Fishermen first strung a rope bridge across the chasm at Carrick-a-Rede some two and a half centuries ago, so that they could reach a small island where Atlantic salmon swam close to the rocks on their way to the rivers. The name comes from the Irish for the rock in the road, meaning the obstacle that salmon face on their journey. Today the bridge, owned by the National Trust, is a steel-and-timber structure about twenty metres long and some thirty metres above the sea, and it sways just enough to give a thrill without the terror.
The approach is on foot. From the car park on the cliff, a footpath about a kilometre long follows the headland, with the sea on one side and green grass and basalt cliffs on the other. The view across the channel to Rathlin Island and the Scottish coast on a clear day is among the best on this coast. The crossing itself takes only a few minutes, and on the island, you can look back at the cliffs and watch seabirds wheeling below your feet, including fulmars, guillemots and razorbills. In windy weather the bridge closes, and there are timed tickets, which in summer should be booked online ahead of time, since walk-ups often find the day sold out.
The road to it, the B15, is a short, narrow coastal lane leaving the A2 near Ballintoy, with a few bends and gentle climbs, and the traffic in summer queues for the car park. It is a pleasant, rolling ride, with fields of sheep and cattle, low stone walls and sudden glimpses of the sea. Ballintoy Harbour, just along the coast, is a tiny cove with black basalt rocks, and it has appeared on screen as an island in a fantasy series. The lane down to it is steep and narrow, with a very tight turn at the bottom, so take it slowly.
The geology is volcanic: the cliffs here are basalt and chalk, left by lava flows and later layers of sea-bed sediment. Look for white chalk beneath the black basalt, and the rich green clifftop grass where wild flowers bloom in early summer. Seals sometimes bask on the rocks.
Ballycastle, about seven kilometres to the east, has stations, shops and cafés, and it is also the ferry port for Rathlin Island. Arrive early or late to avoid the crowds, and take a warm layer, because the wind on the headland is cold.