Would you walk across this rope bridge?
I paid to walk across this 66 ft. bridge that is nearly 100 ft. above the water below while touring the coast in Northern Ireland last week.
Located near Ballintoy in County Antrim, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (pronounced carrick-a-reedy) links the mainland to the tiny island of Carrickarede. Historically, salmon fishermen erected the rope bridge nearly 350 years ago to check their salmon nets. It seems they didn’t have to pay tax on the fish caught from this “unattached” island.
Today the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is a tourist attraction owned and maintained by the National Trust. The bridge is open all year round (subject to weather) and people may cross it for a fee (currently £5.90 per adult.)
Those bold enough to cross the bridge are rewarded with fantastic views of Rathlin Island, Scotland and the Causeway Coast.
This woman in front of me dared to look down over the short bridge “railing.”
I considered myself brave to look down and snap this “shoe” shot looking through the bridge “floor.”
I snapped this view down just as I was stepping onto the bridge, which gives a bird’s eye view of the clear, green water flowing around the ancient caves and caverns below.
Even scarier than the bridge is climbing back up the steep stairs that lead to and from it. Monitors make sure that no more than eight people are on the bridge at one time.
To get to the bridge, first you must walk about 20 minutes along a coastal footpath that leads to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
On the way, there are fantastic views. The Carrick-a-Rede area has been recognized as an area of special scientific interest due to its unique geology, flora and fauna.
On the walk back, we marveled at the sheep grazing on the steep hills.
The coastal walk to the bridge is exhilarating, even if you decide not to cross. Very tall folks like Mr. Jones (who’s 6’6 inches or 2 meters tall) will find the sides of the rope bridge quite short. Even if you don’t want to cross the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, it’s worth the admission to get close to the site.
We visited the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge as part of our day-long Giants Causeway Tour with Odyssey Coach Tours, and highly recommend both the tour and the company.
Would you walk across the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge? Please answer yes or no in comments below.
Check out these posts on other adventures we experienced around the world:
- Stepping out on the Ledge, Chicago
- Exploring “The Baths” of Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
- Phuket, Thailand with a Visit to Tiger Kingdom
- Visiting the Petronas Twin Towers and Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur
- Exploring Langkawi, Malaysia via the World’s Steepest Cable Car
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