Carrick-a-Rede has the famous Rope Bridge, located near Ballintoy, north of Northern Ireland. The 20 metre rope bridge links the mainland to the tiny island of Carrickarede. It’s a bridge that attracts hundreds of tourists every year. The bridge, which hangs 30 metres above the rocks is owned and maintained by the National Trust.
Unfortunately, when we visited, tickets were all sold out to cross the bridge. Every day the National Trust only issue a set amount of tickets to protect the area. Therefore, my advice, make sure you book before your visit. An adult ticket costs £9.00 and can be purchased on the National Trust website.
To book tickets, please visit their website: National Trust.
If you are unable to get tickets, you can still enjoy a lovely, short walk along the coastline, with great views over the Irish Sea. The path takes you up to the bridge so you can still see the bridge, you just will not be able to cross it. This is what we decided to do.
If you do manage to get tickets, let’s hope you are feeling brave enough to cross it! We saw people crossing it on their hands and knees. If you are not a big fan of heights, I maybe give crossing the bridge a miss!
A Carrick-a-Rede, car parking is free of charge. However, the car park is small and spaces are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. The closest town to park in, is Ballintoy, 1 mile away from Carrick-a-Rede.
If you are feeling thirsty or peckish, there is a little cafe, located next to the car park.
