Comfy night watching some Netflix and we decided to brave the conditions with strong winds and showers around for the day to head for the Giant's Causeway and other coastal delights including some of the locations where Game of Thrones was filmed.

So, out across the landscape we set, learning that the navigation system on this vehicle is a classic google maps one...it sends you the shortest possible time, even by just one minute, irrespective of whether or not it is along the most mini of roads and/or missing some of the nice towns and sights in the area. There isn't a setting that allows you to override this, so the "navigator" does need to pay some attention to ensure that we don't miss things, in between photo editing and the occasional Instalife post ;)

First stop along was Dunluce castle. As in Scotland, the site of the castle was a long held vantage point on the coast where wealthy people controlled the surrounding farming lands and produce, allowing people to live there and farm/survive in return for taxes and tithes for the church (typically 10% tithe and whatever tax they felt like). The most recent people living in the castle were there in the 1600s (similar to Scottish castles) and then inevitably they were attacked for some either political or religious reason and the castle was abandoned. In Ireland, as in Scotland, the determination of the English royalty to control the lands of the British Isles figures prominently and they were indeed able to prevail. The irony that the republic of Ireland, with the tensions simmering away between Catholics and protestants, and it was the Catholics that were able to ensure the republic (southern section of Ireland for the uninitiated...us included) was formed and all of Ireland wasn't incorporated into the UK.

It makes for interesting driving though. There are not any marked clear "you are now entering the UK" as you cross into Northern Ireland with initially the only indication I had that we had passed the border was a change in quoted fuel prices from about 1.89 euro (republic uses euro) and into 1.35 pounds (northern island UK). It took me way too long to realise also that speed limits change from kmh in the south to mph in the north.

A painful feature of this volvo that we're driving is that it tries to pick up speed limit signs but is slow in updating so it warning beeps all the time...cannot be turned off.

Anyway, Dunluce castle was cool and quite a large amount of the original stonework for its age was still well in place. It looked like some of the doorways and cobbles have been restored, possibly when it was used as castle greyjoy in GOT.

We continued along the coast to the Giant's Causweay. Wow, it has been touristified quite a lot. The main carpark near the visitor centre asked you to pay for parking, ranger guided tour of the area, toilets, cafe and gift shop, whilst the nearby former overflow carpark was still 10 pounds just to park. It was obvious to see why it is popular. The walk down the hill showed a great vista of the area and it's not just the hexagonal pillars and stones that you can walk on, but the entire coastline is very beautiful. The tide was inbound and the waves large (intermittently) which made it all the more spectacular. Plenty of rock hopping, slipping and tourist dodging ensued but we had a good time there. A slightly more challenging walk out was opted for with some vertigo for me, but still good fun and a great alternative to a slog back up the road, the way we'd come down.

After that, we drove further east towards skull rock and elephant rock. A short road off the main Atlantic Way coastal route took us down a windy track to Ballinjoy harbour. With the tide almost full we spent ages there just marvelling at the pounding surf crashing over the stunning rocks in the area. With heavy rain on the way that we could see approaching, we didn't venture along the coast to elephant or skull rock but we didn't feel like we'd missed out!

Last official stop was the Dark Hedges road, made famous in season 2 of GOT. As it was winter, I don't think we saw it at its best and we had parked illegally (the carpark for it is officially 500m away), so a brief visit for an artistic photo or 2 in the rain and wind was as much as we managed.

The drive back to Clonmany via the coast road this time was worth the extra minutes with some lovely scenery, green fields and prominent rocky outcrops and mountains was nice as we made the most of the lengthening daylight time that we're enjoying at the moment.

Dinner in again with a warming coal fire and we were ready for a well earned sleep after a big walking day (12000 plus steps). Tomorrow, another day closer to home with some fadmin and Belfast planning in order.