The Causeway Coast route in Antrim is Northern Ireland’s answer to the Pacific Coast Highway. With a rugged beauty, an engaging road full of challenging corners and laid back, friendly locals to chat to along the way it’s easy to make this relatively short drive last a day or more.

It’s a quick hop on the motorway to leave Belfast behind and start meandering along the coastline of Belfast Lough. Easing through pretty seaside villages including Whitehead - ‘the town with no streets’ - you’ll have plenty of time to take in the views across the Irish Sea. On a good day you might even see Scotland across the Mull of Kintyre.

You’ll pass through the Glens of Antrim where you may choose to detour inland and explore the hills, waterfalls, gorges and hiking trails, or you can keep clinging to the coast. At Waterfoot you’ll pass through the photogenic Red Arch. Wind the windows down and you can hear the sound of your exhaust reverberate off the rock walls.

Keep going and you’ll soon reach the pretty town of Ballycastle. Game of Thrones fans can go location hunting nearby or, if it’s natural wonders you’re after then it’s just a few more miles to the incredible Giant’s Causeway and its 40,000 basalt columns.

Words Nik Berg Twitter | Instagram
Photography Shutterstock / Dimitry Anikin / Jorgen Hendriksen / K Mitch Hodge / Unsplash

ROADBOOK

• Class: Coastal cruise

• Name: Causeway Coast

• Route: Belfast to Giant’s Causeway

• Country: Northern Ireland, UK

• Distance: 80 miles