HAVING grown up in Belfast, my childhood was filled with weekend trips to Ireland’s north coast, which my dad is extremely keen to remind me of. Despite the constant verbal reminders of my outdoorsy past, my memories mainly consist of vague images of the sea, the mountains, and terrible fleeces, so I was keen to rediscover the causeway coast as we embarked on the Game of Thrones Territory trip.
As a massive Game of Thrones fan, I was excited to hear that the tour, which is conducted by local tour company Stones and Thrones, had been given the official thumbs up from series developers HBO. Our tour guide Sharlene, a self-professed "Game of Thrones nerd" or ‘Throney’, enthusiastically greeted as we boarded the bus on the morning of our departure.
We departed Belfast city centre for Limavady, a journey which our bus driver Michael said would take over an hour. Luckily for us, Michael seemed to possess the knowledge of a local historian, or a geographer. The purpose of the trip may have been to visit some of the stunning Game of Thrones filming locations, but learning some real local history along the way greatly enhanced the experience.
Our bus arrived in Limavady and we made for a cosy bar called Owen’s. Unfortunately, a pint was out of the question at that early hour, but we did get to view the ‘Door of Thrones’ which is on display in the bar.
It's one of several intricately carved doors that were commissioned by Tourism NI to mark each episode of the latest Game of Thrones series. The doors were made from felled trees from The Dark Hedges, which is the setting for ‘The Kingsroad’ in the series.
We saw a number of the doors during our trip, each one as beautifully carved as the last.
Usually I would be sad to leave such a nice pub but on this occasion I was rather excited as I knew that we were headed to the Dothraki Grasslands, known locally as Binevenagh.
Excitement was soon mixed with adrenaline as our bus climbed the extremely steep and narrow road to the summit. In season five Danaerys is rescued and brought here by one of her dragons, Drogon, but even if you were riding a dragon it would be difficult to better the breath-taking views of the cliffs and the coast as seen from this the western limit of Antrim’s plateau – for me, a highlight of the trip.
Just below Binevenagh is Downhill beach which was used as the location for Dragonstone, where Melisandre burned the seven gods of Westeros in season two. The Blue Flag beach itself is one of Ireland's finest – which is saying something.
While we were on the beach the guys from Tourism NI persuaded a few from our group to don Game of Thrones-style cloaks and swords. The average age of our group was probably somewhere in the late 20s, but the costumes were thoroughly enjoyed and would become a recurrent feature on our trip.
Back on the bus, we hurtled along the coastal road to our next destination, Porstewart Strand. Things began to get more than a little competitive en route as our tour group became engaged in a Game of Thrones quiz. Accusations of plagiarism began to fly as the quiz reached a climax but it was all in good fun. I thought I might just win it, but unfortunately I was beaten to it by another journo from the Irish Mirror.
After an eventful morning traversing the world of Thrones I was eagerly anticipating our visit to Harry’s Shack, a curious little restaurant in a building owned by The National Trust which is located directly on Porstewart strand. Manager Donal Doherty made us all feel very welcome as he described in detail the menu which included some fantastic fresh seafood and locally brewed craft beer.
Porstewart Strand is an area of outstanding natural beauty whose golden sands provide the backdrop for the Coast of Dorne in the Game of Thrones series.
No Game of Thrones trip would be complete without a trip to the Iron Islands of Pyke. Passing the medieval castle of Dunluce along the way we reached Ballintoy Harbour. The harbour, which is better known by Thrones fans as Lordsport Harbour, occupies a rugged piece of coastline that makes for the perfect setting for the jagged Iron Islands. Ballintoy is featured in a number of episodes that tell the story of Theon Greyjoy and his pugnacious kin.
Making our way along the coast, we visited the spectacular limestone cliffs of Larrybane before retiring for the night at the Bushmills Inn Hotel which, not so coincidentally, is located in the charming little town of Bushmills. The hotel strikes a perfect balance between quaint and modern. Comfortable rooms, a secret library, and excellent food are just some of the things that make the hotel worth a visit. Conversations with visitors from across the globe and with extremely friendly staff in the hotel bar ensured that I was up a little past my bedtime.
Despite that, however, I was up with the birds in the morning – eagerly anticipating our visit to the Dark Hedges in Co Antrim. Planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century, the Dark Hedges is an avenue of entwined beech trees that form part of the Kingsroad in Game of Thrones.
The peculiar natural phenomenon is one of the north's most photographed locations and is also said to be home to a ghost named The Grey Lady. Being a firm believer in the paranormal, I was both intrigued and scared by the possibility of a spectral appearance.
Leaving the Dark Hedges and its ghostly inhabitant behind, we headed for Cushendun Caves (The Stormlands) which would be the final destination of our trip, taking in the glens of Antrim along the way. The huge caverns of Cushendun Caves which have been formed over 400 million years are an awesome place to explore. Melisandre infamously gave birth to the shadow creature here during season two GOT.
Back in Belfast, Stones and Thrones concluded our trip by giving us the opportunity to meet the dogs who portrayed the unmistakable Dire Wolves in Game of Thrones – an exclusive to their tour.
Tourism NI have made a big effort in promoting the Stones and Thrones tour, and it’s clear to see why. For Game of Thrones fans it’s essential, but for the non-fan, it’s every bit as worthwhile. The tour incorporates some of the most amazing locations on offer in Northern Ireland which are worth the trip alone.
FACTFILE
:: For tour booking, see www.stonesandthrones.com
;; Bushmills Inn booking at www.bushmillsinn.com
;; For more info about visiting Ireland's north coast, see www.discovernorthernireland.com
