Game of Thrones fans or not, you’ll want to add the Dark Hedges to your list of sites to visit in Ireland. Here’s how to get there, what you’ll find, and tips on how to get the best photographs.
When to go
In some ways the Dark Hedges represent an idyllic vision of the Irish countryside. It’s no wonder it was chosen to be the location for the opening scenes of Season 2 of Game of Thrones. GOT christened it the Kingsroad for the series. The tangled arms of the beech trees weave a wreath of black, grey, white and green overhead. The road can feel gently sheltered or ominously confining. The scene shifts quickly with the weather. Sunshine lights up the leaves and surrounding fields, while overcast clouds add to the feeling of impending doom. The Dark Hedges are a splendid sight any time of day and any time of year.
How to get there
The Dark Hedges are about an hour north of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Like most places these days they’re easily located on Google Maps. We created an offline version to use on our 3,000 km journey around the island and we never encountered a problem. However, the way that Google wants you to go might not always be the best.
The Dark Hedges are located on Bregagh Road, near Stranocum, a small village of about 275 souls in County Antrim. Driving from Belfast, Google maps may take you to the northwest end of Bregagh Road where you’ll find a small parking area and that is your first and best option. Get out here and walk a little further west to find the hedges.
When we set our route, Google maps took us along Ballinlea Road B147, a typical narrow two way Irish road with no shoulders that was easy enough to drive on. However, if you find yourself on Ballinlea Road, keep a lookout for the turnoff to Ballykenver Road on the right before you reach Bregagh Road. Drive along Ballykenver Road a short distance until it intersects with Bregagh Road at which point you can turn left (west) and find the small parking lot.
Where to park
There are only a few parking spots at the east end of Bregagh Road off Ballinlea Road and if you miss the turnoff to Ballykenver Road and the spots are full, you may be tempted to carry on to the Dark Hedges Estate. It’s a two minute drive further along Ballinlea Road. This could be a great solution if you are looking for parking, a light lunch, and a washroom break. After parking and buying a ticket to put on the dash, follow the path to the hotel or the cafe. Keep in mind that parking costs 5 Euro unless you spend 25 Euro at the restaurant. And the restaurant doesn’t open until noon during the summer and even later in the off season.
Where to grab a snack
The Pantry Cafe is open every day from 10 am to 7 pm and that’s also where you’ll find the facilities. They also serve up some tasty pastries, hearty sandwiches and wraps, and good coffee. Follow the path from the parking lot through a pleasant wooded grove to find the cafe. Just beyond the cafe the path continues to the Dark Hedges. Follow the clearly marked path and you’ll see the hedges as the original owners intended them to be seen. The line of the hedges stretches away into the distance and leads to the steps of the main house.
The History of the Dark Hedges
Take a moment to admire Gracehill House. This beautiful mansion was built in 1775 by James Stuart and named after his wife, Grace Lynd. Unfortunately it’s not open to the public at the moment. Stuart planted 150 beech trees along the road to create a grand entrance to Gracehill House and the 300 acres of the original estate. Imagine driving up in your carriage under the shade of those towering beech trees.
Over the years some trees have been lost to age and storms. At the moment 86 of them remain and they are still a wonderful sight to see. Keep a lookout for the Grey Lady, a ghostly wraith who is said to walk the hedges. Locals say she may have been a maid who died under mysterious circumstances, or a lost soul from the nearby deserted cemetery. Hallowe’en is her favourite night to parade.
Stay at the Dark Hedges
Dark Hedges Estate also has a 16 room boutique hotel, a golf course, the above mentioned fine dining restaurant and one of the Game of Thrones doors. There are 10 GOT doors, made from the beech trees of the Kingsroad that were blown down during Storm Gertrude in 2016. The doors are intricately carved and form part of the Journey of Doors which you can follow. There’s even a passport that you can have stamped as part of your own GOT journey. You’ll find Door that features the Three-Eyed Raven in the Lannister Lounge at the Hedges Hotel. The location is also perfect for visiting the Giant’s Causeway that’s just 12 miles away.
How to get the best photos of the Dark Hedges
So my first tip would be – check the weather report. You don’t necessarily want to be wiping raindrops off your camera. And my second tip would be to check the hours of sunrise and sundown. That’s when you’re most likely to have the Dark Hedges all to yourself – mostly. Tour buses start to arrive around 10 am from Belfast, so if you get an early start you”ll have the hedges mostly to yourself. Or you can wait until later in the day, the photographer’s “golden hour” of sunset is also a great time to take pictures.
If you find yourself surrounded by other visitors, stay calm and wait them out, just like professional photographers do. Most people are content to hop out and take a few pictures and drive on. The crowd in this photo were gone in about ten minutes.
We enjoyed the drive to the Dark Hedges and I hope you do too. Drop me a line in the comments if you have any questions.
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