Both locals and tourists alike are buzzing over The Gobbins, a thrilling cliff path located along Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route. After being closed for nearly half a century, this rugged adventure was vibrantly reimagined and underwent extensive reengineering before reopening in August 2015.
Northern Ireland celebrates the reopening of historic coastal cliff path
Tourism Ireland
A tour of The Gobbins kicks off in a cave known as Wise’s Eye. From there, visitors will journey along series of cliff paths, tubular passageways and jaw-dropping suspension bridges built right into the rock surface. This unique experience rewards visitors with unparalleled scenic views of the coastline and crashing waves below. Also home to a variety of wildlife, the tour offers up-close encounters with puffins, kittiwakes and other coastal birds.
Originally unveiled in 1902, The Gobbins gradually fell into disrepair following the Great Depression. It was officially closed to the public during the ’50s before a massive engineering and restoration project picked up the pieces in 2013. Today, it’s quickly becoming one of Northern Ireland’s most talked-about hotspots.
The Gobbins is located about 40 minutes north of the vibrant city of Belfast and is conveniently located along the Causeway Coastal Route, a scenic 120-mile coastal drive that connects many of Northern Ireland’s must-see attractions and cultural destinations.
At the top of this list is the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Northern Ireland’s most iconic attraction, the Giant’s Causeway. Boasting thousands of basalt columns left behind after prehistoric volcanic eruptions, its history is rich with Irish legends and lore, and the view is nothing short of majestic.
This coastal route is also home to the famous Carrick-a-rede rope bridge which spans 66 feet and is suspended nearly 100 feet above the rocky shore.
Just a stone’s throw away is the Bushmills Distillery, where visitors can tour the world’s oldest working whiskey distillery and sample the wide range of whiskeys produced on site. This includes the 12-year Bushmills Distillery Reserve, which can only be sampled and purchased at the distillery.
Whether it’s The Gobbins or the Causeway Coastal Route that brings you to the region, Ireland’s northern coast is sure to satisfy anyone’s quest for excitement and adventure.
