Bushmills & The Causeway
No visit to the North Coast is complete without a trip to some of Ireland’s most popular attractions, located in the neighbouring District of Moyle. The most wondered at and most photographed natural phenomenon in Ireland lies on the doorstep of the Borough in the District of Moyle, just a two mile walk by a cliff-top path from Portballintrae.
 |  |  |
The Giant’s Causeway, scenically spectacular and of international geological significance, is not just a National Nature Reserve but enjoys World Heritage Site status. In the care of the National Trust (which also maintains the popular coastal paths) it has become an icon of tourism and a place of pilgrimage for visitors from around the world.
The Causeway was formed 60 million years ago, as North America split away from Europe and the ruptured crust bled great floods of magma. Molten basalt flowed into a small valley and formed a deep lake. A solid crust formed on its surface and, insulated by further flows, the magma cooled so slowly that it ‘crystalised’ into some 38,000 multi-sided vertical columns of stone. It is the exposed tops of these columns that create the bizarre pavement of the Causeway. Additional groups of columns formed later can be seen in the great cliff faces behind the Causeway. These were created by succeeding lava flows over two million years, building the lava plateau from which the Antrim scenery is carved.
The ancient myth that surrounds the Causeway is that of a Celtic giant, Fionn MacCumhail (Finn McCool) who built the Causeway path to bridge the Irish Sea to reach his Scottish rival, Benandonner.
Access to the Causeway is by a tarmac path from the Visitors’ Centre (with a mini-bus service for the less energetic) or by the cliff-top path with, sensational views along the coast and down to the Causeway. This is reached by the flight of steps – 149 of them – called the Shepherd’s Path, descending to sea level.
The full drama of the Causeway is experienced when actually standing on it. Many of its formations and those in the cliffs above have been given names over the years because of their peculiar shapes and what they are said to represent - The Organ, The Honeycomb, The Wishing Chair, Lord Antrim’s Parlour, The Chimney Pots etc.
From the Causeway a lower path runs eastwards along the cliff side. This path, created by the National Trust and worth walking, once came out on the cliff tops at Benbane Head but has since been closed halfway along its length because of a danger of rock-falls.
At the Visitors’ Centre there is an audio-visual theatre explaining the natural history and cultural heritage of the Causeway Coast, as well as shops, Tourist Information Centre and a tearoom. There is a charge for car parking.
Close to the Giant’s Causeway is the cultural town of Bushmills which is steeped in history and is most famed for the world’s oldest licensed Whiskey Distillery. The Bushmills Distillery was licensed in 1608 and offers conducted tours and facilities such as a visitor’s centre, shop, bar and The Distillery Kitchen for light snacks.