Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
▲▲▲
Old Bushmills Distillery
Bushmills claims to be the world's oldest distillery. Though King James I (of Bible fame)
only granted Bushmills its license to distill “Aqua Vitae” in 1608, whiskey has been made
here since the 13th century. Distillery tours waft you through the process, making it clear
that Irish whiskey is triple distilled—and therefore smoother than Scotch whisky (distilled
merely twice and minus the “e”). The 45-minute tour starts with the mash pit, which is
filled with a porridge that eventually becomes whiskey. (The leftovers of that porridge are
fed to the county's particularly happy cows.) You'll see thousands of oak casks—the kind
used for Spanish sherry—filled with aging whiskey.
Thefinale,ofcourse,istheopportunityforasipinthe1608Bar—theformermaltbarn.
Visitors get a single glass of their choice. Hot-drink enthusiasts might enjoy a cinnamon-
and-cloves hot toddy. Teetotalers can just order tea, totally.
To see the distillery at its lively best, visit when the 100 workers are staffing the ma-
chinery—Monday morning through Friday noon (weekend tours see a still still). Tours are
limited to 35 people and book up. In summer, call ahead to put in your name and get a tour
time. After the tour, you can get a decent lunch in the tasting room.
Cost and Hours:
£7; April-Oct tours on the half-hour Mon-Sat from 9:30, Sun from
12:00, last tour at 16:00; Nov-March tours Mon-Sat at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:30, 14:30,
and 15:30, Sun from 12:00. To find Bushmills, look for the distillery sign a quarter-mile
from Bushmills town center. Tel. 028/2073-3218,
www.bushmills.com
.
▲▲▲
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
For 200 years, fishermen have hung a narrow, 90-foot-high bridge (planks strung between
wires) across a 65-foot-wide chasm between the mainland and a tiny island. Today, the
bridge (while not the original version) still gives access to the salmon nets that are set dur-
ing summer months to catch the fish turning the coast's corner. (The complicated system
is described at the gateway.) A pleasant, 30-minute, one-mile walk from the parking lot
takes you to the rope bridge. Cross over to the island for fine views and great seabird-
watching, especially during nesting season.
