No thank you. Nope. Nuh-uh! This is not my thing at all. I did it under much protestation, but I did it. Am I glad I did? No. Would I do it again. No. Everyone else had a good time though. Shout out to the ticket staff and the bridge minders! Very nice folks for sure. read more

Carrick-A-Rede - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ballycastle, MYL

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Carrick-a-Rede was once a salmon fishing hub. As the fish disappeared, Carrick-a-Rede become known for its rope bridge, a legacy remnant from those fishing days. We visited late last August, for about 90 minutes. The reinforced rope bridge itself is a brief experience. The bridge is short (around 65 feet long though it felt shorter), narrow (fitting one person at a time), sways with the wind, and subject to closure during periods of high wind. There are steep steel stairways on both sides of the bridge. Much of the visit experience is the walk to and from the bridge, a meandering pastoral cliffside path with cattle and sheep grazing along parts of the path. Two attendants at the bridge check for admission tickets and ensure the bridge is safe to cross. The weather was unpredictable during our visit, with periods of heavy rain and wind. The bridge was temporarily closed for a few minutes while we were there, but also re-opened fairly quickly. Wear waterproof shoes with a good grip. Rain jackets were very useful. The National Trust had bright yellow rain jackets for £26.95 for those who need them. Visitors can get a printed certificate for visiting the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge with any donation to the National Trust. read more

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Of course, if one visits Giant's Causeway, it is logical to visit this bridge On my first visit, I had to cross the bridge - on the second visit, our adventure group marveled at the bridge and took many photos Yes - do visit to cross or to take jpgs read more

Carrick-A-Rede - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ballycastle, MYL

Beautiful views and a pretty hike in between a field of sheep and the cliffs along the ocean!

"It is a hike to get to the bridge- although you are hiking along gorgeous Irish cliff sides. I don't know if I'd go out of my way to see it again, but it was pretty and cool. The bridge isn't that high. 12 of us went across, one behind the other. The bridge leads to a small, uninhabited island. The island is a beautiful little space covered in birds, a clump of rock and heather with a wonderful view of the ocean." - shared by my 17-year old, who went on a recent school trip to Carrick-A-Rede, near Ballintoy in Co. Antrim read more

Carrick-A-Rede - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ballycastle, MYL

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Pros: + Breathtaking views of the Ireland coast. It's about a 20 minute walk from the parking lot to the bridge itself, so you get to take in beautiful views of the cliffs, endless green mountains, and bright blue water below. If it's a colder day, make sure to bundle up because it does get really windy during the walk. + There are 2 workers at either end of the bridge to help guide and regulate groups across the bridge. + Even if heights scare you, crossing that bridge is liberating and gives you such a rush. + There are a lot of tours that combine the bridge and Giant's Causeway, so I'd recommend doing that if you can. + The bridge itself is more sturdy than you would think and doesn't sway too much in the wind which makes you feel more safe while you're walking on it. Cons: + Absolutely nothing. It was a very cool experience to be able to cross the bridge and take in the views, but I think this is an experience I would only need to do once. You cross the bridge and that's about it. Don't come in with any more expectations than that. read more

Carrick-A-Rede - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ballycastle, MYL

After Giant's Causeway, this was my favorite place. I think I took about 80+ photos on the 1km walk from the car park to the bridge because the coast line, cliffs, and water were amazingly picturesque. It was a bit windy, and the pathway was pretty easy though there are 70-100 slightly uneven stairs. They weren't huge, but made of rocks so could be a concern for those that are very unsteady. (But we saw pushchairs and people with canes make it, so it really depends on the individual.) The bridge itself is safe though does move in the wind. There were workers on either side to help regulate, which made it feel a little more safe. But overall, the view and experience is just worth it. read more

Amazing views. The hike is far more arduous than you would think. It's like it's uphill both ways somehow. But again, amazing views, so enjoy. read more

One of the highlights during my trip to Ireland - Carrick-A-Rede is on the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland with a rocky island connected to the cliffs by a rope bridge. The bridge is about 66ft long, suspended above the rocks and sea level (about 100ft) and is a popular tourist attraction on the North Coast. Carrick-A-Rede has the most beautiful views of the Antrim coastline, which started even before I crossed the rope bridge. I was lucky to get a sunny day end of March during my visit here, and the scenery was absolutely amazing. The weather was fantastic, the sun was shining, and the sky was so clear you could see Scotland. The walk to get to the bridge from the visitor center takes around 20 minutes and it is a bit tiring - there are steep hills and steps to climb so be prepared. The walk and views are just stunning - I think the walk improves the experience as you get to enjoy all the great views before the bridge. The bridge itself is not very big and they only let 8 people at a time cross. It's a rope bridge and it is dangling over the coastline but it's safe. I am terribly afraid of heights - so this was quite an exhilarating experience. Crossing the rope bridge can be a little scary as it sways and you hear the waves swishing down below you, but I enjoyed every second of it. Once you cross (it takes maybe 30 seconds) there are places to sit and rocks to climb for pictures. The scenery is breath taking - well worth the hike! You can get to the bridge for free but if you want to go across - its £5.90, which is a bit overpriced in my opinion for a 30 second dash. However, I really enjoyed this experience and it was one of our favorite memories from our trip. I could have stayed there all day looking at the water, taking pictures, walking along the whole island, and just enjoyed the sight of the ocean. It's a must when visiting Northern Ireland. read more

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This was part of a wonderful trip to Belfast. The day was cold and windy. The Good: This is beautiful, simply beautiful. It was a sunny, windy, cold day and there weren't very many people present. The Bad: It was so windy that the bridge was closed. So, if there is a way to check weather conditions prior to making the trip, I suggest doing so. The Ugly: Nothing. read more

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Carrick A Rede rope bridge is 20m long and suspended 30m high - connecting a tiny wee island with the Causeway coast in County Antrim. It was a beautiful day when I visited - just as well, as the bridge is closed to the public when the wind hits 20 mph. The original bridge was erected 350 years ago and was used as an aid for smuggling - nowadays it has sheep and is a bird sanctuary. Gone are the days of rotting bits of wood, being held together with frayed rope - now the entire bridge is reinforced with steel rope, securely fixed on either side. The walkway is also properly planked - all nice and safe for the thousands of tourists that tread the boards each year. I don't like heights, but was totally fine on this bridge - down to feeling completely safe on it. If you're brave, have a wee jump on it at the halfway point and feel it really sway - unfortunately, the folks on the bridge really, really didn't appreciate it when I did it. Woops! read more

Carrick-A-Rede - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ballycastle, MYL

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The walk and the island at the end are lovely. The bridge is not at all scary and very short. I think I would skip this one if you are here in the summer, though. It's just too crowded, it's crazy. Who wants to wait in line for half an hour or longer to cross a tiny bridge? Especially when the bridge leads to a small island swarming with people? There are beautiful views all along the coast, and most of them aren't this packed with people. They should let in fewer people to make for a nicer experience. read more

Lovely place to spend some time when visiting Northern Ireland. Check out the suspension bridge and walk around.

Our group tour went to visit the Carrick a Rede bridge after visiting Giant's Causeway first (they are very close to each other). Here are a few things about it: 1) The parking lot is not as close to the bridge as you might think. It took about a little over an hour to walk to the bridge and back. I'm not complaining because the walk is gorgeous, but I don't think some people on our tour suspected that. 2) It was chilly when we went (March), but people were sweating and losing some clothing layers when they got back to the bus. 3) The bridge isn't as scary as you may think. Just do it. 4) There are 2 bridge "operators." They were both a bit strict. The line across the bridge is constantly moving. No stopping for pictures, selfies, anything. I overheard them yell at someone to keep moving after someone tried to stop for a photo. Like prison guard yelling. 5) I understand the queue can get long, but come on, let the people take a quick 5-10 secs to take a photo. They came all the way out to do this. There are no signs saying you can't (I'm glad I didn't try to take a selfie, but I felt bad for the tourist who did try). 6) The views are beautiful. Irish cliffs are really something to see and appreciate. The walk to and from the parking lot will provide you with lots of time to see and appreciate. 7) This walk is generally pretty easy for those concerned. read more