Great British getaways: discovering the spot in Northern Ireland with ‘one of Britain’s best coastlines’ – with three countries visible from there on a clear day

From Ramore Head, a rocky promontory in the small seaside town of Portrush in County Antrim, you can see three countries on a clear day.

To the west rise the hills of Donegal in the Republic of Ireland; to the northeast are Islay and Jura in Scotland (where George Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-four), and you are of course in Northern Ireland.

A particularly pleasant part of it. With its rugged cliffs, towering dunes and extensive beaches, this has to be one of Britain’s most beautiful coastlines. And Portrush, with 6,150 residents (most of whom seem to know each other), makes the perfect base.

It is both cozy – as you can find in the many small inns – and a strangely landscaped city. At its center lies the parrot’s beaked harbour, above which Ramore Head juts out into the Atlantic Ocean like a tuft of feathers, while two beaches run along each side, the West and East Strands.

These form the ‘neck’ and ‘shoulders’ of the town, bordered by a promenade that ends beyond East Strand at the jagged dunes of the Royal Portrush Golf Club. The venue last hosted The Open in 2019, when Irishman Shane Lowry won, and will do so again next year.

Tom Chesshyre visits the seaside town of Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. He notes that from the city’s Ramore Head promontory (above) it is possible to see three countries

Scenic: Portrush Harbor (above) is in the center of the city, Tom reveals

Portrush has an excellent golf history, being the birthplace of Graeme McDowell (a US Open champion), and where Darren Clarke, the Northern Irish former Open winner, made his home.

Golf enthusiasts should visit the Harbor Bar, where Darren’s Corner (his favorite spot) and the front room are plastered with golfing paraphernalia.

A great way to get there is by train from Belfast, through the rolling countryside (about two hours).

This takes you to a modern station adjacent to a beautiful recreated Tudor station house which now houses another pub, The Station.

Pictured here is the old replica Tudor railway station, now home to a pub, ‘The Station’

Travelers to Portrush can follow the coast to the medieval remains of Dunluce Castle (pictured)

The Wishing Arch of White Rocks Beach is one of Portrush’s ‘nearby highlights’

Above you can see the enchanting coastline of White Rocks Beach

Trains came to Portrush in 1855, bringing a southerly flow of tourists, although holidaymakers had already discovered the charms of the coast thanks to steamers from Scotland and Liverpool.

Nearby highlights include the medieval remains of Dunluce Castle, the Wishing Arch of White Rocks Beach and the striking basalt columns of Giant’s Causeway. Then there is the village of Bushmills, where the whiskey is distilled.

But Portrush, with its picturesque harbour, cheerful inns, small restaurants and art-deco cinema/comedy venue Playhouse, has plenty to offer. And some pretty good views too.