How long is the Causeway Coastal Route: Belfast to Derry route?

This route takes 5 days taking in 5 stops.

Where does this route start and end?

The route runs from Belfast to Derry in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland.

When is the best time to travel this route?

The best time to travel this route is May to September: book ahead in July and August.

How active is this route?

Activity level: Easy-going. Easy-going and accessible for most fitness levels.

What transport do I need for this route?

This route works best with a car or a campervan.

What budget do I need for this route?

Mid-range spending — expect comfortable accommodation and a mix of dining options.

What type of accommodation suits this route?

Mixed accommodation works well along this route.

What is the pace of this trip?

Balanced — a good mix of sightseeing and downtime.

What type of trip is this?

This route is well-suited to: Scenic, Coastal, Nature, Culture, Classic road trip.

Causeway Coastal Route: Belfast to Derry

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The route · 5 stops

3 overnight bases · 2 stops on the way

Belfast

1 night

Northern Ireland's capital on the River Lagan. The Titanic Quarter is home to the award-winning Titanic Belfast museum, and the Cathedral Quarter offers a lively pub and restaurant scene. Use Belfast as your arrival base to stock up, explore, and prepare for the coastal drive that begins the next morning.Northern Ireland's capital on the River Lagan. The Titanic Quarter is home to the award-winning Titanic Belfast museum, and the Cathedral Quarter offers a lively pub and restaurant scene. Use Belfast as your arrival base to stock up, explore, and prepare for the coastal drive that begins the next morning.

Recommendations

On the way

Cushendall
Quick stop
The Capital of the Glens, sitting at the foot of three of the Nine Glens of Antrim. Use it as a base for Glenariff Forest Park and its famous waterfall trail. En route from Belfast, Carrickfergus Castle is worth a 45-minute stop for its imposing 12th-century Norman keep on the shore of Belfast Lough.The Capital of the Glens, sitting at the foot of three of the Nine Glens of Antrim. Use it as a base for Glenariff Forest Park and its famous waterfall trail. En route from Belfast, Carrickfergus Castle is worth a 45-minute stop for its imposing 12th-century Norman keep on the shore of Belfast Lough.
Recommendations
Ballycastle
Quick stop
Worth a stop on the drive: A welcoming market town and the gateway to Rathlin Island. Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (4 km west) connects a rocky outcrop used by salmon fishermen since the 1700s. The 45-minute ferry to Rathlin Island reaches the RSPB West Light Seabird Centre, home to hundreds of puffins from May to mid-July.Worth a stop on the drive: A welcoming market town and the gateway to Rathlin Island. Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (4 km west) connects a rocky outcrop used by salmon fishermen since the 1700s. The 45-minute ferry to Rathlin Island reaches the RSPB West Light Seabird Centre, home to hundreds of puffins from May to mid-July.
Recommendations

On to Bushmills

Bushmills

2 nights

A neat village 5 minutes from the Giant's Causeway, which UNESCO has listed for its 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. Old Bushmills Distillery (licensed 1608) runs tours and tastings. Dunluce Castle, a dramatic clifftop ruin, is a 10-minute drive east. Portrush, with Whiterocks Beach and Royal Portrush golf course, is 15 minutes further.A neat village 5 minutes from the Giant's Causeway, which UNESCO has listed for its 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. Old Bushmills Distillery (licensed 1608) runs tours and tastings. Dunluce Castle, a dramatic clifftop ruin, is a 10-minute drive east. Portrush, with Whiterocks Beach and Royal Portrush golf course, is 15 minutes further.

Recommendations

On to Derry

Derry

1 night

Northern Ireland's second city on the River Foyle and the western end of the Causeway Coastal Route. The 17th-century city walls are the most complete in Ireland and take about an hour to walk. The Bogside murals tell the civil rights story in vivid colour. The modern Peace Bridge links both sides of the river.Northern Ireland's second city on the River Foyle and the western end of the Causeway Coastal Route. The 17th-century city walls are the most complete in Ireland and take about an hour to walk. The Bogside murals tell the civil rights story in vivid colour. The modern Peace Bridge links both sides of the river.

Recommendations

Causeway Coastal Route: Belfast to Derry