The Giant's Causeway clifftop loop
Down to the basalt columns, then back along the clifftops by the Shepherd's Steps.
- Distance
- 3.8 km
- Ascent
- 100 m
- Time
- 1–1.5 h
- Grade
- Moderate
- Route
- Circular
- High point
- 85 m
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Route mapped on from OpenStreetMap paths, with heights from EU-DEM terrain data; not yet checked on the ground by TRXO. Added to TRXO on . For planning only: always navigate with an up-to-date map such as OS Explorer or Harvey. How we make our routes.
About this walk
The Giant's Causeway clifftop loop is a moderate 3.8 km circular walk with 100 m of ascent, taking 1 to 1.5 hours. It starts at Giant's Causeway Visitor Experience (grid reference NR 129 025).
The Giant's Causeway is Northern Ireland's World Heritage Site: around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, formed by cooling lava 60 million years ago, or built by the giant Finn McCool, depending on who you ask. From the visitor centre, the walk drops to the stones, then follows the bay round beneath the cliffs.
It climbs the Shepherd's Steps, 162 of them, and returns along the clifftop with the whole coast in view. The site is looked after by the National Trust; the paths are free to walk, with a charge for the visitor centre and car park.
Route
-
1
The stones
Walk down to the Causeway and along the bay below the cliffs.
-
2
The Shepherd's Steps
Climb the steps and return along the clifftop path.
Summit
Questions about this walk
- How long does The Giant's Causeway clifftop loop take?
- Most walkers take 1–1.5 hours for the 3.8 km route, which has 100 m of ascent. That allows for short stops; give yourself longer in winter, in poor weather or with a group.
- Where does the walk start, and where can I park?
- It starts at Giant's Causeway Visitor Experience (grid reference NR 129 025). Pay car park at the visitor centre, or park and ride from Bushmills.
- Can I get there by public transport?
- Buses from Coleraine and Bushmills; the Causeway Rambler in summer. Check times with Translink.
- How hard is it?
- It's graded moderate. Surfaced paths, a steep flight of steps and a clifftop path.
- Can I take my dog?
- Yes, dogs are welcome on this walk. Before you go: Keep well back from the cliff edge, and keep dogs on a lead.
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