Northern Ireland is home to some of the most spectacular beaches in Europe. The naturally stunning formations of the coastline provide long stretches of golden sand and impressive sand dunes.The Northern Ireland coastline is one of Britain's hidden gems, with over two hundred diverse kilometers in the care of the National Trust, much of it contained within one of two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.County Londonderry contains the popular seaside resort of Portstewart, close to the excellent Portstewart Strand, a two mile stretch of golden sand, backed by dunes. Another excellent beach can be found near the tranquil resort of Castlerock. The dunes here are among the oldest in Ireland and extend upstream to a National Trust bird sanctuary.