With restrictions still in place, there’s no better time for Game of Thrones® fans to revisit the HBO spectacle and discover the many locations which serve as its backdrop across Northern Ireland. From fabled castles, haunted forests, and caves weathered over 400 million years – Game of Thrones® is a key component to Northern Ireland’s giant spirit.
Home to more Seven Kingdoms locations than anywhere else in the world, Northern Ireland has truly earned its title as Game of Thrones® Territory and here we take you through some of the best spots to marvel at from afar.
Tollymore Forest
Throwing you in at the deep end, begin your journey in County Down in Tollymore Forest Park, home to magnificent red woods, centuries-old stone structures and more importantly, the forbidding White Walkers. Known as the Haunted Forest in Westeros, this expanse of wild woodland is where we first encounter the cold-blooded creatures. It's also where the Starks met their new-born dire wolves for the first time. Seek out treasures of your own in the mossy glow of these ancient trees – but be on the lookout for any blue eyes watching you from the gloom...
Castle Ward
Since the 16th century, the Ward family have called Castle Ward home, but in the Seven Kingdoms, this sprawling demesne has another name – Winterfell, ancestral home of House Stark. Here in County Down, practice your archery in the same spot as Jon Snow, model some authentic Westeros attire and feast on a lavish medieval banquet inspired by the show. Its historic farmyard is as much a leading role as any and served as a key backdrop for the entire series pilot.
The Antrim Hills
Dramatic. It's the only word that can truly capture the Antrim Hills, or otherwise known as the Antrim plateau – with windswept plains and basalt outcrops creating a spiny ridge against the sky, it's no wonder this location was chosen to represent the Neck. This craggy landscape is the site of one of the tensest scenes in the show, where Sansa Stark learns from Littlefinger that she is betrothed to the terrible Ramsay Bolton.
Glens of Antrim
Over millions of years, the Glens of Antrim took shape when Ice Age glaciers carved the landscape into a series of valleys and hills, creating a rich land that is now dotted with pretty villages and areas of incredible natural beauty. The hidden village of Galboly, near Glenariff, a valley of tumbling waterfalls and twinkling forest canopies, is the filming location for Runestone in Game of Thrones®. This is where Lord Yohn Royce takes Robyn Arryn, the Lord of the Eyrie, in order to raise him as his ward and where Sansa Stark and Littlefinger watch his attempts at duelling.
Cushendun Caves
Found along the Antrim coastline, near the cosy village of Cushendun, the Cushendun Caves look out over a stony beach and turbulent sea. In Westeros, these caves are the site of a dark crime. Made famous by Game of Thrones® in Season 2 Episode 4 – these caves are recognisable to fans as the birthplace to the Red Priestess Melisandre’s shadow creature.
The Dark Hedges
Last but certainly not least, The Dark Hedges in County Antrim is a compelling landscape, famously representing the famous Kingsroad. The interlocking avenue of beech trees provides a superb backdrop for Arya's flight alongside the night’s watch, and the twisting trunks and rustling canopy far above are over 200 years old. Walk this legendary road and transport yourself to the Seven Kingdoms. At the very end of the Dark Hedges lies Gracehill House – call in for dinner and a drink and see one of the Game of Thrones® doors, commemorating Bran's transformation into the Three-Eyed Raven.
Ireland.com