Tom Shepherd combines two iconic Irish coastal routes for a journey filled with breathtaking scenic stops and a taste of adventure 

Where is it?
This self-drive road trip bridges two famous Irish coastal travel routes: the Causeway Coastal Route, which stretches 115 miles from Belfast to Derry-Londonderry along the top of Northern Ireland, and the Wild Atlantic Way, which covers 1,600 miles along the west coast of Ireland. Our journey will span a section where the two connect, at a time when the routes are being made easier to cover in one trip, with improved signage and investment. We begin at Ballycastle, on the northern edge of Northern Ireland, and meander across the north of the island until we reach Strandhill in County Sligo, in the Republic of Ireland.

What’s the accommodation like?
As with any road trip, we overnight at several destinations along the way, which gives us a chance to see several different sides to these two countries. In Derry-Londonderry, for example, we stay at the boutique Bishop’s Gate Hotel, right at the heart of the city – and the following morning, we hotfoot around its streets on a food tour with the effervescent Hannah of Derry by Fork. On the flip side, the night after we stay at the Shandon Hotel & Spa in Dunfanaghy, which overlooks the secluded Sheephaven Bay – a prime spot for kayakers and paddlers alike.

What did you eat and drink?
With destinations that hug the coastline, seafood is the main draw. A particular highlight came after a morning boat trip to Rathlin Island, off the top of Northern Ireland. We dock at the quaint harbour village and lunch at Manor House – an 18^th-century Georgian guesthouse, where my pan-seared seabass is paired with a lemon and caper butter sauce, Its delicate freshness feels in keeping with my morning’s seafaring.

What is there to do?
Both the Causeway Coastal Route and the Wild Atlantic Way are dotted with brilliant sightseeing spots. One marvel of the former route is the Giant’s Causeway - Northern Ireland’s first Unesco heritage site. The geographical marvel was formed by ancient volcanic activity (or, if you believe the audio tour, two warring giants), leaving strange interlocking hexagonal basalt columns leading out into the North Atlantic. Further into our tirp, we pick up the Wild Atlantic Way trail, which has 187 ‘signature discovery points’. The first we see is at Fanad Head – where a grand lighthouse sits at the foot of a winding road.