Destinations

A giant door opening

The brand new Giant’s Causeway visitor centre is now open. The $30 million centre located at the Giant’s Causeway UNESCO World Heritage on Northern Ireland’s north Antrim coast is hidden from the coastal landscape by a grass roof and features exhibitions on the legend and science behind the attraction where visitors can hear the stories of the people who have called this coastline home. Visitors to the centre can also find out about the wildlife that inhabits the area, watch the Giant’s Causeway form before their eyes and spot clues to prove the mythical giant, Finn McCool, really did exist. Highlights of the new visitor centre include four new, colour-coded walking trails designed for all levels of fitness; existing walks and trails have been upgraded with the addition of a new accessible cliff-top walk for families and people with disabilities; the new centre will have longer opening hours over the summer and will be serviced by a park-and-ride facility from Bushmills. The standard admission costs is approximately C$13 for adults, C$7 for children, and C$34 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children). Free audio guides are available. Trafalgar, which is part of The Travel Corporation family of brands, was instrumental in the creation of the new visitor centre thanks to its generous donation to the “Giant Cause” fundraising campaign. Gavin Tollman, Global CEO of Trafalgar, commented: “Trafalgar has been excited to follow the progress made by the National Trust at the Giant’s Causeway. The new visitor centre that opened this past week fits beautifully into the iconic landscape that surrounds it, and the level of environmental sensitivity with which the building was constructed is to be applauded. The National Trust’s work to conserve our natural and cultural heritage is important andáas a travel company, we are committed in supporting such efforts.” Go to http://www.discoverireland.com/ca-en/about-ireland/experience-ireland/icons/giants-causeway .