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Northern Ireland Geography

Overview

Northern Ireland has incredibly diverse landscapes and a beautiful coastline so it’s the perfect destination for budding Geographers.  With the impact of tourism as well, it gives great opportunities to study both human and physical geography.  This itinerary gives students the chance to explore the coast, with visits to Portstewart Strand and Whiterocks Beach, Portrush.

Not to be missed of course, is Giant’s Causeway, a breath-taking site which dates back almost 60 million years ago! 

If you’d like to combine this with a trip to Belfast, take a look at our other Northern Ireland itineraries for extra visits you could include.

Our Suggested Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Flight to Belfast.

    Start your trip by dipping your toes in the sea at Portstewart Strand and explore miles of sandy beach hugged by ancient dunes that are full of wildlife.  Portstewart Strand was also used as a filming location for Game of Thrones!

    Arrive and settle into your accommodation.

  2. Day 2

    Begin your day by visiting the spectacular Giant’s Causeway, thousands of basalt columns leading down to the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a truly remarkable sight.

    Then head to Carrick-a-Rede and bravely walk across the 20 metre long Rope Bridge that is 30 metres above the rocks below.  The bridge connects the mainland to the tiny island of Carrick-a-Rede.

    Afterwards, visit Whiterocks Beach, Portrush, so named because of its limestone cliffs.  Throughout the centuries, the sedimentary rocks have been carved out into a maze of caves and arches.

  3. Day 3

    Start your day by visiting Dunluce Castle.  Built on the impressive coastal cliffs of north County Antrim, this iconic ruin bears witness to a long and tumultuous history.

    Then visit Downhill Demesne, an enchanting estate with so much to explore including the home farm, woods, a walled garden and deer park.  Perched right on the edge of a cliff, make sure you head to the Mussenden Temple, based on the Temple of Vesta in Italy.

    In the afternoon, head to the Glenariff Waterfalls and Forest Park where you can walk through the river gorge to see the spectacular waterfalls.  The damp conditions are ideal for ferns and mosses.

  4. Day 4

    Before heading home, visit the Titanic Museum in Belfast to explore the story of the ship in a new and fresh way.  There are a number of interactive galleries to discover the legend of the Titanic in the city where it all began.

    Return flight to UK.

School Trip Accommodation

Accommodation

For our Northern Ireland Geography trip, our schools tend to stay at either the International Hostel Belfast or Hostelling International Bushmills.  We use safe and secure accommodation especially suited to schools.  Our accommodation is usually 2* or youth hostel standard and provides a perfect base for enjoying your tour.  All accommodation we use is audited, and our auditing regime is verified by independent experts.