Ulster: Causeway, Torr Head & the Mournes

3 days · 4 driving roads · 177 miles of them · best May–September

Three days around Northern Ireland's edges. The Causeway Coastal Route from Belfast to Derry is the famous one; Torr Head is the single-track spur the coaches cannot manage; the Mournes coastal A2 from Newcastle to Rostrevor and the Sperrins' Glenelly valley fill the south and west. Overnight in Ballycastle or Portrush, then Newcastle or Rostrevor.

Getting there

⛴ Cairnryan – Belfast — Stena Line, about 2 h 15 min, frequent. Check sailings.

Worth knowing: Cairnryan–Belfast is the short crossing; book a sailing rather than turning up in August. Torr Head is single-track with cliff drops and is the bit people remember — not a convoy road. The Giant's Causeway car park is timed and dear; go early. Fuel is easy on the A2 and thin in the Sperrins — fill in Draperstown or Maghera. Drive on the left, obviously, and remember some rural pumps are still cash-or-app.

The roads, in order

1. Causeway Coastal Route A2 · Belfast → Derry · 120 mi · 3–4 h (1–2 days) 🍽️ Harbourview Hotel, Carnlough · 📷 Ballintoy Harbour · 📷 Dunluce Castle · ☕ Morelli's, Portstewart
2. Torr Head Scenic Route Torr Rd · Ballycastle → Cushendun · 12 mi · 35 min ⚠ ⚠ Very narrow and steep — confident drivers only; not for caravans ⛽ Hillhead Service Station, Ballycastle · 📷 Murlough Bay · 📷 Torr Head · 🍽️ Mary McBride's, Cushendun
3. Mourne Coastal Route A2 · Newcastle (Co. Down) → Rostrevor · 25 mi · 45 min 🍽️ Harbour Inn, Annalong · ⛽ Maxol, Kilkeel · 📷 Cloughmore Stone
4. Glenelly Valley — Sperrins B47 · Draperstown → Plumbridge · 20 mi · 40 min ⛽ Draperstown · 📷 Barnes Gap

Drive it

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