What we find when we arrive, however, is one of the most incredible stretches of coastline I’ve ever seen, rugged and dotted with tiny islands, one of which is accessible via the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Approaching Carrick-a-Rede island Carrick-a-Rede bridge & island We also have to hand over an extra 10€ for tickets to walk across the bridge, and although I’m not keen on the expense, I figure I may never be here again and I may as well make the most of the day, touristy or not. The main stop of the day (and really the whole reason I booked this tour) is the Giant’s Causeway later in the afternoon, so after our experience at the Dark Hedges, I have lowered my expectations for our second stop, a potentially gimmicky rope bridge that I really don’t know much about. It’s a short visit anyway, and before long we are “walking with purpose” (a variation on “power walking” in which you don’t actually move any quicker than normal walking, but you adopt a look of purpose so that people get out of your way) back to the bus. They are definitely pretty, but (in additional to definitely not being hedges) I think we are both a bit underwhelmed, particularly by the number of other tourists along the road who seem determined to position themselves immediately in front of my camera. We have to walk about 10 minutes through forest to reach the Dark Hedges, which Maryem is quick to point out are not actually hedges at all, and has her remarking every 30 seconds of the walk “where are these dark hedges?” until I finally tell her “we’re in them”. Still, it’s a beautiful natural phenomenon, and seeing as I have eyes, that’s significance enough. I stopped watching the show when everyone was still carrying on about “Winter is coming” (seriously, how long does it take for the seasons to change), so I can’t say that the place holds any real significance for me. We travel a couple of hours to reach our first stop, a long tunnel of towering trees that was used as “the kingsroad” in Game of Thrones. Strolling through the Dark Hedges The Dark Hedges Where to stay: Abbey Court Hostel, just off O’Connell Street and about a 5min walk from the pick-up point, offers dorm beds ranging from €10-25.
INNER BEAUTY CARRICKFERGUS DRIVER
Getting there: Meet the Paddywagon bus on O’Connell Street near the Savoy Theatre at 7am, and then all the day’s onward transportation will be totally taken care of by your lovely driver until you arrive home after 8pm. (I actually went with Paddywagon Tours for €60 , and they were good, but I preferred my other experience with Wild Rover for all the history and cultural information shared on board by the dedicated guide plus, their tour skips the Dark Hedges and spends more time in Belfast, which I would have preferred.) All the details: Northern Ireland tourĬost: Explore Northern Ireland on a Wild Rover Tour for €70. We depart just after 7am in our opposite-of-discreet Paddywagon Tours bus, driving across the border and into Northern Ireland for a day that will include the Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Giant’s Causeway, and Belfast. I have better luck with my second alarm, and soon I’m walking with Maryem towards the pick-up point on O’Connell St, keeping eyes peeled for a bus that I later realise would have been literally impossible to miss (think shamrocks and leprechauns). And so I pack all my bits away and go right back to bed. It takes a few moments to process, but quickly becomes clear that I’ve gotten up about 6.5 hours sooner than was really necessary, which explains the darkness and also the steady stream of people coming back into the hostel from drinking. It’s always challenging to get up in the dark, but I am bubbling with anticipation for the day, so I set off to the shower, getting completely dressed and am only moments from ready before I think to check the weather.Ĭonnecting to Wifi for the first time since I arrived in Ireland, my phone suddenly updates to the correct time-11.40pm. When my alarm goes off, I am amazed at how quickly morning has come, and I realise just how tired I must have been to sleep without a single moment of restlessness on the horribly uncomfortable hostel bed. I even convinced my new friend Maryem to join me on the tour today, making plans to meet at 6.45am at the hostel reception. After a wonderful day exploring Dublin and the nearby seaside yesterday, I am positively beside myself with excitement to journey north and see more of this little island’s natural beauty.
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