Northern Ireland and Game Of Thrones: From Set to Reality

Northern Ireland, a Dream Set

Northern Ireland: The Kingdom of the North

Northern Ireland in Game of Thrones: Much More Than the North!

Game Of Thrones: A Full Circuit

• Cairncastle
• Ballymena
• Glenarm
• Cushendun
• Fair Head
• Larrybane
• Ballintoy
• The Dark Hedges
• Donhill Beach
• Game Of Thrones locations

• Season 1, Episode 1: The Beginning It all starts with a mountain bike ride through the forest to reach the location of the first scene of the series, beyond the Wall. Night's Watch patrollers investigate in wildling territory ... and discover a massacred village, the victims chopped into pieces and arranged in a circle. It was here! For the anecdote, the scene was filmed around March ... a time of year when there's usually no snow. Our guide, a local, shares his surprise at finding the forest covered in powder: But where does this snow come from? It took several weeks for the fake snow scattered throughout the woods to disappear. I tell you now: >.
• Werewolves! Another iconic scene also took place in these woods: the discovery of the baby werewolves. If this moment rings a bell for you, this bridge should look familiar. Look for the differences (apart from the fact that we just swapped horses for bikes!). Unfortunately, no wolves to report during our visit. But how beautiful... and peaceful the nature is! An atmosphere that contrasts with the more bloody one of the series!
• Long live the King in the North! How can one talk about Game Of Thrones in Northern Ireland without mentioning Winterfell, the castle of the King in the North? At first glance, the Stark castle (also known as Castleward in real life) is unimpressive, but a short video on filming behind-the-scenes and special effects gives an idea of the colossal work of editing and post-production. The special effects are stunning, as is the work of scouting for filming locations: one needs an eye and a good dose of imagination to picture what a location could look like. Discovering Winterfell remains among my favorite Game Of Thrones locations: we enjoyed a fantastic medieval meal (directly from the cookbook of G.R.R. Martin to stay in the vibe!), accompanied by the best Irish beer we had tasted (Farmaggedon), followed by an archery lesson. Archery? A tourist attraction, I thought before being there ... But it was by a Jon Snow (a few years older!) that we were welcomed: a character truly in his role and convinced of the importance of testing the new recruits of the Night's Watch! And to my surprise: I loved it! Jon Snow was patient and encouraging: An arrow under the target? No problem, you probably hit a rabbit! Higher, it will be a bird. One thing is for sure, you will never go hungry with a bow in hand! We learned archery in the very courtyard where Jon Snow teaches Bran, under the mocking eye of Arya and the benevolent gaze of Ned Stark and Lady Catellyn. Enough to motivate the most hesitant! The worst of our new recruits, however, was sentenced to beheading, as an example. And that's how François's (brief) watch came to an end.
• The Royal Road: The King's Road Undoubtedly the most famous image of Northern Ireland when thinking of Game Of Thrones ... I was eager to see this road with my own eyes. The atmosphere emanating from these trees intrigued me ... And the discovery in flesh and blood (or roots and branches) lived up to my expectations. A road where the wind seems to speak to us and the trees sway to the rhythm of a mystical dance: are they perhaps warning us against the dangers lurking if we continue our path?
• The Iron Islands The dreadful Iron Islands: hammered by the waves, swept by the wind ... The men living there are as hard and sharp as its rocks. It is from here that Theon Greyjoy hails, the last male heir of the king of the Iron Islands. This port (Lordsport Harbour in the series, also known as Ballintoy in reality) is the first ground Theon sets foot on upon his return, disheveled and with a hard gaze from Winterfell. The wind always blows there. We await the return of the boats, hoping to catch a glimpse of Theon returning safe from his adventures ...
• The Appearance of Brienne Brienne, ironically nicknamed >, is a great warrior and the only woman to wear knight's armor. We meet her in the series during a tournament at Renly Baratheon's camp. By defeating Loras Tyrell, Brienne secures her king's permission to enter his royal guard and serve him until death do they part ... which, unfortunately, won't take long. It is in this strange place, between the sea and a rocky cliff, that the tournament takes place. Just a few meters from the famous rope bridge >.
• The night is dark and full of terrors... This saying from the Red Lady is even more true in the depths of the earth. For it is in a cave in Cushendun that Melisandre gives birth to the shadow baby, the murderer of Renly Baratheon.
• But also many others! Here are more photos taken at the filming locations: can you identify them? In the mix: the 2 towers of the Frey bridge, the Tully coffin-boat, the women hanged alongside Brienne and Jaime, the romantic walk between Robb Stark and Lady Talisa, the abbey where Lady Stark learns of Ned's death...

Discovering Northern Ireland Differently with Game Of Thrones