Scenic Causeway Route up Northern Ireland coastline to Portrush well worth the detour

Royal Portrush on the northernmost coast of Northern Ireland is only about an hour or so from Belfast if you take the direct route. If you’re a tourist and have the time to make an hour or two detour, the Scenic Causeway Route (A2) along the northeast coastline is well worth the added time in your car.

Between tiny little coastal towns, the scenery is stunning. When you envision a “green Ireland", this is where it’s at. Ballycastle, a town about 10 miles from Portrush, has a golf club that looks very appealing and I’ve heard little about it. It’s a mix of rocky links holes and parkland holes across the road. A shame I don’t have the time to give it a closer look. The Giant’s Causeway is a collection of shoreside stones that are curiously symmetrical.

Take your time on this road, it can get quite narrow and curvy at times. Stone walls creep in ever so close (especially for us American drivers used to wide lanes and SUVs.) If you’re booking a tour in this region, make sure you’re shuttled this way. Stopping off frequently, I made it to Portrush in less than three hours.

More on Royal Portrush coming soon…it’s certainly worth its own entry and more.

The Dunluce Castle ruins just before Portrush on the Scenic Causeway route in Northern Ireland is one of many wonderful sights.

Ballycastle Golf Club - a little course on the coast I’ve never heard of but looks appealing.