Rapid Travel Chai

I conceded to the short winter days that visiting Belfast would not fit in the schedule and possibly cause a passenger revolt in my car.

We headed due north from Brú na Bóinne the passing from Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland marked by little more than different road signs. I will let others determine where the grass is greener. We plowed on through surprising sunshine until the land gave way to crashing waves, steady rain and the sun already close to the horizon at 3:30 as we entered UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway. The visitor center down to the causeway is a 20-minute walk or £1 each way for a shuttle bus. Deb made the sensible decision to watch the increasing rain, fierce wind and glowering crowds from the warmth of the visitor center. Boys persist in doing foolish things, as Rick and I marched forward ever more wet. One picture will convince that it is best to visit where there are favorable conditions.

The Causeway Coast is dotted with gems that will be covered in the next post, we flash forward to the next morning whereupon we returned to Giant’s Causeway to explore when we could see more than gloom. The iconic Giant’s Causeway is smaller that I had imagined yet the rock formations are varied and fascinating. Even in winter the place is crawling with tourists so it is hard to get the full feeling of majesty or to take clear pictures.

There are further interesting geological features along the coast, such as the ‘Organ Pipes’ visible across the bay, reachable by extensive hiking trails that transit the Causeway Coast.

See Part 1 for the itinerary, Part 2 for Brú na Bóinne and Part 4 for the Causeway Coast.