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Dark Hedges

Italy

Dark Hedges

The Dark Hedges (Irish: Na Fálta Dorcha) is an carriage avenue of mature beech trees along Bregagh Road between Armoy and Stranocum in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The trees on both sides of the road are European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica), which are not indigenous to Ireland, they meet overh

ead, growing into a twisted canopy and forming a tree tunnel that is between 6 and 10 metres in width – the avenue is about 150 metres. The Dark Hedges are one of Northern Ireland's most photographed attraction, in the 1990s Northern Ireland started using images from the carriage road in their tourism campaigns. Planted around 1775, the iconic beech trees are roughly 250 years old, surpassing the typical 150-to-200-year life expectancy of common beech trees. The trees are in a state of natural decline and near the end of their lifespan. The tunnel of beech trees shot to international fame when they were filmed on location in the US TV drama Game of Thrones (2011). The Bregagh Road was permanently pedestrianised and closed to general public vehicle traffic since October 2017 to protect the sensitive root systems from vehicle compaction. Around 75 of the original 150 trees remain as of 2026.

Listen to the audio guide for Dark Hedges Free on WIP — starts by itself when you arrive, even with the screen off

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