Northern Ireland: Causeway Coast
8 Day Inn & Bike Tour
Tour Information
If you are a Game of Thrones fan, then you are already familiar with the spectacular natural beauty and historic elegance of Northern Ireland, where many scenes of the popular HBO series was filmed. This tour brings you up close and personal with Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast, a magical land of volcanic rock, lush green hills, mystical lakes and rivers, medieval castle ruins, and charming seaside villages. Come along for the ride of your life!
Moderate
Rolling terrain with some longer climbs. Moderate cycling level. Easier with an e-bike.
7 nights lodging, 7 breakfasts, 6 dinners, snacks, hybrid rental bike, van support, electronic GPS files, and trained guides.
Hybrid bike is included in the cost of the tour. Road bikes and e-bikes are an additional $250.
Lodgings are subject to minor changes:
Fly in and out of the Belfast International Airport (BFS) or the George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD). From the Belfast International Airport, take a 10-minute taxi from to our starting hotel. From the Belfast City Airport, take a train or bus to the city center and then a bus or taxi to our starting hotel.
How do I sign up?
You can Register / Sign-up for a Tour online. . You'll need a Visa, MasterCard, or Discover card or a check for the deposit. If you sign up within 30 days of the start of the tour, we require payment in full. Then, we’ll send you a tour confirmation packet with many more details about your trip, including travel arrangements, a packing list, and an optional training schedule. Most of our tours fill completely and have waiting lists, so don’t wait too long before deciding to join us!
How do I know if a particular tour is suitable for my riding ability?
We will be happy to discuss what tour would best suit your skill level. However, because our groups are small, we are able to offer van support to shorten the miles or flatten the hills on any tour.
I am coming alone on this tour. Will I be the only one traveling alone?
Absolutely not. Many of our participants come by themselves. That is part of the reason for the existence of WomanTours--to provide women with riding partners as well as scenic vistas and interesting tours.
What if I have to cancel a tour outside of the USA?
We understand that personal circumstances sometimes force women to cancel their travel plans. Therefore, we have tried to be as generous as possible with the following international tour cancellation policy:
- 120+ days before tour departure: forfeit $150 of your deposit.
- 75 - 119 days before tour departure: forfeit 25% of the complete tour price.
- 50 - 74 days before tour departure: forfeit 65% of the complete tour price.
- 30 - 49 days before tour departure: forfeit 85% of the complete tour price.
- 0 - 29 days before tour departure: forfeit 100% of the complete tour price.
- No refunds are possible after the tour begins.
Northern Ireland Bike Tour Itinerary
Day 1: We meet at the Dunadry Hotel and Gardens in Templepatrick, an easy 10-minute cab ride from the Belfast International Airport or 25 minutes from Belfast City Airport. We will meet at 3:00 pm for a rental bike fitting, orientation, test ride and group dinner.
We encourage you to arrive a day or two early to explore Belfast—the city center is only 30 minutes via public transportation from our starting hotel. Consider visiting Titanic Belfast, the museum devoted to the sunken ocean liner, as it was built in Belfast in 1912. Then City Hall, St. George’s Market and St. Anne’s Cathedral are also noteworthy destinations. 0 miles.
Day 2: Our first day of cycling takes us along the River Bann, one of the country’s most prolific trout and salmon fishing waterways. We will pedal through pastoral landscapes until we reach our Aghadowey inn, which offers a nine-hole golf course, in case you want a little tee time before dinner. 38 miles, ± 1455’.
Day 3: Let’s continue north along the River Bann to Coleraine, a pretty market town known for its pedestrian-friendly center. Here, we cross the Bann and meet the North Atlantic Sea at Mussenden Temple, a somber, circular, domed structure perched on the cliff’s edge. It was built in 1785 as a summer library and was part of the estate for the Bishop of Derry. The estate also includes the ruins of Downhill House, which fell into disrepair after World War II. A short trek down the road leads to Hezlett House, a 17th-century thatched cottage that gives visitors a portrait of what life was like in those times.
Back on the bikes, we return to Coleraine and then head east through picturesque seaside resort towns before arriving at Dunluce Castle. The romantic medieval ruins teeter on craggy cliffs overlooking the crashing waves below. From here, it’s a short distance to Bushmills, the inland village that will be our home for the next two nights. 28 or 43 miles, ±2020’.
Day 4: Today you can use your bike to explore Bushmills and environs in a leisurely fashion, or ride a longer loop. Either way, there will be lots of stunning scenery.
If you do stay close to Bushmills, consider a tour of Bushmills Irish Whiskey, which has been distilling here for more than 400 years. Or visit Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This natural wonder is made up of more than 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, created 60 million years ago by lava flow. Local legend, however, has a different take, citing a long feud between Irish and Scottish giants as the genesis of this unique rock formation. It’s a great opportunity for a lovely hike along the cliff path.
If you are itching for a real bike ride, we have a loop option that offers great vistas and lovely hills. 27 miles, ±965’.
Day 5: Today’s cycling has two options. Both have fantastic sightseeing. Heading east along the Causeway Coast for the shorter route, the first must-see is the ruins of Dunseverick Castle, where St. Patrick visited in the 5th century. The longer route gets to experience The Dark Hedges, a country lane where beech trees, planted in the late 18th century, stretch across the road to form an eerie yet romantic tunnel. This happens to be the filming location for Game of Thrones’ Kingsroad.
Both routes meet up and then run through White Park Bay, where you might actually spy cattle or sheep strolling the golden sand beaches – their grazing serves an important role in protecting the surrounding sand dunes. Game of Thrones fans will also thrill at Ballintoy Harbour, one of the many splendid Northern Ireland filming locations for the popular HBO series.
Then if you have the nerve, walk the 66- foot-long rope bridge to Carrick-a-Rede Island. Built in 1755, the bridge enabled salmon fishermen to access prolific catches. 34 miles, ±1700, 15 miles, ±1000’.
Day 6: One of the most defining geologic features of County Antrim is the Antrim Plateau, a wide stretch of basalt hills formed 60 million years ago. Erosion at the summit created the nine Glens of Antrim. These gorgeous glens, or valleys, stretch from the plateau’s highest elevation to the coast. Today’s ride takes us on a gentle ascent up one of these glens (Glenshesk), and then downhill through another (Glendun).
Near the top of Glenshesk we will take a break at the Amroy Round Tower, one of many round towers throughout Northern Ireland built on monastic sites and thought to be used as belfries or for defensive holdouts during medieval warfare. At the bottom of Glendun, which follows the dark, peat-colored waters of the River Dun, our reward is seeing the lovely coastal village of Cushendun.
From here, we head south and hit the Antrim Coast Road, one of the most scenic roadways of the world. We’ll hear the waves crashing on the shore all the way to Carnlough, where we sleep in a hotel once owned by Sir Winston Churchill. 33 miles ± 1790’.
Day 7: The last ride of the tour continues along the glorious Antrim Coast Road, with a short detour to see the waterfalls at Glenariff Forest Park. Then it’s through the village of Glenarm, past the 17th century Ballygally Castle (now part of a four-star hotel) and into Carrickfergus, one of the oldest towns in Northern Ireland that has a very well-preserved Norman castle you can visit.
For those wanting a shorter ride, a train can take you to Belfast, where we spend our final night. For others, a traffic- free bike path takes us safely into the heart of this capital city and major port, where we’ll celebrate our Causeway Coast tour with dinner. 26 miles or 37 miles, ± 1988’.
Day 8: We’ll say our farewells after breakfast this morning. You’ll be at your leisure to take a cab or bus to the airport or wherever else your travels may take you.