Why visit Northern Ireland?
The Causeway Coastline
Northern Ireland’s coast is right up there with the UK’s finest, being home to sights like the Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle as well as some gorgeous sandy beaches around places like Portstewart and Ballycastle. A great way to see it all is to drive the Causeway Coastal Route, a scenic road trip route from Belfast to Derry that will allow you to take in the big sights as well as some quieter corners. At just 120 miles, it fits nicely into a long weekend with plenty of stops for pictures and picnics en route.
Outdoor adventures
Northern Ireland has half the population density of the UK as a whole – and that means plenty of glorious rural space for outdoor adventures of all sorts. Bring your walking boots for a hike in the Mourne mountains, your mountain bike for the loops and runs at Rostrevor, or your fishing rods for angling at Lough Erne and the River Foyle. There are also a couple of particularly stunning golf courses up in Portrush and Portstewart.
Buzzing Belfast
The country’s compact capital has shaken off its troubled past and developed a fresh identity as an excellent place to spend a couple of days visiting its many attractions or just strolling around looking out for the many colourful murals. Hopefully that will help you work up an appetite and a thirst too – Belfast has a great restaurant scene, along with lots of fun places to drink, from old-school music pubs to hip cocktail bars.
Essential things to do around Northern Ireland
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Find yourself in the landscape of Game of Thrones with a visit to the Dark Hedges
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Walk on the ancient Giant’s Causeway, for stunning scenery with a side order of intriguing mythology
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Steel yourself for a walk across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, 30 metres above the sea
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Take a sample of the local whiskey at Bushmills Distillery, the oldest operating distillery in the world
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Spend a day in Belfast visiting Titanic Belfast and Crumlin Gaol before stopping for a pint in the National Trust-owned Crown Liquor Saloon
Unexplored Northern Ireland
Stories of the Troubles
There’s no better way to learn about the complex modern history of Northern Ireland than a black cab tour in Belfast. The drivers on these private tours will take you to see some of the key locations around the city to show you the colourful murals, talk you through the causes of The Troubles and offer first-hand insight into what life was like during those times.
Quieter coastline
Many visitors to Northern Ireland head straight for the Causeway Coastline – that’s understandable, because it’s really rather lovely, but it can mean that the area becomes quite busy at peak times. If you’re after somewhere to get away from the crowds, head south of Belfast instead to the Ards Peninsula – this pretty part of the country has plenty of museums and ancient sites to explore, along with seaside scenery for coastal walks and watersports.
Over to Omagh
Belfast and the coast may be the big travel hotspots, but there’s much to explore inland too. For a different experience, head towards the town of Omagh, where you can get a taste of the local culture at the Ulster American Folk Park and Dun Uladh Cultural Heritage Centre or head out to explore the gorgeous lakes, woods and moors of the Sperrin mountains and Gortin Glen Forest Park.
Here’s how
All that gorgeous greenery makes Northern Ireland a fabulous place for a camping trip – pick an outdoor stay over a hotel and you can continue to take in the views all the way through from your morning coffee to your evening by the firepit.
Our range of Northern Ireland campsites includes all sorts of options, from cheap camping pitches to cosy cabins with a hot tub for a more luxurious experience. Use the tick-box filters to narrow down the choices that suit you, or browse some of our popular collections below.
Fancy heading across the border for a tour of the whole island? Pitchup also has a great selection of campsites in the Republic of Ireland. Or, if you’re doing a ferry crossing from mainland Britain, how about making life easy by booking a night or two at a campsite near Stranraer or Liverpool?
