Stenformationerna Giant's Causeway i Nordirland

Giant's Causeway stone formations in Northern Ireland

The Giant's Causeway stone formations in Northern Ireland are impressive with their hexagonal basalt columns, which are crowded by the thousands in a limited area by the sea. On our way here we also visited the mysterious avenue of Dark Hedges, which was filmed in a scene in Game of Thrones, and after our visit to the Giant's Causeway we visited Dunluce Castle.

Table of contents

Dark Hedges

Our main objective, after the visit to the dramatic rope bridge in Carrick-a-Redewas the Giant's Causeway rock formations. But before that we wanted to see the mysterious Dark Hedges avenue in Stranocum, which was featured in a scene in the TV series Game of Thrones. Already on the way there we drove through several impressive and leafy avenues.

Lummig väg — Driving in Northern Ireland is an adventure in itself!

Karta Northern Ireland — Map of the different places we visited

Recording slot from Game of Thrones

Although the green avenues are impressive, they are not what we came to see. We wanted to see the 'Dark Hedges' avenue, which was planted in 1775 by one James Staurt to provide a grand entrance to his and his wife's house. According to legend, the avenue was later visited by a ghost named "Grey Lady"...

But that's not why the avenue attracts masses of tourists every year. No, the tourists come here because it features in a scene from Game of Thrones, when Arya Stark escapes from Kings Landing on the Kings Road, dressed as a boy.

Dark hedges Northern Ireland — Can this place really exist? Yes, it does!

Dark Hedges is located in Stranocum, Northern Ireland.

READ MORE: Things to do in Ireland and Irish attractions
READ MORE: 10 Game of Thrones filming locations in Northern Ireland

The Giant's Causeway rock formations

Finally, we arrived at the Giant's Causeway rock formations on the northern coast of Northern Ireland. At this site there are over 40,000 hexagonal stones of basalt, standing straight up. This looks very special, and almost completely improbable.

Stenformationerna i Giant's Causeway i Nordirland — How can it be like this?

Helena vid några av Stenformationerna Giant's Causeway i Nordirland — Helena at some of the rocks at the Giant's Causeway

According to the myth

According to the myth, the Irish giant Finn McCool (Fionn mac Cumhaill) was in trouble because the Scottish giant Benandonner was threatening Ireland. The enraged Irish giant grabbed the coastline and threw it into the sea to make a bridge, and teach Benandonner a lesson.

But it wasn't that easy! Bennandonner was terrifyingly large and Finn was forced back. Eventually he was rescued by his quick-thinking wife who dressed him up as a baby. "If the baby is so small, then the father must be huge", thought the Scottish giant and left.

According to science

The scientific explanation is that the rock formations are the result of an underground volcanic eruption some 60 million years ago. Apparently, similar formations are found in a few other places, including the Czech Republic and Iceland.

Peter vid Stenformationerna Giant's Causeway i Nordirland — Maybe there is a scientific explanation?

READ MORE: Belfast in Northern Ireland - 10 things to do in Belfast
READ MORE: Winterfell - visiting Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland

Visiting the Giant's Causeway rock formations in Northern Ireland

We've been travelling along the beautiful coastline of Northern Ireland and this May it's been quiet, with limited tourists. Imagine our surprise when we arrived at the Giant's Causeway. This is where they were ... all of them! We were greeted by a gigantic car park, large tourist buses full of Asian tourists and a huge visitor centre.

Turister vid Stenformationerna Giant's Causeway i Nordirland — Tourists at the Giant's causeway

For two adults and a parking space we had to pay 23 pounds (about SEK 265). This includes an audioguide and access to services such as toilets, but as soon as you pay, you walk down to the natural beach yourself. We thought that the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland is impressive and worth visiting, but at the same time the fee seemed too high to walk down to a completely natural beach.

Naturen vid Stenformationerna Giant's Causeway i Nordirland är magisk — Nature at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland is magical!

Dunluce castle

Despite grumbling about the fee, we were pleased with our visit to the stone formations of the Giant's Causeway. Before we could start looking for a campsite, we had to check out Dunluce Castle. This archaeological site has an impressive view of the sea. We arrived after closing time (i.e. after 16:30) and thus could only take photos from the outside. If you arrive earlier, you can (for a fee) also peek inside the old castle.

As you can see, Ireland and Northern Ireland offer one surprise after another. If you check in here tomorrow, we promise to bring you even more different views of Northern Ireland!

Dunluce Catsle — Magical view of Dunluce Castle and the sea

Giant's Causeway stone formations - on film

READ MORE: Facts about Ireland - 30 things you (might) not have known

Helena

04 May 2018 6:00

Ireland

Motorhome holidays in Ireland, nature, attraction, unique nature, experiences in Europe

Helena

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38 Comments

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Lena - good for the soul says:

But what!? The stones! How is that possible?! So cool!

I had no idea that Ireland is so beautiful!

Have a nice trip!

Hug Lena

04 May 2018 - 7:37

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  We suspected that Ireland would be beautiful, but it's even more beautiful than we imagined 🙂 ).
  
  04 May 2018 - 11:11
  
  Reply
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

What a landscape! Was this stone formation the son of nature itself created.
Impressive with these trees tunnelled.
You make me want to see this.
Have a good journey

04 May 2018 - 7:51

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, apparently the stones were formed by an underground volcanic eruption many millions of years ago. Nature is fascinating!
  
  04 May 2018 - 11:13
  
  Reply
Anette Åhnbrink says:

So nice, cool pictures you take! Have longed to "go" with you! Have it now continued best?

04 May 2018 - 9:03

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you like our photos Anette! Then it helps that nature is so special and beautiful 🙂 .
  
  04 May 2018 - 11:14
  
  Reply
Anette says:

The pictures with the rocks and trees are amazing. So much fun to see.
I want to go there too.

04 May 2018 - 9:43

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  The nature here is grateful to be photographed, so to speak.
  
  04 May 2018 - 11:14
  
  Reply
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

I have seen this avenue, Dark Hedges, in photo magazines. I had no idea it was in Ireland. That's awesome! And these rock formations are crazy cool. Then the sun and the blue sky add to it. We're looking forward to what happens next.

04 May 2018 - 10:33

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  How nice that you have seen them all in photo magazines! It is really special!
  
  04 May 2018 - 11:15
  
  Reply
Mr Lars Permelin says:

Very special places, both the strange avenue of trees and the stone formations. How can it be that way, one wonders. Incredible price for looking at old boulders.

04 May 2018 - 11:18

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  The nature is fantastic! But yes, a little too high cost to look at nature that is there by itself, we thought. Nevertheless, this place you want to see when you are here 😉.
  
  04 May 2018 - 19:10
  
  Reply
Mr Steve says:

It's amazing what nature can do.

04 May 2018 - 11:55

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Nature is inventive 🙂
  
  04 May 2018 - 19:10
  
  Reply
Eva - People in the Street says:

What a lovely trip you are doing. Love the environment?

04 May 2018 - 16:23

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  So do we! The nature and environments are hard to beat 🙂
  
  04 May 2018 - 19:11
  
  Reply
Maggan and Ingemar says:

We have never seen Game of Thrones so we can't keep up with it. 😀 So fantastic pictures you take with the "drone" and the other photos are great. Yes there seems to be a lot to see in Ireland, actually quite attractive. They know what to charge from tourists, who want to see the unusual. Exciting to see what you will find in the future. 😀

04 May 2018 - 17:09

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  We realise there are many people who haven't seen Game of Thrones, but the show is popular and there are many locations from it right here. There is so much to see here. Glad you like our pictures! 🙂
  
  04 May 2018 - 19:12
  
  Reply
Our Vantastic Travels says:

Your pictures make me think the following.
The amazing rock formations made me want to hopscotch on them.
Allen is a place where I wouldn't want to walk alone late at night, looking like ghosts reaching out to you.
But I realise that your great pictures and descriptions make me want to visit Ireland.

04 May 2018 - 18:02

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Jump garden, haha, that was a fun thought! 😉
  
  04 May 2018 - 19:13
  
  Reply
Marianne - Glimpses of the world says:

You were much luckier with the weather than I was when I visited the Giant's Causeway in grey weather with rain and wind! But it really is a fascinating and beautiful place, whatever the weather. And I can confirm that there are similar basalt columns in several places in Iceland. Not as big areas as Giant's Causeway, though....

04 May 2018 - 18:55

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  We have been lucky with the weather! Interesting that you found similar natural phenomena in Iceland. I have been there several times, but missed this ...
  
  04 May 2018 - 19:14
  
  Reply
BP says:

It just gets better and better with every post you put up! Absolutely magical! Showed the Giant's Causeway to the husband who told me that he actually visited the place and, like you, thought it was absolutely fantastic. What a journey you make!

04 May 2018 - 20:47

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  This really is an amazing country to travel through! How nice that the husband visited this place by the way! 🙂
  
  04 May 2018 - 21:11
  
  Reply
Travel Linda says:

Oh, what lovely settings and so many great photos!
You really want to go there!

04 May 2018 - 22:03

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  The settings are fantastic! Glad you like our photos!
  
  05 May 2018 - 21:00
  
  Reply
Dada says:

We have also seen these rock formations in the USA. Devils postpile in Califonia. Really cool! Must be very beautiful by the sea!

04 May 2018 - 22:12

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Exciting that you have seen the same type of formations in the USA! I didn't know it was there, but it doesn't sound unreasonable after all.
  
  05 May 2018 - 21:01
  
  Reply
Ann-Louise says:

So incredibly cool, both the avenue and the rock formations. Looks absolutely fantastic. It's funny to read about the giant because my work has a meeting room in its Dublin office called Fionn mac Cumhaill and when I'm there for meetings, that's usually where we sit. However, I had no idea, until now, where the name comes from. It is of course also the largest meeting room in the office, which feels very logical now that I know it is named after a giant. 🙂

04 May 2018 - 22:36

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  But haha, what fun that your meeting room is named after this giant! 🙂 Sounds logical that it is the largest room! 😉
  
  05 May 2018 - 21:02
  
  Reply
Matts Torebring says:

That feels like packed & ready, for a rune journey with the "little car".

05 May 2018 - 11:25

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  We have actually seen several large motorhomes here, including the Concorde, but they have to avoid the smallest roads 😉.
  
  05 May 2018 - 21:03
  
  Reply
Annette says:

Magical... That avenue, and the stone formations... It leaves you speechless, and I find it hard to believe that nature would create such similar shapes and lines with the stones, but what else has done it...? Exciting!

06 May 2018 - 8:30

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, it's really hard to understand! No wonder various myths have arisen!
  
  12 May 2018 - 7:41
  
  Reply
Renate's travels says:

Wow, such incredibly beautiful and special places! I saw similar stones in Iceland, yes, where it was said that the dwarves came from and lived. Dverghamrar, I think it was called. 🙂 Feel the temptation of a reunion with Ireland and Northern Ireland!

06 May 2018 - 11:03

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you've seen a similar place in Iceland, I've missed it!
  
  12 May 2018 - 7:42
  
  Reply
Lena in Wales says:

Been there. A miracle!

12 May 2018 - 10:47

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Agreed! 🙂
  
  16 May 2018 - 23:04
  
  Reply

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Facts about Ireland - 30 things you (might) not have known | FREEDOMtravel

Giant's Causeway stone formations in Northern Ireland

Dark Hedges

Recording slot from Game of Thrones

The Giant's Causeway rock formations

According to the myth

According to science

Visiting the Giant's Causeway rock formations in Northern Ireland

Dunluce castle

Giant's Causeway stone formations - on film

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38 Comments

Lena - good for the soul says:

Helena says:

Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Helena says:

Anette Åhnbrink says:

Helena says:

Anette says:

Helena says:

Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

Helena says:

Mr Lars Permelin says:

Helena says:

Mr Steve says:

Helena says:

Eva - People in the Street says:

Helena says:

Maggan and Ingemar says:

Helena says:

Our Vantastic Travels says:

Helena says:

Marianne - Glimpses of the world says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Travel Linda says:

Helena says:

Dada says:

Helena says:

Ann-Louise says:

Helena says:

Matts Torebring says:

Helena says:

Annette says:

Helena says:

Renate's travels says:

Helena says:

Lena in Wales says:

Helena says:

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