For a lot of people, travel is about relaxation. For me, that depends on if I am going on an adventure or taking a vacation. This first blog post is about my latest adventure.
Traveling in a foreign country can be magical! It teaches us about the people, places, and things that we do not interact with on a daily basis. Recently, I travelled to Northern Ireland with my friend Aziza, and my boyfriend, Scott. We rented a car at the airport in Dublin and drove straight to the village of Bushmills in County Antrim (about a 2.5 hour road trip with one stop for food). Our main goal was to spend time exploring the Giant's Causeway and other scenic locations in Northern Ireland (especially those with ties to HBO's Game of Thrones).
Day 1 - Giant's Causeway and Dunluce Castle
The Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which basically means that the country of Northern Ireland believed it was worth protecting and the United Nations agreed. Through donations to the museum or simply by buying a ticket, each visitor can help to ensure the gorgeous landscape of the Giant's Causeway is preserved for future generations.
Local folk stories tell us that the Causeway was built by a giant. Science tells us that volcanic activity created the unique hexagonal rocks that cover this beautiful coastal treasure. Either way, learning about the Giant's Causeway by first visiting the museum was a great way to get a brief introduction to the site. There isn't much reading outside of the museum and this can be good or bad depending on your point of view. I recommend at least 4 hours to hike, take pictures and appreciate the gorgeous views. Bring H20 & snacks as well! The most crowded times to visit are mid-day, when all the daily bus-tours arrive, so plan to arrive early or stay late to see the hexagons when there are less people.
Inside the museum...
Along with learning about the origins of the hexagons, we learned that it was rumored in 1907 that the Giant's Causeway was going to be removed from Northern Ireland and placed in a park in Philadelphia. I am very glad that did not happen, and I currently live right outside of Philly.
Sometimes the best camera is the one in your hands. Below are some beautiful images taken by my travel partners and me using our cell phones. #Galaxy6s #iPhone6s #iPhone7 #ScottisaStark #Winteriscoming #Winterishere
Dunluce Castle
Along the way to dinner that night, we drove to the incredible Dunluce Castle. Its history is fascinating and if we'd had more time, I would have loved to spend an hour or two walking around inside. Instead, we watched the sunset, practiced some headstands, and did a time lapse (see video at the bottom). After hiking for 4+ hours at the Causeway it was a much needed break from walking.
Our backbend Queen, Aziza, in front of the gorgeous Dunluce Castle in County Antrim near the small town of Portrush.
Our Airbnb
This was one of the best choices we made for our travels to the north. Airbnb is a great alternative to hostels or hotels. It can be inexpensive, especially if you are traveling with a group. Click the photo to check our Airbnb listing.
Day 2 - Ballintoy, Larrybane, and The Dark Hedges
The next day, we drove along the Causeway Coastal Route with plans to stop at scenic overlooks and various filming locations for the HBO show Game of Thrones. All three of us are huge fans of the show and could not wait to stand where some of our favorite characters walked, fought, and were baptised. But first, breakfast.
Get yourself an Irish Breakfast.
We ate at this small restaurant in the town of Bushmills (Famous for its Whiskey Distillery). Unfortunately, we missed our opportunity to enjoy a whiskey tasting, but the traditional Irish breakfast was incredible and Bushmills is very close to both the Giant's Causeway and the small adorable seaside town of Portrush!
Game of Thrones Shooting Location - Larrybane Quarry
The image on the top left is the view from Larrybane Quarry looking towards the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. In the screen shot of Brienne of Tarth and Catelyn Stark you can see the V shape that the hillside makes and the bridge connects the two landmasses. It was raining a lot and we decided to not hike to the bridge. It costs a few pounds and is a 1.5 hour hike round trip. I'd would love to go back and visit on a nicer day!
Overlook at White Park Bay; another scenic stop along our drive. Especially in the rain, Northern Ireland is breathtaking.
GOT Shooting Locations - Ballintoy Harbour & The Dark Hedges
Top Left = Ballintoy Harbour. Top Right = Theon Greyjoy is baptized.
Bottom Left = Gendry and Arya travel on the King's Road. Bottom Right = The Dark Hedges
The Dark Hedges & Gracehill House
The Dark Hedges are a famous grouping of beech trees along Bregagh Road in Northern Ireland. These beauties were planted in 1775 as the entrance to Gracehill house (seen below). The hedges are visited by tourists daily (it's always open because its a public road) and cars are driven down the road, so be careful walking or time lapsing!
In 2016, a storm caused a few of the trees to be cut down. (Aziza is doing a backbend on one of the trees that was cut down in the photos above) The clever people at Tourism Ireland had 10 Game of Thrones inspired doors created and put in various places in Northern Ireland. Amazing marketing in my opinion. The doors tell the story of Season 6. Before our trip we knew nothing of the doors and while walking around Gracehill House, we stumbled upon our first door in a restaurant named the Bell Tower.
Door #7
Gracehill House, Stranocum, Co Antrim.
This door includes the symbols of the Stark dire wolf and the three-eyed raven. Scott found it and correctly freaked out at its awesomeness when he showed Aziza and me. We continued on our search for more doors in Belfast and we were not disappointed. If you are travelling to Northern Ireland and interested in searching for the Game of Thrones Doors, click the door image!
Everyone loves mail
One of my favorite (and I will admit, sometimes inconvenient) things to do while traveling is to send mail. I am an avid postcard collector and lover of mail. It might seem odd, but figuring out where to buy postage and sending something in the mail can teach you a lot about the place you are visiting. While driving south we struggled to locate a post office, we ended up buying stamps at a coffee shop and a nice local with the best accent offered to put our postcards in the mail. 10 days later, this arrived.
Throughout our adventure north, I attempted various Time lapses with Eleanor (my Canon 5D M2). Here she is at the Dark Hedges being protected by an umbrella. I've created a short behind-the-scenes look at our adventure in the video below!
Thanks for taking the time to read/watch my first blog! I plan on using this to encourage myself to be creative. I hope you feel both educated and entertained. & I'd love to hear about your adventures too! Have you recently been to Northern Ireland? Tell me about it in the comments!
If you want to be reminded of how beautiful and unique our world is, than Northern Ireland is the place for you.
* All photos are copyrighted by Jessica Van Natten unless otherwise noted