Northern Ireland & the Dark Hedges

The Dark Hedges in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, demonstrate set-jetting's power at its most concentrated: a single scene from Game of Thrones Season 2 (2012), in which Arya Stark flees King's Landing disguised as a boy, transformed a centuries-old avenue of beech trees planted by the Stuart family around 1775 into one of the most photographed natural sites in the entire United Kingdom. The tunnel of gnarled, interlaced branches stretching approximately 150 metres along Bregagh Road now generates an estimated 250,000 visitors annually, requiring Northern Ireland's Tourism Board to implement access management measures including parking restrictions and designated photography zones. Beyond the Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland's Game of Thrones footprint is extensive. Cushendun Caves on the Antrim Coast served as the cave where Melisandre gives birth to the shadow creature in Season 2; Murlough Bay near Fair Head provided exterior landscape shots throughout multiple seasons; the Tollymore Forest Park in County Down doubled as the Haunted Forest beyond the Wall in the very first episode (2011); and the Paint Hall Studios in Belfast's Titanic Quarter served as the show's primary production base for all eight seasons, generating an estimated £250 million in economic impact for Northern Ireland between 2011 and 2019, according to Invest Northern Ireland figures. Tourism Ireland markets the destination under the explicit Game of Thrones Trail branding, with an official map of 26 filming locations across Northern Ireland and the Republic. In 2026, with House of the Dragon continuing to air on HBO and new audiences discovering the original series through Max's streaming catalogue, Northern Ireland's medieval landscapes retain strong appeal for the international market. The coastal Causeway Route driving itinerary — combining the Giant's Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, and the Dark Hedges — is frequently cited as one of the most scenic one-day self-drives in Europe.