6 Day Bespoke Classic Horse Riding Adventure on the Causeway Coast of Ireland

Explore Ireland's stunning coast and countryside as you ride on five of its fabulous beaches, verdant countryside, enchanting glens, and heather-clad mountain tops on the back of a trusted Irish cob or Irish sport horse.

This ride offers six days (one arrival day and five days of riding), along with five nights of accommodation. It also gives you the opportunity to ride to and explore the rich history of Dunluce Castle, the mystical folklore of the Giant's Causeway, and to enjoy five quality lunches with your guides in unique and beautiful settings.

You will also be taken deep into the Glens of Antrim and enjoy a part of the coastline often missed by the common traveller.

With BEI's top-quality Irish cobs and sport horses, their countryside boasting 40 shades of green, their beaches that shine for miles even on the cloudiest of days, and the genuine Irish hospitality that you will receive, it will be no wonder that these rides are viewed as some of the best in the world.

At a glance

• Day 1 - Arrival
• Day 2 - Ride in the North Antrim Hills, enjoy lunch in a hillside cabin with views over five counties
• Day 3 - Ride through a mystical Irish Glen and along an old coach road that has been traversed on horseback for centuries
• Day 4 - Ride on the beautiful sands of Whitepark Bay, enjoy a pub lunch in the quaint village, and finish your day riding in the hills above Ballintoy
• Day 5 - Ride through Glenarriffe, known as the ‘Queen of the Glens,’ and the most beautiful of the 9 Glens of Antrim referenced in the song Danny Boy!
• Day 6 - Ride on Whiterocks beach, ride to Dunluce Castle, tour the Castle, ride on Portballintrae beach to the Giant's Causeway, lunch at a Causeway hotel, tour of the Giant's Causeway

Ride level:

• Intermediate+ (confident cantering in an English saddle)

Day 1: Arrival day

Céad míle fáilte (one hundred thousand welcomes). Welcome to Ireland! You can arrive in either Belfast or Dublin. Bespoke Equestrian Ireland can arrange for their driver to collect you from either location and whisk you off at the beginning of your Irish adventure.

You will journey northwards and, if it tickles your fancy, you can opt to travel along the renowned Causeway Coastal Route, lauded as one of the top five road journeys in the world. This beautiful drive will give you a taste of the rugged coastlines and sweeping sea views that you will experience over the course of your holiday.

The coastal route is dotted with historic castles and a changing canvas of natural landscapes - incredible fishing villages, quiet beaches, rolling green hills with lush hedges, mountain streams and rugged coastlines with majestic cliffs - all overlooking the magnificent sea.

You can spend the day at your leisure in your accommodation or by exploring the beautiful North Coast. Enjoy some food at a local pub or restaurant, sample a pint of Guinness with the locals, or dance the evening away to some traditional Irish music. Be sure to get a good night’s rest to be ready for what the coming days have in store. The BEI team can’t wait to meet you!

• Overnight: Antrim’s North Coast

Day 2

On arrival, Mr. McKinley and members of the BEI team will greet you with a warm, genuine welcome before heading to the barn for a stable tour and to meet the team of horses.

After selecting a horse and a riding assessment, you will spend four to five hours riding out into the wilderness of the North Antrim Hills with its heather-clad slopes, looking down onto green pasture away below with panoramic views over the North Coast and five counties of Ireland.

You will stop at the glass-sided mountainside cabin, high in the hills, where a picture-perfect picnic or traditional afternoon tea awaits you. Enjoy a sumptuous lunch while absorbing magnificent views of the Northern Irish countryside.

You will be riding past the old peat banks that were once the traditional source of fuel in Ireland for generations, and you can stop and do some peat cutting with the old traditional peat spades and get a few photographs before making your way back to the stables. Get a good night’s rest and be ready for four more full days of riding.

• Overnight: County Antrim Coast

Day 3

On this day, you will transport the horses and saddle up in the rugged hills above Ballycastle.

You will be venturing to Loughareema, known locally as the Vanishing Lake, an area surrounded by Irish myths and legends. This ethereal lake, on the outskirts of a beautiful series of wild, expansive peatlands, is often enshrouded by swirling mists. The true mystery of the lake is derived from its propensity to mysteriously vanish overnight, with the usually brimming body of water being no more.

The ’Vanishing Lake’ is an area surrounded by Irish myths and legends. Allow your guide to regale you with these tales as you hear of the coachman and horses lost in a terrible storm! The group had tried to cross the lake when it was full of water, which they did not notice in the dead of night in this misty, desolate area. Rumors abound that, when the lake is at its fullest, the ghosts of this unfortunate party haunt the lake.

You will pass a winding laneway and be transported far away from the hustle and bustle of civilization, where you will have the opportunity to explore a hidden gem that has historically been known only to locals. The McBride Family farm has a massive underground spring that leads to the Carey River, whose gentle, flowing waters will accompany you throughout your travels.

You will continue your ride on the Old Coach Road to the edge of the famed Glen of Glendun, one of the 9 Glens of Antrim. This road was the main thoroughfare from the coast to the glens in bygone times, and whilst it has long been abandoned in favor of more expedient routes, this route is still well worth traversing.

The Coach Road provides a fantastic vista from which to soak in the surrounding beauty of the Glens and the Sea of Moyle in all its glory.

After exploring the historic route, you will head towards the sheltered harbor town at the mouth of Glendun, another of Antrim’s famed 9 Glens. You will ride along this short but beautiful section of beach, trotting and cantering with the ocean spray on your faces, to finish off this day on an exhilarating high.

• Overnight: County Antrim Coast

Day 4

You will begin the day in the idyllic seaside village of Ballintoy on the coast! Follow an old off-road track with splendid views of the coast to the breathtaking white sand beach of Whitepark Bay, a three-mile-long beach on the famous Causeway Coastal Route.

Whitepark Bay is a beautiful stretch of pristine beach located on Co. Antrim’s North Coast near the picturesque village of Ballintoy. With a beach so pure it shines for miles (on even the cloudiest of days), it’ll be the perfect backdrop for a refreshing trot, canter, or gallop!

You’ll take your time playing on the beach and in the ocean before cantering over the smooth sands. If you’re lucky, the famous “sunbathing cattle” will be on the beach, basking in the sun’s warmth.

You will spend your time romping and capering along the three-mile stretch of pristine, resplendent white sand, and explore the rolling sand dunes of the area below the backdrop of the rugged surrounding cliff faces, which were once home to some of the earliest human settlers in Ireland.

Savor the taste of the tantalizing sea air, feel the blustering and energizing wind on your face, and feel the radiant rays of the Irish sunshine on your back on this invigorating ride.

Afterwards, you’ll make your way over sandy dunes and across lush farmlands for lunch at the Fullerton Arms. Enjoy a pint, glass of wine, or cup of tea / coffee and expect good, straightforward, locally sourced main dishes such as seafood chowder or Irish stew, terrific sandwiches, and sumptuous desserts! This spot is the perfect place to rest and recharge before continuing your ride of exploration on private farmland in the hills above the picturesque village of Ballintoy.

You will look out over Ballintoy Harbour, which was mainly associated with salmon fishing. In its heyday, cartloads of salmon made their way around hilly roads to catch the train at Ballycastle and onwards to Belfast.

Game of Thrones fans will recognize Ballintoy Harbour as the setting for the Iron Islands and Lordsport on the Isle of Pyke. Like most places along the North Coast, the views from these hills are spectacular and offer some amazing photo opportunities. You can look down on Ballintoy’s most distinctive site, the white Ballintoy Parish Church, perched on a hill overlooking the vast Atlantic Ocean.

Ballintoy Parish Church was built in 1813 in place of the original church built in the early 17th century. It is one of the most scenic churches in the country and is often pictured with the stunning view of Rathlin Island in the background. Many notable landed families are buried in the church’s cemetery, including the Stewarts of Ballintoy, Downing Fullerton, and members of the Stewart-Moore family.

You will now make your way towards the final destination of your journey, and as you ride, you will be looking down onto the cliffs surrounding one of Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.

From there, you will take in the vista of this spectacular coastline hugging the wild Atlantic Ocean, looking out over the sea to Rathlin Island, the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland, and the Western Isles of Scotland before finally stopping and saying farewell to the horses and team after a full day of off-road riding.

The day of riding will come to an end, and as you take a moment to thank your trusted horse, you will take in the vista of this spectacular coastline hugging the wild Atlantic Ocean, looking out over the sea to Rathlin Island, the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland, and the Western Isles of Scotland.

• Overnight: County Antrim Coast

Day 5

The next beach is adjacent to the village of Waterfoot and located at the base of the glen of Glenariff. There, you can canter and gallop across the bay while enjoying stunning views. After some invigorating time spent on the beach, you will make your way through what is often described affectionately as the “Queen of the Glens," riding to the head of the most beautiful of the Glens of Antrim.

Glenariff Waterfalls, at the top of the glen, cascade down the gulley between the leafy trees, and are a major visitor attraction on Ireland’s North Coast. As you meander up the glen and through this oasis of tranquillity, you will become enchanted by its beauty and strengthen the bond you have with this land.

You will ride this spectacular trail to the summit, and at the head of the glen, you will dismount and untack your horses at the Lara Lodge restaurant, a beautiful location famed as a wedding destination. There, you will tie up the horses before making a short walk to view the waterfalls up close.

Next, you will relax in the restaurant at Lara Lodge and, over a meal, share photos of your riding excursion deep in the fabled and mystical Glens of Antrim.

After lunch, you will meander your way back down the glen, en route to your starting point at Waterfoot, where you can enjoy one last gallop across the golden sands before saying goodbye to the horses and guides for the day.

• Overnight: County Antrim Coast

Day 6

On this day, you will start your ride at the Whiterocks beach, so named because of the white chalk cliffs and caverns set back from the water’s edge. The west end of the strand is adjacent to the seaside town of Portrush and backs onto one of the top grass links golf courses in the world, the famous Royal Portrush, host to the British Open, which is part of the 2019 Masters Competition.

The Whiterocks beach also looks out over the Skerries (a small group of islands off the coast of Portrush) and the iconic Dunluce Castle, Donegal, and the Western Isles of Scotland. While riding in the area, there will be an opportunity to ride along the edge of this famous golf course for photographs or to get photographed with your partners if they happen to be playing on this fabulous course.

You’ll ride on to Dunluce Castle and take a tour of the castle, learning some of its intriguing history (especially the bit about the kitchen and staff plunging into the sea during a storm in 1639).

While there, you will have some refreshments at the Dunluce Castle Cottage before riding on to the tiny harbor town of Portballintrae on route to the Giant's Causeway. As you ride through Portballintrae and on to the Giant's Causeway, you will cross the River Bush and follow an old tram trail across sand dunes and past the stately Runkerry House before arriving at this World Heritage Site.

This unique World Heritage Site is the final destination for this day, then you will load up the horses and have a meal at the Causeway Hotel beside the center.

Afterwards, you can check out the new world-class visitor’s center, and you must explore this unique Heritage Site and take in this natural wonder before you return to your accommodation.