It’s now even easier to explore the island of Ireland’s beautiful north coast with a new 10-night holiday combining two iconic coastal road trip routes: the Wild Atlantic Way, the world’s longest defined coastal route, and the Causeway Coastal Route home to the world-famous Giant’s Causeway.
Whilst visitors often pick one route to explore, a new focus on the region is encouraging road trippers to extend their stays and experience both iconic routes in one trip, taking in spectacular coastal landscapes and famous sites like the Giant’s Causeway and Malin Head, Ireland’s most northerly point. The experience is available to book through McKinlay Kidd, an award-winning tour operator specialising in holidays to the UK and Ireland.
Travellers embarking on Ireland’s Greatest Road Trips – the Causeway Coast and Wild Atlantic Way will enjoy a 10-night journey that showcases the best of the north coast, taking in rugged coastal landscapes, characterful towns and famous tourism sites. As well as accommodation and car hire, the holiday includes a number of immersive experiences including ferry travel as foot passengers to Rathlin Island in the company of a local guide, a Visit Derry Pass for two, a guided tour of Fanad Head Lighthouse, a guided visit to Sliabh Liag and a tour and lunch at a Sligo oyster farm.
The new holiday begins with an early ferry to Belfast to spend some time in the city before heading to the Causeway Coast for a wonderful oceanside drive to the seaside town of Ballycastle, recently named ‘Best Place to Live in Northern Ireland’. The next day board the ferry for a short crossing to Rathlin Island, home to Northern Ireland’s largest seabird colony, an ‘upside down lighthouse’ and a famous spot to see puffins.
Continue along the Causeway Coastal route taking in the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Ballintoy Harbour, the world-famous Giants Causeway, Dunluce Castle and Mussenden Temple and the golden strands at Portstewart and Portrush, before reaching the city of Derry-Londonderry. Spend a night and day in this fascinating and friendly city, exploring then of the city’s attractions with a Visit Derry Pass and a guided walk of the ancient city walks.
Next, head onto the Wild Atlantic Way, for two days exploring the rugged beauty of County Donegal, including the island’s most northerly point, made famous in Star Wars, and spend the night in Irish-speaking region of the Rosses. Carry on south along the Wild Atlantic Way to view Sliabh Liag, Europe’s tallest sea cliffs and spend a night in Donegal Town with the option to enjoy some live music in the evening.
The route then takes road-trippers down into County Sligo, to see Mullaghmore Head, the mighty Ben Bulben and the blowholes at Raghly Cliffs. Spend two nights in Sligo, W.B. Yeats country, and enjoy a private oyster farm experience in Sligo Bay, before heading back to Dublin or Belfast to catch the ferry home.
The holiday has been created as part of a campaign to promote tourism to the north coast of the island of Ireland. Tourism Ireland, Failte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland have ongoing collaboration to forge greater links between the Causeway Coastal Route and Wild Atlantic Way through the Shared Island Brand Collaboration Project, creating synergies between these two iconic touring routes through new discovery points, improved signage, and large investment into local tourism businesses.
The 10-night Ireland’s Greatest Road Trips – the Causeway Coast and Wild Atlantic Way holiday is available to now and priced from £1,595 per person, based on two adults sharing a double or twin room on a B&B basis and includes 10-nights’ accommodation, car hire and five guided excursions. There is the option to start and finish in either Dublin or Belfast.
