Where Are The Dark Hedges?

What Exactly Are The Dark Hedges?

The Dark Hedges is an avenue of beech trees planted around 1775 by the Stuart family to line the approach to Gracehill House. Around 90 of the original beeches remain today, forming a natural tunnel that has become one of the most photographed locations in Northern Ireland.

The avenue found international fame as the Kingsroad in Game of Thrones. It appears in Season 2 Episode 1, when Arya Stark escapes King's Landing in a cart with Yoren, Gendry and Hot Pie. That single scene turned a quiet country lane into a pilgrimage site for fans of the show.

How Do Visitors Reach The Dark Hedges?

Driving from Belfast takes roughly one hour, about 50 miles, using the M2 and then the A26. There is no charge to visit and no booking required: the site is open 24 hours a day. Since October 2017, Bregagh Road itself has been closed to vehicles to protect the tree roots, so it is pedestrian only. Parking is available at the nearby Hedges Hotel or estate grounds.

Many travellers skip self-driving altogether and join a guided coach or minibus tour from Belfast. These typically run 8 to 10 hours and combine the Dark Hedges with Giant's Causeway and other Causeway Coast filming locations. Tours departing from Dublin also exist for visitors based in the Irish capital.

The typical visit lasts only 20 to 45 minutes, since the attraction is a single road rather than a park. Photographers should aim for early morning or late evening, when the tour buses have gone and the golden hour light makes the tree tunnel look its most atmospheric.

What Else Can Be Combined With A Dark Hedges Visit?

The Dark Hedges sits on the Causeway Coast route, which makes it easy to pair with other Game of Thrones locations. Ballintoy Harbour, about 20 minutes away on the coast, served as Lordsport and Pyke in Season 2 during Theon Greyjoy's return to the Iron Islands. It is a public site and a popular stop on the same tours.

Giant's Causeway in Bushmills is the other natural pairing. It is not a primary filming site but features on most tours as a scenic stop, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site in its own right with ticketed access. Castle Ward in County Down, which played the Winterfell courtyard and exteriors, lies on the opposite side of the country and is usually covered by separate tours from Belfast.

Which Tour Suits Different Travellers?

Visitors starting in Belfast can choose a full-day combination tour covering Giant's Causeway, the political murals of Belfast and the Dark Hedges, a route that mixes Game of Thrones scenery with the city's history.

For those based in Dublin, a long day trip can reach the Dark Hedges as part of an itinerary taking in Dunluce Castle, Giant's Causeway and Belfast, a tour rated 4.9 by 5800 past travellers. An alternative Dublin departure adds a whiskey distillery stop to the Causeway and Dark Hedges route, suiting travellers who want a taste of Irish distilling alongside the scenery.