It was September and I was standing on one of the 40,000 basalt rocks. The wind was blowing, the sea was rough, the sky was over cast and there was a light drizzle of rain. Somehow it all felt like a peaceful, rugged, romantic moment that I will forever remember. I came for the geology and found more. Driving from Dublin took over 2 hours. Belfast is a shorter drive. On approaching the Causeway you have a choice of 3 parking lots. Lot 3 is by far the furthest away. It has been a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE since 1986 and is maintained by the National Trust. There is a tourist info center( audio-visual presentation), bathrooms, gift shop, currency exchange (British Pound), and coffee shop.
To get down to the basalt monoliths is about a 15 minute walk along a well kept asphalt road and walkway that takes you down to the hexagon stones. It is steep on the way back up and many people take the shuttle, some both ways. The basalt rocks run from the cliff into the sea. Some areas are difficult to very slippery and difficult to navigate. The spray from the ocean and unpredictable wave heights crashing against the monoliths require your constant attention.. There are paths on the side that allow stunning vistas and photographic opportunities especially on clear sunny days. Unfortunately I was not lucky enough to be there under those conditions..
Bushmills Whiskey Distillery, the oldest distillery in Northern Ireland, is three miles away and Dunluce castle is about the same distance. Combining the three in one day is possible and if your coming from a distance probably a good idea. There is a very quaint pub called the Nook within walking from the visitor's center. read more