UK 8 Northern Ireland
Sunday, 30 September 2018 6:31 pm
Was an early start to be boarded at 7.30am on board P&O’s ferry service to Larne, Northern Ireland.
First stop was a drive south to Belfast and the old shipyards of the Titanic to see the Titanic Belfast Exhibition.
4 hours we were entertained, very good.
Went through the archives and found a photograph of our great grandparents as they were boarding the Titanic.
They must have survived because we are here !
We hug the coast as best we can to capture the costal life.
Quaint holiday, and old fishing towns and farming communities.
Camp E30: Ballypatrick Forest Reserve camp
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 189 metres
Today : 189 Kms.
UK Total : 5.057 Kms
Sunday 30th September 2018:
The day starts with the 140 tall steps down to the old Kinbane Castle.
Built in 1547 by the MacDonnell Clan, not much left of it now
The big tourist draw in this area is the Giants Causeway.
We continued along the cliff face to where in 1588 the Spanish Armada ran into trouble off Lacada point.
The La Girona went down with 1300 on board, only 9 survived.
In 1967/8 a team of Belgium divers recovered the worlds finest find of Spanish treasure from the wreck.
Intermittently the sun is out and the sea clear blue.
Somewhat surprisingly we catch up with Brisbane friends we have not seen for 20+ years
Errol and Jenny Gordon.
That happens some 12,000+Kms from home..small world as they say.
The Carrick-a Rede Rope Bridge is a famous rope bridge 20m long and 30m above the boiling surf and rocks below.
Lyn contemplated all night if she should do it, finally deciding a resounding YES this morning.
Only to find the wind is too strong and the crossing closed !
Originally set up by the Salmon fishermen in the 1960’s but that industry is finished...No fish !
A busy day and we estimate walked some 10kms + a significant number of steps..
Camp E31: same Ballypatrick Forest Reserve camp
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 189 metres
Today : 161 Kms.
UK Total : 5,134Kms
Monday 1st October 2018:
Bit of a slow start, a casual walk through a forest and some washing in town.
Old Bushmills Irish Whisky.
Murder Hole Road ....
Back in time Black Hugh and Cushy Glenn used to murder victims travelling this road. Bodies of his victims and eventually them are around this camp somewhere....
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 218 metres
Today : 107 Kms.
UK Total : 5,241 Kms
Tuesday 2nd October 2018:
The most Northern point of the Irish mainland
Malin Head, was the site for watchtowers from the Napoleonic Wars, WWI and through to the end of WWII
Camp E33: The Gap of Mamore or Moonshine Valley.
Traditionally people produced Poitin, a very strong spirit from potatoes. When this was outlawed in 1760, the locals blocked this pass to stop the police or customs men coming over the pass to arrest them. It was the only road down to the Urris village, so for 3 years this standoff existed until troops restored order.
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 94 metres
Today : 188Kms.
UK Total : 5,429 Kms
Wednesday 3rd October 2018:
A great road ( R254) over a pass and
some interesting coloured sheep !
Typical old houses dot the road side
The Cliffs of Slieve League are amongst the highest in Europe and plunge down 600m into the wild Atlantic ocean.
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 246 metres
Today : 163 Kms.
UK Total : 5,592 Kms