Day 4
Almost everyone has heard of the Giant's Causeway but did you also know that the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland is awash with astonishing natural landscapes?
You'll find everything along this road from patchwork hills, mountain streams and waterfalls to a lovely coastal road with majestic cliffs, golden sands and the unique glory that is the Giant's Causeway itself.
This is where 40,000 mostly six-sided basalt columns create an eerie landscape jutting into the ocean.On the way you'll pass Dunluce Castle, built in the 16th century and perched dramatically on a clifftop overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. This castle is well worth a stop (www.ehsni.gov.uk)
Then it's on to the world-famous Giant's Causeway itself. The Giant's Causeway is actually one of the natural wonders of the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of those impressive hexagonally-shaped basalt columns stand as high as 160 meters. They were formed 60 million years ago from volcanic lava. When you hear the legend of a fight between a Scottish and an Irish giant taking place, you can almost believe it's true.
One thing that definitely is true is just how good the lunch tastes afterwards at the Distillers Arms in Bushmills (www.distillersarms.com), so check it out.
And don't forget to look at Northern Ireland's Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge afterwards. This bridge sways precariously 24 meters above the churning ocean and it consists of planks of wood laid between long parallel ropes. Not for the faint of heart but a great adventure anyway! It was originally put there by lobster fishermen who wanted to set and then check their traps.
If you need some Dutch courage after the fact, check out the Old Bushmills Distillery (you definitely don't want to do it before your rope-bridge adventure!)
And for a good night's sleep, that would have any giant or Lilliputian asleep in minutes, check into the Bushmills Inn (www.Bushmillsinn.com).
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San Francisco residents can fly to Northern Ireland (Belfast) by using SFO International Airport. Deals can be found online at www.kayak.com.
See the slide show of Northern Ireland pictures on the left.
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Northern Ireland Day 1
