The Notebook

The Long Way RoundNotebook No 68September 2025

The Causeway coast in late light

Antrim from Belfast to Bushmills, taken in the wrong order.

Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective

We began our drive from Belfast late in the afternoon, heading north along the Causeway coast. Unlike the Ring of Kerry, this section of Antrim reveals itself best as the day softens, the light catching the cliff faces as we drove toward Bushmills. It made for a distinct visual experience.

The Causeway coast in late light

Slea Head

Our journey had its deliberate pauses: a cup of coffee in Carrickfergus, a quiet moment by the harbor in Glenarm. We allowed ourselves one drink in Cushendun, ensuring our arrival at Carrick-a-Rede by four o’clock to walk the bridge during a calmer hour. This paced approach yielded a deeper engagement with the coastal route.

This itinerary, while unconventional to some, unfolds with a quiet elegance, concluding with a night in Bushmills before a morning drive along the Stones Road. This is the way to see it.

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From the notebook

Editorial itineraries from Ireland.

Collected notes. A few times each season.