PHOTOGRAPH: ANDREW MONGOMERY
LEGEND SAYS THAT THE BEST-KNOWN SIGHT ALONG Northern Ireland’s coast was built by an Irish giant trying to cross the sea to fight a Scottish giant. He might have wanted to keep his feet from getting wet, but in coasteering it’s considered poor form to stick entirely to the dry routes. Splashing, diving, belly-flopping and bobbing around in the waves are all integral to the experience. Causeway Coasteering runs trips of two or three hours along the craggy shore that runs east and west of the Giant’s Causeway. While its geometric basalt ‘steps’ are easily clambered, other corners of this coast show why an amphibious attitude is essential for coasteerers, with guides taking groups to natural diving platforms and pools hidden among the volcanically formed rocks. Causeway Coasteering runs its expeditions year-round, thanks to well-insulated wetsuits and hard helmets, but it’s true that the Irish Sea in the summer is an easier sell for novices. Apart from the famous causeway, coastal highlights here include the sweeping sandy beach at White Park Bay and the brooding clifftop ruins of Dunluce Castle.
Two hours from £30;
causewaycoasteering.com