A GREAT ROUTE TO RIDE...Ulster’s coastal cruise
Best for Riders who love coastal scenery with a mix of flowing A-road cruising, technical ‘fiddly’ sections, and road-racing/TV location pilgrimage stops
Distance 145 miles Route Belfast, Carrickfergus, Larne, Ballycastle, Armoy, Ballymoney, Portrush, Coleraine, Londonderry
Why it’s great Northern Ireland’s Antrim coast packs a huge amount into 145 miles between Belfast and Londonderry: rugged cliffs, moorland rises, eye-popping beaches and a near-constant shimmer of the Irish Sea in your peripheral vision. The riding really is one of the UK’s best-kept biking secrets – it flips between tight, lively sections (especially up around Torr Head) and wide, flowing coastal runs that let you settle into an easy rhythm. It’s beautiful, brisk, and brilliantly varied. It’s also rich in stories: Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, the city’s murals and ‘peace walls’, Game of Thrones filming locations, and the living heritage of road racing via Ballymoney and the North West 200 course. The Giant’s Causeway is a short detour away, too.
When to go Late spring to early summer for longer days, brighter weather and a chance to catch North West 200 atmosphere in Portrush.
Where to visit Start in Belfast for Titanic Quarter and murals, then hug the A2 via Carrickfergus, Glenarm and Carnlough, before Torr Head, Murlough Bay and Londonderry.
Take a picture at The Dark Hedges is the must-shoot: a spooky beech-tree tunnel made famous by Game of Thrones, and a classic backdrop for bike photos.
Stop for a cuppa at Joey’s Bar in Ballymoney is the essential pause. Raise a mug (or glass) to Joey Dunlop, surrounded by road racing memorabilia.