Fall In Love With NORTHERN IRELAND - a 10 day itinerary
Northern Ireland is the smallest country in the UK, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in charm, culture and beauty. One of the reasons we think Northern Ireland makes a great location for a camping holiday is because it is so compact and everything is easily accessible! Steeped in history, dramatic landscapes, stunning beaches and welcoming locals, there are so many places to go and things to see in Northern Ireland. It should definitely be on your list of road trips.
How long do you need to explore Northern Ireland?
This is a difficult question and one dependent mostly on the availability of your own time. We spent ten full days there and we could have easily enjoyed another week, but overall we felt we experienced much of Northern Ireland in the time we had. You could happily spend a month or more exploring Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, or equally you could see a lot in just a few days if that was all the time you had. We sailed to Belfast (the capital city of Northern Ireland) from Cairnryan, Scotland. You can find everything you need to know about travelling from GB to Northern Ireland here, including details about ferry prices and passport requirements. We travelled during the autumn and most campsites were either closed, or had plenty of availability. There are also several camping and touring sites in forests - you can find more details here. You can find all the best places to visit in Northern Ireland, including campsites, designated overnight parking locations/chemical disposal points, must see attractions and towns, beaches, hikes and food and drink recommendations here.
This blog will cover our daily activities for 10 days, but there are so many great things to do and see on your holiday in Northern Ireland that you could use the map above to create you own Northern Ireland itinerary if you wish.
Day One - The Ultimate Guide To BELFAST in 24 hours
Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland - a vibrant, friendly, cultured city that is the 14th biggest city in the UK. The violence associated with the Troubles which historically dominated Belfast and Northern Ireland is a thing of the past. Although there is still evidence of former conflicts, Belfast is a safe and truly fascinating city to visit. Even if you only have 24 hours to explore, you won’t regret visiting. Firstly, wake up before the city does and take an early black taxi tour, where you can explore the complex history of Belfast. Most of the black taxi tours last about 1.5hrs and will pick you up anywhere in the city centre. We recommend Cab Tours Belfast. This is the only cross community taxi tour in Belfast, giving you an unbiased view of the historical differences in Northern Ireland. Our guide even stopped at a local shop to buy the girls some sweets! It was a highlight of our trip to Belfast. You can see a short video of our trip here. Arrange to meet your taxi at Hope Street car park BT12 5EE, where there is an area of parking with no height restrictions.
After your early morning tour of Belfast, head for a delicious late breakfast. We recommend trying a traditional Ulster Fry. This is a very popular northern Irish breakfast, that will keep you going all day! Try Maggie Mays or Harlem Cafe. Once you’ve finished, we suggest heading towards Titanic Quarter. This is easily walkable from the city centre. Alternatively, there is off street parking near Spud Murphy’s (behind the Titanic Belfast) which would be suitable for campervans and motorhomes. There are lots of things for you to see and do in the Titanic Quarter, but the main attraction is the award-winning Titanic Belfast Museum. Inside you’ll learn about the tragic story of the famous Titanic ship that was built in the Belfast shipyards. The audio guides really enhanced our experience, so we would recommend pre booking these (there is a separate, more interactive one suitable for children). The tour around the museum is self-guided, so it is possible to spend as much or as little time as you like there. I would suggest a minimum time of 2hours.
If you have time, walk to see the SS Nomadic (designed by Thomas Andrew - the designer of the RMS Titanic and built by Harland and Wolff in the Belfast shipyards). The SS Nomadic was launched on 25 April 1911 in Belfast.
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To complete your 24 hours in Belfast we recommend either of the following:
Take a tour of the Crumlin Goal Road
Stroll through the Botanic Gardens
Visit Ulster Museum
Enjoy a leisurely pint of Guinness in Belfast’s best-known pub - The Crown Liquor Saloon
What is the Causeway Coastal Route?
The Causeway Route, stretching 120miles between Belfast to Derry (Londonderry) along the Antrim Coast, is arguably the best route to travel in your campervan in Northern Ireland. Packed with scenery, historical sites, coastal villages and stunning driving scenery, it is not to be missed. We started our route from Belfast travelling north, stopping at Carrickfergus Castle, Whitehead (walking on the Blackhead Coastal Path) before staying the night at Carnfunnock Caravan Park and Camp Site.
Day Two
The A2 and Causeway Coastal Route is well sign posted and hugs the coastline so you’ll struggle to get lost. However, on Day Two we took a slight detour so we could climb Slemish Mountain. After being captured by pirates at the age of 16, history suggests that St. Patrick, the patron saint of the Republic of Ireland, lived on Slemish Mountain for many years. He was alleged to have worked as a shepherd on the slopes of Slemish for six years before escaping. These days, St Patrick’s Day sees people participate in an annual pilgrimage to Slemish. On this one day of the year, Slemish draws large crowds! Slemish isn’t a particularly difficult mountain to climb, but I would recommend good walking boots. There is parking at the base and you can follow one of many paths up to the summit. It was extremely windy when we visited, taking us about 1.5hrs to reach the summit and return back to the campervan. The views from the top are stunning!
Another worthy detour from the Causeway Coastal road is Glenriff Forest. The largest of the nine Glens, it has earned the nickname the ‘Queen of the Glens’, due to its stunning natural beauty. There are lots of different walking trails in Glenariff Forest Park. You can find details here.
We continued driving North on Day Two and headed for Cushendun Caves which (if you’re a fan of Game of Thrones) you’ll know is a filming location. You can find out more about all of the filming locations for Game of Thrones here. There is a small car park right near the beach. From there you need to walk back on yourself over the bridge and towards the old Cushendun Hotel. It feels as if you are walking towards a block of flats, but the caves are a short walk from there (near the public toilets). There is a caravan park in Cushendun itself, however we decided to continue to head a little further north and find somewhere to park up for the night. We use Park4night or Search for Sites to find overnight parking spots.
Day Three
After a stormy night, we awoke on Day Three to blue skies and calm seas overlooking the beautiful Ballycastle Beach. The beach is a popular destination and runs from the pier at Ballycastle Marina at the western end, to Pan’s Rock in the east. Pan’s Rock Bridge in Ballycastle juts out into the sea and this end of the beach makes the perfect place for an early morning adventure.
Continuing along the Causeway Coastal road you’ll come to the National Trust site - Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge. It was first erected by salmon fishermen in 1755, but is unfortunately currently closed. However, don’t let this deter you, because you can still walk along the coastal path to enjoy the stunning views and see the rope bridge. It is worth noting that there is a 2m height barrier on the entrance to the car park, so you might need to park a bit further down the road and walk.
We also visited Ballintoy Harbour in the picturesque village of Ballintoy and found the amazing Roark's Kitchen, before finishing our day with a walk on White Park Bay Beach. The beach is unsafe for swimming due to dangerous rip currents, but it has beautiful stretches of golden sand to wander and enjoy. If you are lucky you might get to see the cows on the beach too!
Day Four
This morning we woke before the sun rose with the intention of visiting one of the most magical places in Northern Ireland and the world - The Giant’s Causeway. It is Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage site! The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking, mostly hexagonal basalt columns and is said to be the result of an ancient volcanic explosion some 60 million years ago. The burning and quick cooling of the volcanic lava left the series of basalt columns. However, Irish Myth has it that legendary Fionn MacCool was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet! Much of the Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage Site is owned and managed by the National Trust. The visitors’ centre and parking is free to National Trust members, but during peak times, we would recommend visiting before or after the visitor centre’s opening hours.
After our early morning hike to the Giant’s Causeway, we fueled up on a big breakfast at Bilberry Mill Cafe. It was delicious and we would recommend it. The causeway coastal road continues past Dunluce Castle and be sure to stop at Magheracross Car Park & Viewpoint for unbelievable views! This stretch of the Causeway Coastal road was my favourite. The driving scenery was unbelievable and there were seemingly endless things to see and do. The girls loved visiting Chestnutts Farm for fresh milk and milkshakes from their vending machine.
Day Five
There is lots to see on the Antrim coast. On Day Five we visited:
Portstewart
Benone Beach is one of only FIVE beaches you can legally drive on in the UK! The beach is well marked with areas suitable for vehicles and those not. If you did happen to get stuck, please give the North Coast Two Guy a call for help.
Day Six - 24 hours in Londonderry/Derry
Londonderry / Derry is the second largest city in Northern Ireland, rich in history and home of Ireland's only completely intact Walled City. Walking the walls is a must do whilst visiting Northern Ireland, but I so wished I had booked a walking tour! Next time! There are a range of tours to choose from and you can find more information about some of them here. Walking tours are the best way to familiarize yourself with your surroundings and learn about the history of Derry/Londonderry.
Why does Derry/Londonderry have two names?
The names of Derry or Londonderry are the subject of a naming dispute between Irish nationalists and unionists. Legally, the city and county are called ‘Londonderry’, but generally (although not always) nationalists favour using the name Derry, whilst unionists prefer the name Londonderry. The naming debate became particularly politicised at the outset of the Troubles. Today the Troubles of the past are visible in this city and if you are visiting around the time of the annual Orange March (July 12th), it may be advisable to avoid the areas where the marches take place. However, we felt safe when we visited.
There are lots of great places to eat lunch in Derry/Londonderry with one of the most famous being Badgers - serving the freshest in local food and drink. You are always guaranteed a warm welcome here! Be sure to look for the famous Derry Girls mural painted on Badger’s gable wall. You can catch up with Derry Girls before your visit to Northern Ireland on Netflix. It is is set in the 1990s and follows 16-year-old Erin and her friends growing up in 1990s Derry during the Northern Ireland Conflict.
You can find lots more things to see and do in Derry/Londonderry here.
Day Seven
After leaving the city of Derry/Londonderry and completing our Causeway Coastal route, we headed south towards Gortin Glen Forest Park and got lost in the forest for a long time - it was wonderful. There are over 10 km of walking trails, over 12 km of Mountain Bike Trails, a 6 km scenic drive (which we recommend) and a fabulous playpark for the children. Passing through Omagh for lunch, we headed to Enniskillen to visit the Ennikillen Castle Museums and finally onto Castle Coole.
Day Eight
Day Eight saw us heading to Marble Arch Caves, set in the foothills of Cailcagh Mountain, they were formed over 340 million years ago. The landscape is the perfect combination of caves, rivers, mountains, ancient woodlands, waterfalls and gorges, offering an incredible range of activities and experiences to visitors. Tickets can be purchased online and can be bought up until midnight the day prior to your trip. We would recommend pre booking your tour especially during peak times (you don’t want to miss the opportunity to see these spectacular caves). After the Marble Arch Caves, we would have loved to have walked the Cuilcagh Broadwalk, but unfortunately they don’t allow dogs on the trail (maybe one to consider if you are travelling without a four-legged friend). Instead, we headed to the stunning National Trust property Florence Court before heading east towards Newcastle.
Day Nine
The beauty of the Mournes can be felt as soon as they come into view. Its 12 peaks have been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and it certainly lives up to the title. The Mourne Mountains are the highest and most dramatic mountain range in Northern Ireland and an absolute must visit during your time in NI. If you are a keen hiker, you might like to plan your trip to include more than one day in this area (I wish we had more time here). There are so many amazing different walks and trails in the area - some of which can be found here. We decided to walk Hen Mountain. There is a small carpark at the base of the mountain and you can follow the track to the summit. This is private farming land, so it is essential that dogs are kept on a tight lead at all times.
Silent Valley Mountain Park is another special place that’s not to be missed. The Silent Valley Reservoir was built to gather water from the Mourne Mountains and is the main water supply source for most of County Down and a large part of Belfast. Srrounded by mountains, the parkland is stunning with lakes, a pond, play park, cafe and endless walking trails. Pick a trail and follow it to submerge in the beauty of the area. Car parking is £5, but it was well worth the cost.
As our time in Northern Ireland was rapidly coming to a close, we decided to drive approximately 1hr 40minutes, towards the Ards Peninsula in preparation for our final day of exploring.
Day Ten
On our final day in Northern Ireland, we decided to drive the coastal road from Donaghadee to the National Trust property of Mount Stewart. Portavogie Bay Beach was one of our favourite stop offs. It is a beautiful beach in the heart of a thriving fishing town, which is famous for its prawns and herring. Portavogie actually has two beautiful bays and lots of coves to explore, but the one pictured below (East Shore) was our favourite and I am sure you can see why. We have never seen so many shells - literally hundreds and thousands! Be sure to visit the Harbour and The New Quays, for a spot of lunch while you are there too - taking the opportunity to taste a variety of locally caught seafood and those famous prawns. The Ards Peninsula is a stunning area of Northern Ireland to explore and one where you could easily spend much more than one day. During the evening of Day Ten, we sailed from Belfast back to Cairnryan, Scotland. You can find everything you need to know about travelling from GB to Northern Ireland here, including details about ferry prices and pet passport requirements.
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