Visitors to the Giant’s Causeway World Heritage Site are being encouraged to keep a ‘giant’s step’ away from others when it reopens on Friday 3 July.
The popular attraction which is managed by the National Trust, is reopening its doors on 3 July in line with government guidance permitting the reopening of tourist attractions where social distancing measures are in place.
Similar to other National Trust places which began a phased reopening earlier this month, a booking system has been introduced to control numbers and maintain public safety. Anyone planning to enjoy the Visitor Experience at the Giant’s Causeway will need to have pre-booked via the National Trust website before arriving.
The new ticket booking system for the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Experience will go live on Friday 26 June, allowing visitors to book up to one week in advance.
Tickets for the Visitor Experience include onsite car parking, guided tours and/or audio guides as well as access to the exhibition, shop and cafe, and will be free to National Trust members, while non-members will be charged when they pre-book their visit.
General Manager Max Bryant said: “We are delighted to be able to reopen the site and we’re really looking forward to welcoming visitors back. The safety of our staff, volunteers and visitors is our top priority and we have been working hard behind the scenes to implement social distancing measures and hygiene practices.
“We are going to be offering the full Visitor Experience, with small guided tours, and access to the exhibition area alongside the shop and café, where there will be a ‘to go’ service.
“Given the unprecedented circumstances, we have had to make some changes. In some areas visitors will be asked to follow a one-way system. The Park and Ride shuttle bus service will not be operating this season and Translink’s easy access bus service will not be running to the stones. The green trail provides an accessible path from which to view the Causeway and is suitable for prams, mobility vehicles and wheelchairs.”
‘Whilst we have introduced a ticketing system to manage the number of visitors in the Visitor Experience and car park at any one time, we realise that many people will want to access the site for free on foot to enjoy the coastal paths and the public right of way to the wider World Heritage Site. We ask visitors to be respectful of social distancing guidelines and keep two metres apart, which happens to be exactly the size of Finn McCool’s giant boot.
“We are also asking visitors who do not have Visitor Experience tickets and therefore cannot avail of the onsite parking, to respect local residents and not to park on the Causeway Road. There are numerous places to park in nearby villages, where you can park safely and walk the coastal pathways leading to the Giant’s Causeway. We do not recommend walking on the main Causeway Road as it is unsafe. Access by foot via the public right of way remains free, however onsite parking is included in the Visitor Experience charge.”
Full information on facilities and access can be found on the National Trust website and visitors are asked to check online for the latest information before planning their visit.
Full details on how to plan your visit can be found on the National Trust website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway
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