Derry (County Londonderry) is the northern half of the Causeway Coastal Route and home to Benone Strand — 13 kilometres of Blue Flag beach that most van lifers walk on once and then try to work out how to stay longer. Binevenagh, just inland, is a basalt plateau with cliff faces over the beach and views from the north coast all the way to Donegal. The city itself is the most compact and walkable in the north.
Derry's north coast spots are among the most dramatic in Ireland. Benone and Downhill are the headline acts — tolerance is reliably green except on the rare hot summer weekend. Filter the full spots list by Derry →
13km Blue Flag. Mostly quiet except peak July/Aug weekends. One of Ireland's finest beaches.
Under the Bishop's Gate folly. Exposed, dramatic, low footfall year-round.
River Roe gorge. Car park at park entrance. Walkers only — very quiet.
NTS-managed. Beach driving permit required July–August. Very manageable off-peak.
Derry is the western anchor of the Causeway Coastal Route. The Binevenagh detour and the Roe Valley add inland depth that most drivers skip entirely.
Derry city to Ballycastle covers Benone, Downhill, Castlerock, Portstewart, Portrush, Bushmills, and the Giant's Causeway (Antrim county). Allow two full days to do it without rushing.
Take the B201 from Limavady — left turn at the top for forest car parks with cliff views over Benone Strand. The plateau road crosses open basalt moorland with views to Donegal on clear days. Unmissable detour.
Derry's walled city (intact, fully walkable) is a 2-hour morning stop. The Roe Valley Country Park near Limavady is a 15-minute drive from the city — river gorge walks, completely quiet.
Derry city has two leisure centre options: Templemore Sports Complex or Foyle Arena. Both are well-equipped with day pass access. Limavady has a leisure centre for the north coast section.
Water and waste disposal available in Limavady or Derry city. National Trust facilities at Downhill are seasonal — check ahead. Portstewart has disposal facilities in the car park area.
Walled City Brewery in Derry city. Brown's in Town for a more relaxed stop. Foyle Street market on Saturday mornings for local produce. Castlerock village has a good bakery en route.
Derry city has full supermarket coverage — best stocked up here. Limavady is the main town for the north coast stretch. Smaller coastal villages (Castlerock, Downhill) have limited options.
Quiet and wild. Benone in January with a storm behind it is extraordinary. City is fully open year-round — good winter base.
Binevenagh walks fully open. Beach season technically starts but tolerance stays green. Excellent light on the north coast from late April.
Benone gets busy on hot weekends — rare but it happens. Coastal route peaks July/August. Arrive early for the best spots. City stays relaxed.
Best combination of weather and solitude on the entire north coast. Autumn light excellent. Completely quiet from late September.
Derry connects west to Donegal, east to Antrim's Causeway, and south to Tyrone's Sperrins — all within an hour's drive.