14 DISCOVER THE NORTH COAST
April/May 2022 Travel News
THE COAST BETWEEN TWO COUNTIES T
HE North Coast, situated to the North-East of Northern Ireland, is a coastal area divided between two counties- County Londonderry and County
Antrim. Visitors will find a mix of blues and greens whilst visiting the area due to the numerous beaches, fields, fishing rivers and walkways- An escape from the city to an area of tranquility. Not only does this area provide all of the above to wonder at, significant visitor attractions lie in this region- the Giants Causeway, the Dark Hedges, Bushmills Distillery and the impressive river Bann can all be found here. Whether travellers are discovering the north coast for
the first time, or the 31st time, there is always something different to see or do whilst in the area. We have put together the top sights and activities not to be missed on your next visit. Giants Causeway The Giants Causeway is one of the most famous attractions within Northern Ireland which hosts on average around 1 million visitors annually (pre-covid), and it is clear to see why. Located outside of the coastal town of Bushmills, the Giants Causeway is an area made up of around 40,000 hexagonal blocks all intertwined and disappearing into the sea below. The rocks are said to have been the workings of an ancient volcanic eruption and have created what we know today to be the giants Causeway. However, there is a local legend which explains the productions of these shapes in a different manner. Finn McCool, a local giant lived nearby the area now known as the Giants Causeway. Close to the coast of Scotland, a Scottish Giant heard of McCool and threatened to take over Ireland. McCool heard of this threat and began to bridge a way across the Irish Sea to this giant by throwing rocks into the sea. McCool crossed the path to find the Scottish giant to be much larger than himself and therefore retreated back to the Antrim coastline. In an attempt to scare off the Scottish giant, McCool dressed as a baby and awaited the arrival of his Scottish enemy. Upon sight of the baby, the Scottish giant fled- If this is the size of his bay, then what size must. Finn McCool be!? As he retreated back
Atlantic Ocean. This national trust owned building sits quietly within a gardened area, homing a pond and many different types of flowers and plants. In a previous life, this temple was building back in 1785 by Fredrick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol who was the church of Ireland Lord Bishop of derry at the time. Those wishing to visit the temple can do so by either walking through the garden and up the steep staircase to the top of the cliff, or park at the top of the cliff and follow the stones path to the standing structure.
The Coast’s Culinary Delights After taking in the sights and sounds of the North
Coast, the Coast’s culinary delights, alongside its buzzing nightlife, provides the stark contrast of night and day for all of its visitors. Ramore Complex Situated on the stunning coast of North Antrim in the
seaside town of Portrush, the Ramore offers a unique range of restaurants and bars serving highly renowned dishes and drinks for all tastes. Choose from the Wine Bar, Basalt, The Mermaid, Neptune and Prawn, Coast and the Harbour Bistro.
https://www.ramorerestaurant.com/ Kraken Fish and Chips Located in Portrush and other towns across Northern
Ireland, Kraken Fish and Chips are passionate about food, they love fish and are conscious of gluten. Starting life in a converted Citroen Hy Van they wanted to bring the best of fish hand battered with care and make it gluten free.
Stunning Coastlines surround the North Coast with deep blue waters
NITN ACCOMMODATION RECOMMENDATION Me & Mrs Jones Hotel,Portstewart
NESTLED at the high point of Portstewart, this stone paved quirky hotel sits quietly at a stone’s throw from the nearby Portstewart Strand. Me & Mrs Jones Hotel can only be described as none other than a slice of luxury amids the tranquillity and calm of the North Coast, all whilst subtly blending into its close surroundings. This two storied escape houses loud and standout furnishings throughout its interior, accompanied by lavish food, drinks and small details. NI Travel News’ Sarah Pickering went to check out why this cosy boutique on the North Coast is making such a loud noise throughout the hotel industry. Instantly greeted with bold shoots of gold flashes placed delicately on top of a deep black background, the entry to the hotel from their stylish beer garden is of vast contrast to the soft main entry directed to the front of the hotel. This theme carries on throughout the hotel where guests will fest their eyes on sensory delights, providing that instant feeling of luxury. To truly experience this hotel and all it has to offer, a bite to eat must be had. Going hand in hand with the luxury flow to this hotel is the luxury treatment provided by the staff- These staff are nothing short of attentive, knowledgeable and just blatantly friendly. Accompanying the excellent service is an extensive drinks menu and locally sourced food menu. My partner and I opted to sample a draught beer and signature cocktail- the Mrs Jones Glamour made with vodka, passion fruit, vanilla and hibiscus syrup and lemon juice. Sweet yet sour- perfect for what was to follow. The hotel offers food daily, with a range of menus for
both breakfast, lunch and dinner. On Sunday. Guests can also opt for a traditional roast port of roast beef dinner. To start, a delicious spread of Portavogie Scampi with lemon mayo, chicken and liver parfait with seasoned sourdough, and crab and salmon salad. The locality of all the dishes here is really something to wonder at and therefore providing the utmost freshness. For this reason, our NI Travel News recommendation has to be the Portavogie Scampi.
Moving on to mains, again, fish is a key contender when it comes to lunch and dinner here and it is clear to see why with the coast on its doorstep. Other mains include steak, venison, duck and our main of the day was Buttermilk
to Scotland, the giant tore apart the bridge linking the two countries to stop McCool from following him across the Irish Sea- Thus, creating the Giants Causeway as we know it! We like to think the second explanation is more believable. Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge Not far from the Giants Causeway, visitors can
find the stunning Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge- The 20 metre bridge hangs suspended across the mainland to the small island of Carrickarede off the shores of the North Coast. This is one for our more adventurous readers as the bridge, created out of rope and wooden boards (hence the name), dangles 30 metres above the shallow water below, however, visitors will receive the most picturesque sights of the Irish Sea and the surrounding areas. Dunluce Castle Along the stretch of road connecting Portrush
with Bushmills, visitors will drive past the ruins of Dunluce Castle. The castle itself looks like it is falling into the sea from the roadside but do not be alarmed. Opened daily, the castle provides parking and tours for those looking to explore inside the medieval structure. The castle sits upon an area of land made of similar material to that of the Giants Causeway. This is definitely an instagramable hotspot!
chicken. The large portions provided are sure to satisfy even the hungriest of guests which we can vouch for. Desserts at Me and Mrs Jones become the perfect refreshment after dinner with a selection; indulge in rich lemon cake, warm chocolate tart and spiced poached pear, or aim for the lighter options of flavourful gelato, fluffy cheesecake and dainty macaroons. Our NI Travel News recommendation stands with the lemon cake- A must! One of the stand out elements to this boutique hotel
is the uniqueness of each room- although there are only 4 different manors of rooms available, each room is tailored differently, keeping guests’ curiosity right through to the door of their room. Staying within a signature room towards the back of the hotel, that curiosity certainly carried us to our room- not only is every corner filled with a different ornament or painting, this particular room sat at the opposite side of the balcony which could be seen from the restaurant below. The open space is flooded with light from the glass roof touring above and it adds to the mystery and uniqueness of the whole experience. The stand out feature within this signature room had to be the two person bath sitting neatly to the left of the large double bed, positioned directly facing the wall-mounted tv. Luxury truly runs entirely throughout the hotel, with small touches such as a turndown service, room service and daily newspaper deliveries for those that would like to avail of this. The simplicity of the simple furnishings coincide with the bold blues and oranges of this specific room creating a relaxing ambience. This subtle luxury hotel placed in the heart of Portstewart
is one that would be of ideal thinking for couples looking for a short break, those celebrating occasions or for those looking to escape to the beautiful North Coast in search of calm and relaxation. For further information on anything mentioned, or to book, please visit
meandmrsjonesportstewart.com
Bushmills Distillery This original dark-bricked distillery is located in
the very heart of Bushmills. With 120,000 visitors on average per year, the distillery famous whiskey is know the world over. If you’re after a classic tour with traditional means of distilling then this is the place for you; Enjoy the locally produced whiskey after a long day exploring the North Coast Area. Tours can be taken within the distillery and this gives from an excellent opportunity to retrieve your souvenir. Whilst in the area, why not explore the village of Bushmills- see if you can find the Saint Columb’s Rill along the River Bush, where the Bushmills Distillery draw water from! Dark Hedges This one is for our Game of Thrones fanatics-
The hit tv programme Game of Thrones aired back in 2011 and very quickly won the hearts of many across the world. Northern Ireland played a massive role in relation to sets and scene locations, marking the country up there with the likes of Croatia. Many of these locations can be found along the North Coast, with the Dark Hedges being the more famous of the lot. Featuring in the 1st episode of season 2- The North Remembers, the towering beech trees located close to Coleraine made it to the big screen and boosted tourism, not only for this area, but the entire country! Make sure to place these trees, ranging form 300 to 500 years old on your list whilst exploring the north Coast. Musseden Temple From the beach at Castlerock, visitors will be
able to look to the right side of the cliff and notice a circular dome-like structure. The structure standing tall above the beach is Mussenden Temple. The temple is a small circular building on the cliffs edge of Castlerock, overlooking the train tracks and the
The GIant’s Causeway hexagon columns
www.krakenfishbar.co.uk The Tides Portrush Tides Portrush was the starting eatery which quickly developed The Newbridge, Coleraine and Urban in Portrush. The Tides is described as casual dining alongside freshly prepared quality food with stunning views of Ireland’s legendary coast line. The Newbridge provides modern dining with great cocktails and a friendly atmosphere with food for all. Urban is only a stones throw away from Portrush’s world renowned beaches and seafront- This eatery provides food made from exclusively fresh, local produce.
https://thetidesportrush.com/ The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine A visit to the Lodge Hotel, Coleraine is incomplete
without sampling the award-winning cuisine and dining facilities. Lunch & Dinner are served daily in the newly refurbished Elliot’s Bistro. Wherever possible the Chef’s source all meats, fish, vegetables and dairy products locally and these are delivered daily so they are fresh for the fullest of flavour and highest quality.
www.thelodgehotel.com Amici Ristorante Amici reflects the passionate, humble and sociable
attitude of Italians towards food. Using only the best local ingredients to produce a rustic, homely and authentic Italian menu. They use a charcoal oven to cook all of their meat, fish and poultry, giving them a subtle smokey flavour. All their pizzas are lovingly crafted from homemade dough, kneaded by hand and cooked at 800°F in the wood burning pizza oven.
https://amiciportstewart.co.uk/
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