Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge And Giant’s Causeway With Teens (2024)

Last Updated on March 13, 2024 by Nicole

After two nights in Dublin and two nights in Belfast, we wanted to explore some of the rugged scenery of Northern Ireland. We preferred something relatively close by Belfast that would be an easy day trip, but also far enough away to show us the incredible beauty of Northern Ireland. After careful research, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway found themselves at the top of the list.

We couldn’t have been happier and my teenagers loved it. I can not emphasize enough how absolutely gorgeous both of them were. We spent most of our time at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge walking along breathtaking cliffs,  and of course, holding on for dear life as we crossed the impossibly beautiful swinging bridge 100 ft (or 30 m) above thrashing waves and enormous rocks. However, we were equally in awe of the natural beauty of Giant’s Causeway.

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Background

In total, we spent 10 days on a road trip exploring Ireland and Northern Ireland.

We started in Dublin, headed to Northern Ireland, and then, scooted to the other side of the Island to the County Donegal and the Cliffs of Slieve League.

After that, we went to the Aran Islands, saw the Cliffs of Moher, went to Limerick, then to Kilkenny, and back to Dublin. We saw some extraordinary scenery, hiked on beautiful cliffs, and had some amazing experiences.

For more information about our 10 day trip, please see:

• Best And Worst Most Popular Dublin Attractions With Teens;
• Belfast City Break With Teens: An Action Packed Itinerary;
• The Essential Guide To The Startling Beauty of Slieve League in Ireland;
• Aran Islands and The Cliffs of Moher In A Day; and
• Kilkenny With Teens: An Exciting 2 Day Itinerary.

Northern Ireland

During our time in Northern Ireland, we had three of our kids (14, 16 and 22 years old) with us.

Prior to our day trip at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway, we spent two nights in Belfast.

We loved our time exploring this really cool city and all of the fun and interesting things to do there. It was also the perfect jumping off spot for a relaxed day exploring Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway.

Accommodation Around Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway

There is a lot of wonderful accommodation near Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway if you want to stay a day or two and explore this beautiful part of the world.

We chose to stay in Belfast and explore Northern Ireland from here. That way we got to try some amazing restaurants and bars, and shop when we weren’t sightseeing.

We stayed at Tara Lodge and loved it. The area is near the university so you have excellent bars and restaurants that are well priced within minutes of the hotel. There were also comfortable and different sized rooms to accommodate our family.

Location of Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway

Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway are located at the far northern tip of Northern Ireland. It is approximately 170 mi (273 km) from Dublin (just under 3 hours drive) or 67 miles (109 km) from Belfast (just over 1 1/2 hours drive). Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway are only 8 mi (13 km) apart along lovely country roads with the occasional spectacular ocean view.

Accordingly, Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway are a very easy and relaxing drive from Belfast but a much longer one from Dublin. However, they are both reachable in a day trip.

I would recommend splitting up your time and spending a night or two in Belfast. However, if that is not possible, then I would still allot a day in your Irish itinerary to see both of these spectacular sites.

We self drove and toured both Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway from Belfast. They were very easy to reach and explore on your own as you will see from the discussion below. However, there are also excellent well priced tours for those that simply want to relax and not think about the details. For some options, please click here.

For those who wish to tour Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway from Dublin, please see these fantastic tour options.

Why A Half Day Is Enough Time To Explore Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway

We allotted a full day to visit and explore Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway, but before we even left Belfast, we realized that we had a flat tire. There went the morning!

Accordingly, we only had a few hours for both. At first, I was massively disappointed as I was so looking forward to our day. Thankfully, a few hours was all that we needed to fully appreciate both of these destinations.

What To Expect At Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge

Carrick-a-Rede-Rope Bridge is a rope bridge that is suspended between two cliffs over 100 ft (or 30 m) across the Atlantic Ocean. It was originally installed by local fishermen in 1755. Today, it is managed by the National Trust, a conservation charity, whose goals are to protect the site and its wildlife, and ensure guests safety.

A visit to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is not solely about lining up to cross a rope bridge and then, heading home. It is much more than that.

In order to reach the rope bridge, a visitor must walk 1 mi or 1.6 km along stunning cliffs with breathtaking views of the ocean. We found ourselves stopping countless times to simply appreciate the jaw dropping scenery that was everywhere we looked. The space is wide open and beautiful. Even though all the tickets were sold out for most of the afternoon, I felt like we had the cliffs to ourselves.

After that, you line up and wait your turn to cross the bridge that takes you over to a small island, very similar to the stunning cliffs along which you have just walked. You can spend as much time as you want on the little island, but the island is very small.

After 20 minutes, we had seen enough. Then, you line up once again to walk back over Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and retrace your steps back to the entrance.

Although I did not like lining up on either side to cross Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (I wanted to explore!), it did limit the number of people walking along the cliffs and visiting the little island. I very much appreciated that.

Travel Tips, Concerns And Recommendations For Visiting Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge

Parking, Tickets and Facilities

• Before leaving for Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, you should check its website. If it is a windy day, the bridge might be closed.
• Since many people visit by tour bus from Belfast or Dublin, it is best to arrive before 11:00 am or after 3:00 pm to avoid the crowds.
• There is lots of free parking and employees of Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge will direct you to open parking spots. However, as parking fills up, you are directed lower and lower towards the ocean on gravel roads. Accordingly, you could have a long steep uphill walk along uneven ground to reach the ticket booth and entrance when it is busy.
• Entrance to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is by date and time stamped tickets. There are only a certain number issued per hour. Accordingly, you should pre-purchase your tickets online before you arrive to ensure that there are available tickets for the day and time that you want. If you do not, you can purchase tickets at the entrance. However, you run the risk of tickets being sold out, or having to wait before your allotted time becomes available.
• Tickets are not expensive. They are free for children under 5 years old and there are family rates.
• There are bathrooms at the entrance, but nothing once you start the walk. There is also a small restaurant and snack bar near entrance.

Physical Fitness And Health

• The one mile (1.6 km) walk along the cliffs to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is mostly along an even path that undulates up and down. It is not a difficult walk but you do need to be in moderate physical health to do it.
• At the end of the walk, there is a steep descent that starts with large gradual steps, but ultimately end with a traditional staircase to reach the bridge. We had no problem walking down, but the return trip up was definitely a work out. There is no rush to do either, but you must be realistic about your physical health before beginning your descent to the bridge.

Suggested Clothing

• You should wear running shoes or other comfortable flat shoes suitable for being active. I would avoid flip flops or anything with heels. In certain spots, it would be unsafe to wear them.
• Dress in layers and bring a rain jacket. You are totally exposed to the winds coming off of the ocean. Even on a beautiful sunny day, the weather can rapidly change.

Delays At Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

• There is only one way to cross to the island and that is on Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The rope bridge can only accommodate people going in one direction at a time. There is no room for people to pass each other.
• Employees of Carrick-A-Rede stand on either side of the rope bridge and control who crosses when. They normally allow one side to cross for extended periods of time, then allow the other side the same privilege. Accordingly, you may wait a long time to cross. We ended up waiting more than 30 minutes to cross back over to the mainland.

Fear of Heights, Safety and Children at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

• If you are afraid of heights, then I would avoid the rope bridge. You are literally walking over a narrow wooden platform with only rope on either side. You are swinging in the air, with an absolutely clear view of the ocean and rocks below. The rope totally surrounds you so that you can not fall, but it does nothing to block the view down below!
• Strollers are permitted along the path, but are not permitted on Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
• I would be very cautious about bringing young children over the rope bridge. I would not carry a child over the bridge. In addition, the island is simply an extension of the cliff WITHOUT any fencing. Personally, I would be a nervous wreck taking a small child there. However, there were families with young children there so it is allowed.

How much time did we spend at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge?

With our flat tire, we arrived to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge around 3:00 pm. We did not have time stamped tickets and had to purchase them upon our arrival. Luckily, there were some available with a timed entry for 30 minutes later.

Thereafter, we spent around 2 hours walking along the cliffs, waiting for our turn to cross the bridge, and exploring the island. It was truly magical and we loved every minute. We didn’t feel rushed and spent as much time as we would have had we arrived earlier.

Giants Causeway

We left Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and drove 15 minutes to Giant’s Causeway. We arrived around 6:00 pm.

The Giant’s Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. The tops of the columns form stepping stones from the shore that ultimately disappear into the North Atlantic Ocean. Most of the columns are hexagonal. However, there are also four, five, or seven sides. The tallest columns are about  39 ft (or 12 m) high. It was declared a World Unesco Heritage Site in 1986 and a national nature reserve in 1987.

There are several ways that you can appreciate the Giant’s Causeway. The easiest and fastest way is to simply walk from the Visitors Centre down the wide paved road to the ocean. Once you reach the bottom, you are free to roam and climb all over the columns as you please.

I felt like I had stumbled upon an adult playground and loved climbing all over the rocks. In addition, the views over the columns to the sea were absolutely stunning.

However, there are other walks that start above the road and onto cliffs looking down over the Giant’s Causeway. These walks range in difficulty with one option being to purchase the Cliff Top Experience Walk, a guided 5 mile hike.

However, the other options are less difficult, shorter, are unguided and free. Please click on this link for more information about all the different walks and hikes in and around the Giant’s Causeway.

Travel Tips, Concerns And Recommendations For Visiting Giants Causeway

Parking, Tickets and Facilities

• You do not need to purchase a ticket to visit Giant’s Causeway. Once you arrive, you can go down the 0.8 mi (or 1.2 km) paved road to see it or choose another of the longer hikes that start along the upper cliffs.
• However, you will need a ticket if you want to park near the entrance, explore the Visitor’s Centre, or use an audioguide.
• The Visitor’s Centre also has a restaurant and a store that is open to everyone. There are bathroom facilities here, but not below.
• The last admission to the Visitor’s Centre is one hour before closing. Closing time varies depending on the time of year.
• Since many people visit by tour bus from Belfast or Dublin, it is best to arrive before 10:00 am or after 4:00 pm to avoid the crowds. Remember, unlike Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, there is no a limit to the number of people that can visit Giant’s Causeway.

Physical Fitness and Health

• The most direct route – the paved road down to the Giant’s Causeway- is wide, evenly paved and a beautiful walk with amazing views. However, it is steep in places. If you choose to walk down or up, you will need to have a good level of physical fitness.
• However, there is a shuttle bus that is available from the entrance or on your return, for an small additional fee.

Suggested Clothing

• You should wear running shoes or other comfortable flat shoes suitable for being active. I would avoid flip flops or anything with heels. Climbing the columns would be treacherous in unsafe footwear.
• Dress in layers and bring a rain jacket. You are totally exposed to the winds coming off of the ocean. Even on a beautiful sunny day, the weather can change rapidly.

Fear of Heights, Safety and Children at Giant’s Causeway

• Strollers are welcome down the paved road to the ocean.
• There is fencing along the road for those children who choose to walk or run on their own.
• There is no one supervising guests at Giant’s Causeway. Accordingly, you are welcome to climb anywhere you wish. However, hard rock and slippery surfaces are everywhere. You need to be very careful if you choose to climb and explore, or your children do so.
• For any small child, I would remain at a constant arms length away from them while they are exploring the Giant’s Causeway.
• At the edge where the columns descend into the ocean, waves are crashing against them. If you choose to go to those columns, I would be very careful. It can be excessively slippery there.

How much time did we spend at Giant’s Causeway

We arrived close to 6:00 pm. The bad news was that we could no longer go into the Visitor’s Centre (new entry is not allowed an hour before it closes). The good news was that the main parking lot close to the entrance was half empty and we could park there even without purchasing a ticket.

We spent about 1 1/2 hours walking down the main road, climbing and exploring Giant’s Causeway and generally being overwhelmed by the absolutely stunning scenery.

I would have loved to have gone on one of the hikes along the upper cliffs as opposed to dealing with our flat tire earlier, but that couldn’t be helped. If you are keen to explore the Visitor’s Centre or spend a little bit of time on one of the paths along the cliffs, I would allot around 3 hours for Giant’s Causeway. Otherwise, our 1 1/2 hours was the perfect amount of time there.

Last Word

We absolutely loved our day trip from Belfast to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway. From Belfast, it was a very pleasant drive along country roads to reach both of these locations. Although I had originally set aside a whole day to explore both of these locations, we only ended up having 4 hours to experience both of these sites. Luckily, I felt totally satisfied with the amount of time that we had.

Both Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway were absolutely stunning places to see. If you are keen to explore some of the most beautiful places in all of Ireland or Northern Ireland, I would make Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway a priority.

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