Dunluce Castle
That must have thought the producers of Game of Thrones trying to locate the great work of George R.R. Martin , A Song of Ice and Fire, for the small screen. In the northernmost part of the emerald island, 80% of the scenarios that appear in the successful HBO series are located.
We are going to discover some of them through a trip that will allow us to contemplate the beauty of the landscape, soak up the captivating intoxication of its peoples and share the blushing friendliness of its inhabitants.
BELFAST
Our tour starts at Belfast , a city that has known how to heal the wounds of the fratricidal war between Catholics and Protestants and that today appears shining and with a progress that sometimes seems to have been made in fits and starts. Its beautiful and spacious university neighborhood in Queens contrasts with the alleys of the Cathedral Quarter.
The majestic town hall building presides over a center full of classic pubs, but also cafes, restaurants and somewhat more chic venues. The Titanic Quarter , on the banks of the River Lagan, aims to revitalize and offer visitors a unique experience Far from the bloody attacks and hair-raising police oppressions that put the capital of Northern Ireland on the geopolitical map for decades.
And to learn from mistakes, what better than a walk along the wall that separated the two religious factions between Shankill Y Falls Road and which the authorities ironically called the Peace Line.
We stayed in the Europe Hotel , a place with history in the form of shrapnel, opposite The Crown , the most mythical and rococo pub in the entire city. Located on Great Victoria Street, the Europa is now a modern hotel where many Belfast bride and groom choose to celebrate their wedding and the place chosen by Van Morrison to play in what will be his celebrated return to his hometown in December.
The imposing Queen's University
GLENARM: THE JEWELS OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS
We left early Belfast , while the sky is filled with black clouds that cover the timid rays that the sun tried to offer us. We jump into our brand new rental car and take the M2 towards Larne into County Antrim. Along the way, hills dotted with tall trees between cultivated plots and small cottages come our way.
Glenarm is the first of the nine ravines located along the Antrim Coastal Highway , an area of exceptional natural beauty and that we will visit during this search for scenes and images without Game of Thrones actors.
Right at the entrance of the town, next to the Tourist Office we come across ** Steensons Workshop and Gallery **. "We have made more than 40 pieces for the series, from Cersei's crown to Margery's tiara or Sansa's surprise necklace that ended the life of the evil Joefrey. All following the production company's designs," Rossie McNally tells us. to the second generation of jewelers Steensons.
Some of the works are exhibited in delicate showcases suitably adorned with stills from the series. They are for sale and it is possible to buy a replica made of silver and antique gold.
"One of the owners is best friends with one of the show's costume makers, so when a jeweler was sought out to make the replicas, he was the first person he thought of," Rossie reveals.
Glenarm is believed to be the oldest locality to be granted a city charter in Ulster. It retains the historic layout of its streets and has more than 50 listed buildings, including the castle, residence of the Viscounts of Dunluce.
This fortress, now a Jacobean-style mansion, has a walled garden that is one of the oldest in Ireland. Open to the public from April to September.
glenarm
GLENARIFF
We take the coastal road towards Laragh Lodge, skirting the profile of the island and with the sea to the right. Next to the Laragh Lodge, a kind of traditional wooden country hotel, opens a thick forest full of hiking trails, waterfalls and steep paths , all dyed emerald green. Gigantic trees shelter this natural park where light hardly reaches. In Glenariff Lord John Royce became tutor to Robin Arryn, Lord of the Eagles' Nest, and Sansa Stark and Littlefinger watched his valiant attempts with the sword.
During our visit we came across two groups of families with children. None of them seemed very interested in the scenes of Game of Thrones, more in throwing stones into the water or discovering some mysterious animal in the undergrowth. Those who know the area well say it is the lushest and most beautiful glen in the area. The writer V.M. Thackeray He said when he saw it that “it was a miniature Switzerland”.
Natural waterfalls in Glenariff National Park
THE CUSHENDUN CAVES: A STORM'S DEEP CAVE
We leave behind Cushendall, a small coastal town with steep streets with a great fondness for country music, and take the starting point of the Causeway Coastal Route , the route that borders the entire coast in what sometimes seems like a balancing act between sea and land. A few kilometers away is the village of cushendun, which is a raised beach at the outlet of Glendun and Glencorp valleys and at the mouth of the River Dunn.
Centuries before this village was built, Cushendun was a safe landing place and port for frequent travelers between Ireland and Scotland. Surely its caves were also a place of refuge for shipwrecked sailors and pirates. Formed over 400 million years ago, they are easily accessible on foot from the town.
In this capricious environment, and sometimes it seems treacherous, Davos Seaworth brings the witch Melisandre. The red priestess gives birth between columns of stone, sand and water to a shadowy creature in order to kill Renly, whose camp is located at the top of the caves, by order of Stannis Baratheon.
It is his revenge after Renly's challenge. We enter the cave and we move via imagination to chapter four of the second season. Melisandre invokes the God of Light to pave the way for the Iron Throne of her king, Stannis Baratheon. We entrust ourselves to the fates of automotive engineering and also to the god Michelin to go through the Torr Head Road, a road that runs along a rocky promontory between Cushendun Y ballycastle . The route that brings us closer to the closest point between Ireland and Scotland.
Also called the roller coaster or the coastal hug, the Torr Head road offers stunning views across the sea to the Mull of Kintyre Y Rathlin Island. Although the sky was overcast, the wind had stopped charging so we decided to do it. There are about 15 miles (about 24 kilometers) that you have to travel only if the weather is good.
Cushendun Caves
MURLOUGH BAY: THE SLAVE BAY OF ESSOS
Halfway up the Torr Head Road we noticed a hidden gem: the Murlough Bay which is reached by a steep slope. This stunning stretch of coastline was chosen for several locations in the series, some unrelated to each other. For example, it is the site of the unhappy encounter between Tyrion Lannister and Jorah Mormont with some slave traders on their way to Meereen during episode six of the fifth season. And on the chalk tops of Murlough Bay, in a landscape of green meadows, one of the shortest and most unproductive dialogues in history takes place.
Stannis Baratheon, who has proclaimed himself the true king to the Iron Throne, asks his brother Renly, crowned monarch with the support of House Tyrell, to join him. The conversation breaks down as Renly boasts of having the largest army. Stannis takes the reins of his horse and turns around as Melisandre warns Renly to be careful because "the night is dark and full of terrors".
The Torr Head winding road (has nothing to do with the comic book hero's hammer, as far as I know) has its end in ballycastle (the city of the castle), a small town with a reputation for productive and populous fairs. Among them stands out the Ould Lammas Fair, which dates back to the 17th century and takes place every year on the last Monday and Tuesday of August.
Dulce (a kind of red algae) and yellow man (a type of candy) are their specialties for the palate. They can be tested in Ursa Minor Bakery , its best gastronomic emblem.
Ballycastle is also the departure and arrival point for ferries to and from the Rathlin's Island , a hidden treasure. It is shaped like an 'L' and barely measures about 9 kilometers long by 1.5 wide. Around 140 people live there. More than 250,000 seabirds return to the island each year during the breeding season. Fulmars and puffins abound. And the myths and legends, such as that of Robert the Bruce, who after being expelled from Scotland by Edward I of England, took refuge in a Rathlin cave, where he was inspired by the tenacity of a spider.
The island is also seen from the Carrick-a-Rede , belonging to the neighboring town of Ballintoy . Ancient fishermen used to build a rope bridge to the nearby islet to check their salmon nets.
Nowadays, it is a very successful tourist attraction according to the crowd that populated from the enabled car park to the bridge itself. It crosses the abyss of about 30 meters between the cliffs and the small islet through a hanging structure 20 meters long by 1 wide. Not suitable for people with vertigo and on windy days, when it hits hard, it closes. The reward is the mesmerizing views of the North Coast.
Port-aleen Bay from Torr Head
BALLINTOY: THE IRON ISLANDS
Ballintoy (from Irish Baile an Tuaigh) meaning 'the northern town' it is a village in County Antrim made up of a few small shops and two churches. The port is at the end of a very small, steep road below Knocksaughey Hill. Next door is the beach.
The name of Ballintoy Bay has become synonymous with Pyke and the Iron Islands. and was first used when Theon Greyjoy returns to the Iron Islands seeking the favor of his father, Balon, for his ships to join Robb Stark's cause in his fight for the Iron Throne.
Theon's disappointment upon arriving at Lordsport Bay is as great as the beauty of this mysterious little enclave. There he meets his sister Yara. The nearby beach has also been used as a natural setting, when Theon reaffirms his loyalty to the family and is baptized into the religion of the Drowned God. But not only here has Pyke or the Iron Islands been set. This bay and its beach have also been used to represent Dragonstone locations in season four.
From there you have to approach to see Whiterocks beach. Embraced from the sea by limestone cliffs that stretch from Curran Strand to Dunluce Castle, it is full of caves and labyrinthine arches that have been carved by the sea for centuries . The Arch of Wishes, the Rock of the Elephant and the Paw of the Lion are some of the forms that can be distinguished rising above the waters of the ocean.
Ballintoy Landscapes
PORTSTEWART STRAND: DORNE COAST
Spread between the town of Portstewart and the mouth of the River Bann are the golden sands and towering dunes of Portstewart Strand, an area of outstanding natural beauty and obvious scientific interest. It is one of the finest and finest beaches in Northern Ireland and offers views of the Inishowen headland and cliff-top Mussenden Temple.
Though Jaime and Bronn think they'll slip under the radar in Dorne when they're sent to rescue young Myrcella, they won't. Ellaria Sand and Oberyn Martell's daughters, the Sand Serpents, secretly plan revenge on this beach and how to start a war against the Lannisters.
Dunluce Castle
DOWNHILL BEACH: DRAGON ROCK
And on another beach a few kilometers to the west, in Downhill Beach One of the most meaningful scenes of the entire series takes place. Stannis Baratheon seriously influenced by the witch Melisandre, orders to burn the effigies of the Seven Gods and embrace the religion of the God of Light, the only lord for his faithful and cunning adviser. Downhill is part of a stretch of 7 miles (11 kilometers) of sand on a surfing beach where there are also walks with wonderful views.
From this beach you can also see the Mussenden Temple and go up to it, a building almost in ruins but from which the counties of Derry (Londonderry), Donegal and Antrim can be glimpsed.
THE DARK HEDGES: THE ROYAL ROAD
The Dark Hedges they are one of the most photographed natural phenomena in Northern Ireland and a popular attraction around the world. This beautiful avenue of beech trees was planted by the Stuart family. After 200 years, the trees are still a magnificent sight and have become known as the Dark Hedges. The Gray Lady, a spirit from an abandoned graveyard, is said to appear at dusk among the trees.
Well, its spectacular nature is even greater in the aerial shots and with the Game of Thrones setting. Arya Stark escapes from King's Landing after the unfortunate disappearance of her father. Back on the Kingsroad disguised as a boy, Arya is one of Yoren's new recruits, along with Hot Pie and Gendry, for the Night's Watch.
The Dark Edges is located back in Belfast, very close to Stranocum in County Antrim, and is well signposted for the traveller. In January 2016, a storm swept through the region knocking down some of the famous trees. Wood from fallen beech trees was salvaged and transformed into works of art in the form of ten intricate doors.
Using key symbols and scenes from the series, the doors tell the story of the sixth season. They can be found in venues, pubs and restaurants in Northern Ireland. With a passport that you will find in each of these places, you can follow the route of Game of Thrones stamping on each of the doors a seal that goes beyond a piece of ink to become a unique experience.
Sunset on Downhill Beach
CASTLE WARD: WINTERFELL
We leave for the next day one of the highlights of the route. It is sunny and it seems that the clouds do not threaten too much on a day that paints the blue sky Y is reflected on some intense greens . But the weather in these latitudes is changeable.
Fingers crossed as we head south to Northern Ireland . An hour later we arrived at Castle Ward , a place with a lot of character located on the shores of Lake Strangford.
This 18th century hacienda is over 300 hectares and has a magnificent location on the bay. The property features a museum of Victorian laundries; a flora and fauna interpretation center; a 16th century tower; and Audley Castle, a 15th-century tower-residence.
The imposing mansion was built for Lord and Lady Bangor. Their very different tastes led to this eccentric country residence, and later, to their divorce. Welcome to Winterfell.
During his stays, we are received by Lord William, one of the partners of the Winterfell Tours company, the ones who know the most about the filming of the series in Northern Ireland. William wears a black suit, surcoat and black boots. He wears a belt with a gold colored buckle. He has white hair, blue eyes and a goatee also the color of snow..
"In Castle Ward, the first chapter of Game of Thrones was shot almost completely," he tells us while showing photos of various scenes. The tours they organize, which they cost from 160 euros onwards , include clothing for the occasion, archery exercises in the parade ground of Winterfell and visits to the most remote settings in the surrounding area and some more or less nearby towns.
On this farm, for example, the producers located the first royal road or the first tree of the gods, which were later discarded. However they built a Winterfell in the stables of Castle Ward that involved only some digital precisions.
In the surroundings, next to the Strangford Lake , the producers of Game of Thrones also fixed their eyes. In fact, the promontory of Audley Castle served as the model for Walder Frey's mansion in the Twins and also became a quagmire when Robb Stark's camp was established.
Further down, on a path that surrounds the lake and that goes between trees that seem to pounce on the traveler, some of the hanged women they come across were located. Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth. Anyway, multitude of scenarios that William shows with a praiseworthy interest and passion.
TOLLYMORE NATIONAL PARK: WHERE IT ALL BEGINS
We move a little further south of Northern Ireland to locate the Tollymore National Park , a place for the enjoyment of the family but also to enjoy the solitude produced by the thickets, the sound of the water flowing without measure and the thousands of columns formed by pines so straight they look like they were drawn with a ruler.
Three kilometers from newcastle , at the foot of the Morne Mountains, the Tollymore National Park It has a church, grottoes, caves, bridges and stone paths over the water.
this was where ned stark he found a stag with savage wounds from a direwolf, the emblem of his house. Nearby, the wolf's corpse kept six cubs that finally each of the family's offspring decided to stay.
And a few meters from there, a forest of fir trees that had to be filled with artificial snow for the occasion. It served as a stage beyond the Wall. An imposing and terrifying image that starts the series in which several scouts of the Night's Watch run into the White Walkers.
With the cold still in the body we return to Strangford , a small town separated from ferryboat by a freshwater lake. We stayed at The Cuan, a comfortable guest inn from which you can hear the noise of the seagulls at night and day.
Over a Guinness beer, its owner, Peter, tells us stories about the actors who stayed here while filming scenes in Castle War. At the end, he gives us the same welcome menu to King Robert Baratheon upon his arrival at Winterfell.
At night, the air and the rain beat against the window, and in our heads the notes of the composer resound again and again ramin jawadi , henceforth inseparable from the rugged, difficult, untamed and now familiar landscapes of Northern Ireland.
Tollymore Forest Park