As many ‘Thronies’ will know, Game of Thrones is one of the most popular and successful fantasy TV series ever made.
Northern Ireland is home to many special scenes that happened in the Seven Kingdoms, with the filming of seasons one to eight having taken place across 25 locations including Titanic Studios in Belfast, Cushendun Caves, Murlough Bay, Ballintoy Harbour, Larrybane, Antrim plateau, Castle Ward, Inch Abbey and Downhill Strand.
Many of these memorable TV spots can be found along the Causeway Coastal Route in Antrim, all of which are just a stone’s throw away from The Londonderry Arms Hotel.
The first stop for The Londonderry Arms Hotel guests is the stone steps at Carnlough Harbour – merely minutes from our front door. This is where Arya Stark crawled up after being stabbed by Waif in season six, episode seven.
Heading out of Carnlough village, Game of Thrones fans will recognise the iconic Glens of Antrim, especially Glenariff Forest Park. Alternatively nicknamed ‘Queen of the Glens’ in the show, this location stood in for the settlement of Runestone in season five. It’s also where Littlefinger takes Sansa to meet with Lord Royce and watch Robin Arryn training in The Vale.
A 30-minute drive from the hotel will take you to the Cushendun Caves, where Melisandra gives birth to the shadow creature. Arriving at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, fans will recognise this as the location where the deadly encounter between Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Islands, and his younger brother Euron, took place. Ballintoy Harbour is also nearby, otherwise known as Lordsport, the main port of Pyke, which is the home of Theon and Yara Greyjoy.
In your Game of Thrones tour, the instantly recognisable Dark Hedges at Ballymoney cannot be missed. This avenue of haunting trees represents the King’s Road in the second season. The naturally photogenic site was recently placed at number seven in the top 10 most beautiful streets in the world, according to Architectural Digest Magazine!