. We learned all about the roasting process and the best way to experience coffee.

If you’re looking for something fun, interesting and a bit different to do around the Causeway Coast I’d strongly suggest checking out Sone Row Artisans.

And that’s your 4-day itinerary for The Causeway Coast and Glens Borough. I hope you enjoyed this post and plan a trip to the Causeway Coast this summer! You won’t regret it!

xoxo
Elizabeth

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