Northern Ireland: From Giant’s Causeway to Downhill

After taking one final look back at Giant’s Causeway, it was time to continue north-west along the coast. Thanks to the open landscape, I could already see much of the route that lay ahead during the final two stages of my hike.

The coastline opens up, revealing much of the route that still lies ahead.

The Causeway Coast Way continued along footpaths, minor roads, and occasional stretches of beach.

Once a grand country residence, it has since been converted into apartments.

There was something pleasantly nostalgic about it, a reminder of a different era when wealthy families built impressive homes overlooking the sea.

Along much of the north coast, I also passed several permanent caravan parks.

The caravans were arranged in neat rows, carefully positioned so that as many people as possible could enjoy the sea views.

Occasionally, a considerably larger house would appear among them, suggesting that some residents had enjoyed rather more financial success than others.

One of the highlights of the day was undoubtedly Dunluce Castle.

Perched dramatically on the edge of the cliffs, this ruined castle once belonged to the MacDonnell family and is surrounded by local legends.

One story claims that during a banquet, part of the castle kitchen collapsed into the sea, taking several people with it.

Whether entirely true or not, it certainly sounds plausible given the location.

There is no question that this must once have been one of the grandest castles in Ireland.

An entrance fee is charged, but it is well worth paying.

What remains has been carefully preserved, and the setting alone is spectacular.

Later, I passed through Portrush and stopped for a coffee by the beach before continuing towards my accommodation in Portstewart.

Neither town made a particularly strong impression on me.

They were pleasant enough, but after days of cliffs, castles, and dramatic scenery, they felt relatively ordinary.

The following morning brought the final stage of my hike.

Just outside Portstewart lies a long beach that eventually merges into Castlerock Beach.

There was, however, one problem.

The River Bann flows into the sea between them, and it is far too large to cross on foot.

Reaching Castlerock therefore requires a detour of almost seventeen kilometres inland via Coleraine.

I had no desire to add that distance to my day, so I took the bus in and the train out instead.

The beach itself was magnificent.

The contrast between the pale sand and the dark volcanic rocks surrounding it made the entire landscape look almost staged.

It felt more like a film set than a real place.

Even the rocks seemed carefully arranged for maximum effect.

At low tide, it is possible to continue around the headland and reach Downhill Beach directly.

Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately, depending on your perspective—the tide was too high when I arrived.

As a result, I was forced to climb over the hills above.

In hindsight, that turned out to be a blessing.

Between two ridges, I suddenly found myself looking down at one of the railway.

The railway emerges dramatically from the cliffs near Castlerock.

A few days later, I would travel this same route from Derry back to Belfast.

The views are exceptional.

Further along the cliffs stands one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic landmarks: Mussenden Temple.

Mussenden Temple was originally built as a summer library overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The circular building formed part of the estate surrounding the great Downhill House.

The temple itself remains beautifully preserved.

The house is a different story.

Its walls still stand, but the interior has long disappeared.

It feels strange to think that people were still living here as recently as 1945.

Downhill House remains impressive despite having lost almost everything inside.

From the temple, there are sweeping views across Downhill Beach and the small settlement below the cliffs.

The beach itself is another spectacular stretch of coastline and would easily be a major attraction almost anywhere else.

Unfortunately, I could not linger for too long.

I had to turn inland towards Limavady and my final night on the trail.

Downhill Beach stretches for miles beneath the cliffs and railway line.

Once again, I found myself walking along narrow roads with passing traffic.

After several days surrounded by dramatic coastal scenery, the inland landscape felt noticeably less exciting.

Eventually, after a couple of hours, I admitted defeat and took the bus the rest of the way to Limavady.

That night I stayed in a private Airbnb, my first of the trip.

It turned out to be one of the friendliest places I stayed during the entire journey.

The following morning was Sunday.

Exactly one week had passed since I had started walking.

After finding a good cappuccino, I boarded the bus for Derry~Londonderry.

The hike was over.

One final city remained.

And that will be the subject of the last post in this Northern Ireland series.