If the January blues are hitting hard and you’re booking for a relaxing trip away, a road trip might be just what you need.
With this in mind, Cinch, the UK’s biggest online retailer of used cars, has revealed one of the best mood-boosting road trips across Ireland – perfect for a holiday and packed with gorgeous scenery.
The Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland is a jaw-dropping itinerary steeped in myth and legend. It runs from Belfast to Derry and is home to some truly incredible sites and landmarks, including the Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
The Giants Causeway is a stunning part of the country famed for its unique rock formations. On most days you can see Scotland and the Inishowen Peninsula from the rocks.
Part of this tranquil walk follows the route of the Bushmills Heritage Railway and there are significant numbers of breeding skylarks, stonechats, linnets and the occasional chough to spot – perfect for the wildlife lovers in your family.
Dunluce Castle is another iconic spot, perched atop the hillside and overlooking the wild sea.
With evidence of settlement from the first millennium, the present castle ruins date mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries and there are many historical artefacts and exhibitions to be enthralled by.
For the brave, there’s also the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. Suspended almost 100 ft (30 m) above sea level, the rope bridge was first erected by salmon fishermen over 250 years ago, and leads to Carrick-a-Rede Island.
If you want to cross this bridge and experience the journey those fishermen took all those years ago, pre-booking is essential, especially in the summer months.
You can book your crossing here.
Once you’ve had your fill of excitement (and if you’re in the passenger seat of the car) you could sample some 400-year-old whisky from the world’s oldest working distillery – Old Bushmills.
