Belfast Travel Guide

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

Situated in an area of significant natural beauty - with views of Rathlin Island and Scotland stretching out in the distance - the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is one of Northern Ireland's newest and most popular tourist attractions. The rope bridge, which connects tiny Carrick Island with the mainland on the Antrim Coast, is the latest in a 350-year series of bridges between the two points, and offers a thrilling walk along the 66-foot (20m) divide, with visitors suspended 100 feet (30m) above the rocks below. Carrick-a-Rede has only been a tourist attraction for about five years, but already boasts about a quarter of a million annual visitors. Despite being quite scary, especially in high winds, Carrick-a-Rede has an impeccable safety record, and the extreme beauty of the rugged coastline on which it is built makes for a highly worthwhile day trip for visitors to Northern Ireland.