The Dark Hedges

The most photographed trees of Northern Ireland can be found in Ballymoney: an alley of serpentine beeches along a road. Once there where 150 of them, now there are only 90 left. The branches of the trees wind like serpents into the sky and form a very atmospheric tunnel. They were planted in 1775 to decorate the road to a newly built estate. It is said that a ghost called the ‘grey lady’ is living next to them. Thye are called the Dark Hedges and became massively famous when they were shown in the TV series Game of Thrones.

Now from dawn till dusk loads of tourists arrive here and walk between the trees. That is a bit annoying for the locals as for them this is an ordinary road they need to use. In the TV series, the road is used as the King’s road; the longest road leading from the wall to King’s landing. To shoot there the modern road was completely covered. The Dark Hedges also made an appearance in the 2017 film The Last Knight (which belongs to the Transformers universe).

The Dark Hedges
Bregagh Road, Stranocum
Ballymoney / Baile Monaidh
Northern Ireland / Tuaisceart Éireann