I realized a few days ago that my board certification in nursing informatics was due for renewal next month, and I needed to find 75 continuing education credits. Instead of writing, I spent my time doing that. Luckily, I had the credits and submitted my renewal.
So now we’re in Edinburgh but I’m a little behind on posts. And what better day to post my last (hopefully) post about Game of Thrones than The Husband’s 40th birthday!
We did a Game of Thrones filming locations and Giant’s Causeway tour while we were in Belfast. The bus left promptly at 8 am, as we had 10 hours of touring to do.
Our first stop was Carrickfergus Castle. It wasn’t part of GoT but it was a nice little stop with a historic castle and a coffee shop. We didn’t have time to go inside, but it is the oldest medieval castle in Ireland still open to the public.
Our next stop was Carnlough Harbor, where Arya was stabbed. It’s in a cute little town with a hotel that Winston Churchill used to own.
Next, we stopped at the Cushendun Caves, where Lady Melisandre had the shadow baby.
We stopped for lunch at The Fullerton Arms and Guesthouse. It was a good enough pub lunch that could easily accommodate buses. But they also have one of the doors from the show.
We took a break from the GoT stuff and stopped at the Giant’s Causeway. The rock formations are so interesting there. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is free to visit (but you have to pay to park if you drive. The over 40,000 hexagonal basalt rocks are over 60 million years old. Scientists say they are the result of volcanic eruptions as Ireland pulled away from Europe.
But legend has it that an Irish giant named Finn McCool created a causeway to get across the Irish Sea to face his rival, the Scottish giant Benandonner. Either way, it was incredible to see.
After two hours at Giant’s Causeway (and just as the rain started) we left and stopped quickly at Dunluce Castle. The stunning ruins of this 16th century castle is perched on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the water. Game of Thrones, as well as many other movies, have filmed scenes here. I would love to go back and spend some time there someday.
We made a quick stop at Bushmill’s Distillery. It was an unexpected stop, so we were glad we had the chance to visit. But despite our best efforts, we still aren’t whiskey drinkers.
Our last stop was the Dark Hedges, where the Kingsroad was filmed. Even I, who never saw the show, knew what this was. It was full of people, despite being in the middle of nowhere. It’s amazing what a show can do for the local economy.
Overall, this was a fun tour and at only $78 for both of us (plus tip for the driver) it was a great deal. After this, the Dubrovnik tour, and the studio tour, I feel like I’ve seen Game of Thrones.
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