Some places are just worth a 6 hour car journey, and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is one such place!
When I visited Carrick-a-Rede last Summer, the sun was beaming, the water was the most vivid blue, and the already beautiful-landscape looked even more incredible!
(Seriously, if you can visit this place when the weather is at its best, do it!)
There’s quite a long walk from the car park to the bridge itself, but it’s along this walkway that you get to enjoy some of the most stunningly beautiful views of the coastline.
For me, this is one of those places you could visit a thousand times and still be in awe of the view!
Of all the places I visited during my trip to Antrim, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge was without doubt the best part by a long shot!
This is one of the few landmarks where there’s no gimmicks, no over-pricing, no obstructions of any sort, not even a gift shop, just a simple natural attraction set in beautiful surroundings.
So what’s at the other end of the rope bridge? The tiny island of Carrickarede, so to speak.
There’s nothing on this island, not even wild animals, but it’s from this island that you get to enjoy the most amazing views of the seascape and its hidden caves.
From the edge of the island, you can also get a clear view of the cute little fisherman’s cottage that’s tucked into the side of the cliff face.
Tours of this cottage are available upon request but in general it’s not open, so if you want to see it, then it would be advised to inquire in advance.
(Can you imagine living there?! What a location!)
Also located by the cottage is the famous timber crane that was used to lift boats into the sea many years ago. This wasn’t of interest to me personally, but it would certainly appeal to those who like to learn about the history of an area. (You can read more about the Carrickarede history over on the official website.)
Only a certain number of people are allowed onto Carrickarede Island at any one time so you get to really enjoy the area as it’s never too crowded. You can also spend as long as you wish on Carrickarede though usually, the average time a person would spend there is 15-30 minutes at most.
Some visitors unfamiliar with the landmark might be of the impression that the public can access the bridge whenever they wish, but this is not the case.
The bridge has opening hours, usually from 9.30am until 5pm. The last entry allowed across the bridge however is 45 minutes before closing time, so strictly speaking, you need to be there before 4.15 if you want to go across!
The operating times may vary but you can find out the current opening hours here.
If you only visit one place in Northern Ireland, it should be the Carrick-a-Rede Bridge.
Unlike the Giant’s Causeway, Carrrick is neither a rip off nor a disappointment.
Here are some more shots from Carrick-a-Rede.
Tara's Ireland 