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| County Antrim |
County Antrim (named after a town with the same name, located near Belfast) is one of the 6 counties belonging to Northern Ireland and hence depending on the United Kingdom. With County Down, County Antrim is one of the two counties of Northern Ireland which presently have a majority of the population with a Protestant community background and which show their allegiance to the United Kingdom. In summer, this is demonstrated by the ostentatious display of the Union Jack (British flag) in the streets of major towns. Despite this, I believe this is the most interesting county to visit in Northern Ireland. The City of Belfast can be visited during a weekend (however, avoid July and August). Further to the North, the Giants’ Causeway is the attraction not to be missed in the area. |
| 1. Take base in Portrush...
[   ] The town of Portrush turns out to be an ideal base to visit the North of Antrim. As for Tramore (Co. Waterford), Salthill (Co. Galway), Newcastle (Co. Down), Portrush is a seaside resort. You'll find a lot of merry-go-rounds and casinos to entertain you. As the town encourages tourism, it is quite easy to find some form of accommodation over there. On the right-hand side, you can see a photo of the port of Portrush by night. |
| 2. Admire Dunluce Castle from afar...
[ ] Close to Portrush and to Bushmills (famous for its whiskey), you can enjoy the view of 13th Century Dunluce Castle... and it's better to see it from afar! Indeed, in the 17th Century, part of the cliff fell into the sea with part of the castle kitchen and its employees... This is to say that despite its name (meaning the strong fort), this castle was not that rip-roaring! |
3. Walk in the area of Carrick-a-Rede... |
| 4. Play the role of Indiana Jones...
[  ] The bridge is located 23 m above the sea, and believe me, once on it you won't feel brave and confident. On very windy days, the bridge is actually forbidden to the public for obvious safety reasons... In the present case, it turns out your life hangs by a rope! |
| 5. Walk by the cliffs...
[  ] After this wee adventure, you can go near the very famous Giants' Causeway. Before going to see the volcanic formations, described below, I recommend that you go for a great walk by the cliffs of Antrim. On a clear day, you'll be able to see Scotland. |
6. and admire the Giants' Causeway... [ ] The Giants’ Causeway is made of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, resulting from a volcanic eruption which happened around 50 or 60 million years ago! On the right-hand side, you can see one of the columns, named the "chimney stack". |
7. Follow the track of Finn McCool... |
| 8. Go on the Port of the Giants Causeway... [ ] In reality, it is the fast cooling of the basalt lava which created the shape of the columns.On the right-hand side, you can see the Port of the Giants’ Causeway. It is the area triggering the most interest and hence it is the most touristy. |
| 9. Admire Nature's art... [ ] On the photo, you can see a view from above of what you can see on the port. In some areas, you will find it difficult to believe that those perfectly hexagonal cobbles are Mother Nature's art. |
| County Antrim in pictures | ||
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 Photo 2. Dunluce Castle. |
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 Photo 3. View of Carrick-a-Rede. |
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 Photo 4. Crossing the Carrick-A-Rede bridge. |
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 Photo 5. Cliffs of Antrim. |
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 Photo 6. Chimney stack. |
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 Photo 7. Finn McCool's boot. |
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 Photo 8. Giants Causeway. |
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 Photo 9. Details of Giants Causeway. |
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Legend:
Nice; Worth a visit; Well worth visiting
Please note that this grading system is only based on my interests and personal experience as a French expat in Ireland. Feel free to visit the same locations and share your experience 
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Free or Not Applicable Entrance fee ≤€5 ; €5<Entrance fee≤€10 ; €10<Entrance fee≤€15 and so on...
These price ranges are indicative only to help you plan your holiday budget and are subject to change. Discounts generally apply for families, groups, children, students and seniors citizens.
While the admission to this site is free, a parking fee may apply.
Heritage Site managed by the Office of Public Works. Most OPW sites are free of charge on the first Wednesday of every month during 2011. A Good tip: the Heritage Card entitles you unlimited admission for one year to all OPW sites (around €21).