Portstewart

Portstewart in Co. Derry, Northern Ireland, is a popular seaside destination famous for its sunsets. Indeed, the song Red Sails in the Sunset, covered by the Beatles, was written about Portstewart, which was once associated with the Victorian middle-class who took their holidays here. These days, the small town houses a large population of students, who attend the nearby Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster.

The main street is situated al a long sea front promenade, overlooking Portstewart Strand, a long, sandy beach, which is protected by the National Trust. The strand can also be accessed by a scenic cliff-top passage known as the Nun’s Walk, where the hills of Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland, can be seen across the bay.

There are many fine golf clubs in the area, including Royal Portrush (Portrush itself lies four miles east of Portstewart).

The world's fastest motorcycle road race, The North West 200, is held every year in the area known as The Triangle, which encompasses Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush. The race typically attracts over 100,000 people, with bike fans from around the world attending.

The area is also popular with walkers, with one exhilarating route of 33 miles (53km), consisting of a series of walks that follows the dramatic coastline from Portstewart to Ballycastle. The route has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), as it passes along fine beaches, rocky bays, towering cliffs, seaside resorts and fishing villages, providing a great variety of coastal scenery.