Northern Ireland - Cultural and Gastro Tour by Bike

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Londonderry/Derry, Northern Ireland, GB

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Route Overview

RideWild

Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way

206 km

2,688 m

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The last 10 years have seen a huge increase in visitor numbers to Northern Ireland and this stunning stretch of coastline along the most northerly part of the island has some amazing routes for the ever-increasing numbers of cyclists who are flocking to the region. Northern Ireland also has a vibrant and flourishing foodie scene and this tour gives your the best of both worlds: wonderful food and spectacular cycling!

Route Details

## northern ireland - cultural and gastro tour

**ROUTE DETAILS**

This is one of our favourite 3-day routes through some of Northern Ireland's most spectacular scenery. Our trip will take in the historical city of Derry and the mystical Giant's Causeway, as well as County Antrim's stunning coastline and the vibrant city of Belfast. But don’t just take our word for it - come and see for yourself!

The route is dotted with picturesque towns, beautiful beaches and wonderful historical sites just begging to be explored. All this, coupled with wonderful gourmet food experiences will make for a truly memorable trip.

Package Details: [www.ridewild.ie](http://www.ridewild.ie)

## tour itinerary

**DAY 1**

The starting point for this tour is the historical walled city of Derry. The city sits at the mouth of the River Foyle and overlooks the beautiful Foyle Estuary. Derry (also known as Londonderry) is a buzzing and vibrant city that boasts an array of historical sites and innumerable restaurants and bars in which to enjoy the famous Irish hospitality.

The first part of our route leaves Derry via a @slice[busy stretch of road](d,0,28460.91). Bearing this in mind, we provide a private coach transfer for all cyclists and bikes from Derry to the @point[starting point](d,28463.36) at the Coast Road Inn in the village of Limavady. From Limavady we’ll take to the bike, heading north with the beautiful Foyle Estuary on our left and great swathes of lush green countryside rolling out on our right.

As we get into our stide, our route will take us past the spectacular beach at [Castlerock](http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Castlerock-Beach-Castlerock-Coleraine-P28536) before turning inland towards Coleraine. @point[Coleraine](d,55589.32) is a university town perched on the mouth of the River Bann and is the perfect place to stop, drink in the sights, and enjoy a well-deserved coffee and homemade apple tart!

After the break, we'll head back towards the sea and the spectacular Causeway coastline. We’ll travel through the picturesque seaside town of Portstewart and on towards our lunch stop in Portrush, a village famous for its beautiful harbour and @poi[Dunluce Castle](2730405), affectionately known as the Ruin on the Cliff.

After lunch we’ll hop back on the bike and head towards the @poi[Old Bushmills Distillery](2715554), one of Northern Ireland's most popular tourist attractions. Here, we will take a guided tour of the distillery which encompasses the history and production processes of one of the finest Irish whiskies. And those who wish to can enjoy a small sample - purely for medicinal purposes, of course! Once we leave Bushmills, we’ll ride the short distance to the iconic @poi[Giant's Causeway](2699824), an area of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by an ancient volcanic eruption. Used as a location in Game of Thrones, the Giant's Causeway is one of Europe's most spectacular areas of natural beauty.

Leaving the Giant's Causeway behind, we’ll cruise along @slice[a beautiful stretch of coastline](d,83841.25,95408.22) through the towns of Dunseverick and Ballintoy before coming to  the @photo[iconic rope bridge](2269901) at [Carrick–a–Rede](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/carrick-a-rede), which offers a fabulous photo opportunity, so have the camera phones ready and fully charged! From here it’s a lovely spin into the town of Ballycastle and our base for the night at the @poi[Marine Hotel](2699820).

**DAY 2**

After a hearty breakfast, our gourmet and cultural tour of the North of Ireland coastline will continue and we’ll leave the Atlantic coastline behind us to head inland. Our route will take us across the north-eastern tip of Northern Ireland and onto its western seaboard where it meets the Irish Sea. We’ll travel through the towns of Torr and Cushenden before stopping for lunch at the @poi[Beach Café at Glenarrif](2699821). As the name suggests, the café sits right on the beach so after enjoying some wonderful fresh seafood you’ll have the opportunity to have a swim the Irish Sea - if you're brave enough!

After lunch we’ll take a leisurely pace for the last 14km of the stage which unfolds along the beautiful coastline all the way to our base for the night in Carnlough. Carnlough is a beautiful harbour town on the coast road beside the North Channel and nestled at the foot of Glencloy, the second of the nine [Glens of Antrim](http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/causeway/The-Glens-of-Antrim-A38). We’ll spend the night in the @poi[Londonderry Arms Hotel](2699823) and enjoy freshly-caught seafood in one of Carnlough’s wonderful  seafood restaurants.

**DAY 3**

After breakfast it’ll be onto the bike for the final stage. The @slice[first 25km](d,151735.84,176739.13) will take us along a beautiful coastal route, passing numerous sandy beaches should you feel inclined to stop for a swim! This stage is particularly beautiful with plenty of signature viewing spots along the way so have your  cameras at the ready!

Once we reach the picturesque village of Glynn, the route turns inland and we'll head towards our lunch stop at the idyllic @poi[Carrickfergus Marina](2699825). There's a real treat in store for lunch on Day 3 as we'll stop off in Windrose, overlooking the harbour and marina.

After lunch, we'll return to the coast road again and head towards Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. The birthplace of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, Belfast has preserved her ship-building shipstory in the Titanic Quarter, a newly reovated dockyard wherein the [Titanic Belfast](http://titanicbelfast.com/) sits as a memorial to those lost in the accident. The Titanic Quarter is also home to the drawing offices of shipbuilders Harland & Wolff and the [Titanic Slipways](http://visitbelfast.com/things-to-do/member/titanic-slipways), which now host open-air concerts.

The city also boasts an amazing array of wonderful restaurants which have turned the city into a gourmet foodie destination to rival any other major European city. We'll spend the last night of the tour in one of Belfast's many chic boutique hotels, the perfect base from which to explore Belfast's buzzing city-centre nightlife.

## special interest

* [The Bushmills Distillery](http://www.bushmills.com/)

* [The Giant's Causeway](http://www.giantscausewayofficialguide.com/)

* [The Carrick–a–Rede Rope Bridge](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/carrick-a-rede)

* [Titanic Museum, Belfast](http://titanicbelfast.com/)

* [The Glens of Antrim](http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/causeway/The-Glens-of-Antrim-A38)

## important reminders

• This is a leisure cycle so it's up to you to decide when you start in the morning. You control your speed and you can choose whether to ride solo or with the rest of the group - it's completely up to you. We want you enjoy each and every stage so if you want to start early, finish early or just enjoy a long lunch and take some photos, it's good with us.

• We really love this stage so take your time and enjoy every minute and every mile, it is beautiful.

• Pack for at least two seasons; wet & dry - you might start in one and finish in the other! It is also important to remember that the currency used in Northern Ireland is the Pound Sterling.

• Ride Wild provides transfers and support vehicle for all our tours. Pre-booking is essential as our tours are limited to 20 cyclists.

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Northern Ireland - Cultural and Gastro Tour by Bike

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