Days Out NI
Greenway & cycle trail Portrush

Causeway Coast Cycle Route (NCN 93)

Free coastal cycling on NCN 93 — with a flat traffic-free greenway by the Giant's Causeway

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Open accessRide it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
PortrushGreenway & cycle trail
Get directionsOfficial website
37kmDistance
Full dayHow long
FreeCost
TarmacSurface
Buggy okBest for

Causeway Coast Cycle Route (NCN 93) — Free coastal cycling on NCN 93 — with a flat traffic-free greenway by the Giant's Causeway.

  • Distance: About 37km (23 miles) Castlerock to Giant's Causeway; optional 15.5-mile extension on to Ballycastle.
  • Surface: Mostly tarmac (around 93% asphalt), with short unsealed/dust sections near the Causeway.
  • Gradient: Undulating with two long climbs (Castlerock to Coleraine, Portrush to Bushmills); the Causeway-to-Bushmills greenway is flat.
  • Traffic-free: Partly — around 38% is traffic-free; the rest links on quiet public roads, so not fully segregated.
  • Bike hire: None on the route itself; Bushmills Cycle Hire (Rest-A-While) is by the Bushmills greenway end.
  • Buggy / scooter: Not the full route (road sections and climbs); the flat tarmac/greenway by the Causeway suits buggies and scooters.
Plan your visit

The ride: coast, climbs and a traffic-free greenway

The main route covers about 37km from Castlerock to the Giant's Causeway, and it's roughly 93% asphalt so the going is smooth. It is not fully segregated, though: around 38% is traffic-free and the rest links up on normal public roads, with two notable climbs from Castlerock to Coleraine and from Portrush to Bushmills. Along the way you ride past Portstewart Strand, the resorts of Portstewart and Portrush, and finish at the Giant's Causeway visitor centre. The standout family stretch is the flat traffic-free greenway that runs beside the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Heritage Railway, off-road and easy for younger riders. Keen families can extend from the Causeway to Ballycastle, a further 15.5 miles of coast.

Free 37km (23 miles) Mostly tarmac 38% traffic-free Coastal views Greenway by the Causeway
Good to know before you go:

Greenways and cycle routes across NI host seasonal sportives, family cycle days and ranger-led events through the year. Check listings for current dates near you.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🚲Bikes (or hire on the day)Check whether you bring your own or can hire at the start.
  • 🪖Helmets for everyoneEspecially the kids — a comfy helmet makes the whole spin better.
  • 💧Water and snacksNot every route has a café on it, so pack a little something.
  • 🧥A light layerYou warm up cycling but cool down at stops — easy to peel on and off.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free to ride; some town car parks pay-and-display; Giant's Causeway visitor centre charges separately
Start / parking
Castlerock to Giant's Causeway; park in the coastal towns or at the Causeway; train stations at Castlerock, Coleraine and Portrush. For the easy greenway, start at Bushmills or the Causeway
Distance
About 37km (23 miles) Castlerock to Giant's Causeway; optional 15.5-mile extension on to Ballycastle
Surface
Mostly tarmac (around 93% asphalt), with short unsealed/dust sections near the Causeway
Gradient
Undulating with two long climbs (Castlerock to Coleraine, Portrush to Bushmills); the Causeway-to-Bushmills greenway is flat
Traffic-free?
Partly — around 38% is traffic-free; the rest links on quiet public roads, so not fully segregated
Bike hire
None on the route itself; Bushmills Cycle Hire (Rest-A-While) is by the Bushmills greenway end
Buggy / scooter friendly
Not the full route (road sections and climbs); the flat tarmac/greenway by the Causeway suits buggies and scooters
Toilets / food
Refreshments and toilets in all towns along the route, plus the Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre
How long to allow
A half to full day for the full route; one to two hours for the greenway with younger kids
Address
Causeway Coast Cycle Route (NCN 93), Giant's Causeway, 44 Causeway Road, Bushmills, Co Antrim BT57 8SU
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free to ride; some town car parks pay-and-display; Giant's Causeway visitor centre charges separately
How long is the route?
About 37km (23 miles) Castlerock to Giant's Causeway; optional 15.5-mile extension on to Ballycastle
Is it traffic-free?
Partly — around 38% is traffic-free; the rest links on quiet public roads, so not fully segregated
Can I hire a bike?
None on the route itself; Bushmills Cycle Hire (Rest-A-While) is by the Bushmills greenway end
Is it buggy and scooter friendly?
Not the full route (road sections and climbs); the flat tarmac/greenway by the Causeway suits buggies and scooters
Getting there

Causeway Coast Cycle Route (NCN 93) starts at Castlerock to Giant's Causeway; park in the coastal towns or at the Causeway; train stations at Castlerock, Coleraine and Portrush. For the easy greenway, start at Bushmills or the Causeway. Tap below for directions to the start.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around PortrushSee what else is close by More greenways & trails across NITraffic-free routes to walk and cycle
The story

About this trail

The Causeway Coast Cycle Route is National Cycle Network Route 93, part of the wider network developed by Sustrans. It traces the north Atlantic coast for about 37km from Castlerock in the west to the Giant's Causeway in the east, linking Coleraine, Portstewart, Portrush and Bushmills along the way.

The route's standout traffic-free stretch runs beside the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Heritage Railway, a narrow-gauge line that carries visitors the short hop between Bushmills and the Causeway. The Giant's Causeway itself, with its 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the natural finish point for the ride.

From the Causeway, the signed route continues a further 15.5 miles to Ballycastle on the northernmost tip of Northern Ireland, opening up more of the coast for those who want to keep going.