Great escapes:
Northern Ireland 4 |
| Shanks' pony |
| You'll need to be fairly footsure to manage certain areas of this refreshing coastal walk, though you can always catch a bus instead |
If you want to go walking, Northern Ireland's scenic beauty and variety of landscape makes it the ideal place.
The best-known trail is the Ulster Way, and at 560 miles it's certainly the longest. This famous circular path runs all around the country, often looping and straying off course as well as being met by other trails joining it from across the border.
There are many other less strenuous and more localised waymarked walks outside the Ulster Way, even town trails, to follow. But since we were based at the north-east coast of the country, a route along the Ulster Way was the obvious choice for us so we opted for a stretch of the Causeway Coast from Portballintrae to Ballintoy.
1. Stepping out
From the Safeway car park at Coleraine, zero your car's trip meter and turn left onto the A29, continuing to the third roundabout at 2.5 miles. Here take the third exit, signed Portrush. Stay on the A29 until the mini roundabout at Portrush at 5.7 miles. Here turn right (third exit) into Crocknamack Road. Continue to the end of the road, and at 6.1 miles turn right again onto the A2, signed Bushmills. Follow the A2 coast road and turn left at 10.2 miles onto the B145, signed Portballintrae.
Carry straight on to the end of the road and enter the car park at 11.4 miles.
This 11-mile walk leads through one of the most splendid areas in Ireland. While many will find this a reasonable walk to tackle, others may prefer to take advantage of the Causeway Rambler, an Ulster bus service which runs during the main holiday season and travels within easy reach of our chosen route. This offers the less-strenuous walker the choice of returning by bus from various points en route, although the challenge is to go the whole way.
The waymarked walk starts from the Beach Rd car park at Portballintrae with a path passing the golf links and a bridge over the Bush (a fine, salmon river). Across the bay stands a sombre grey building called Runkerry House and opposite is Rocky Islet, a former salmon netting station.
It should take about 45 minutes to follow the cliff path around the headland to the Causeway Visitor Centre. When we visited, there was a tourist information bureau, a souvenir shop, coffee area and audio-visual show, though there was also a new centre under construction. From here it is a steep descent to the lower road and the Grand Causeway. Allow about another 45 minutes to negotiate the Shepherd's Steps and the cliff-top walk. From here you should have extensive views of strange rock formations and bays which appear to lie secret and undiscovered.
Nearby is the well known Port na Spaniagh, the treacherous stretch of rocky coastline where the Spanish Armada treasure ship Girona sank in 1588. It is fascinating to contemplate the fact that the waters here concealed the famous treasure for nearly 400 years until its recovery in the summer of 1968.
Carrying on eastwards, allow approximately an hour-and-a-half to follow the path leading to Benbane Head and on to the ruins of Dunseverick Castle.
2. Dunseverick Castle
Although only one wall of this castle remains, this historic site nonetheless compels you to stop and reflect on its once important role in the community. Dunserverick is an earlier fortification than Dunluce
Castle (near Bushmills) and was the capital of the Kingdom of Dalriada. It was from Dunserverick that the raids on Scotland were launched in the fifth century, and it was linked by a great road to Tara, a site known in popular imagination as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland until the 11th century.
3. Ireland's tiniest church
Having reached what is more or less the halfway mark of our walk, you might opt to board the Causeway Rambler bus, at Dunseverick Castle, back to Bushmills and then return to the Beach Road car park.
Otherwise, the route takes you onwards via the marked cliff path to Portbraddan, entering the pretty little port via an archway in the rocks. It is here that you find Ireland's tiniest church (it measures just 12ft x 6.5ft) and one of the most fetching spots on the coastline, for around the corner lie the stunning white sands of Whitepark Bay.
This crescent-shaped bay is a jewel in the coastline's crown. It is also a popular area for naturalists as it is strewn with shells, fossils and flints. Completing the picture is a backdrop of sand dunes and dazzling limestone cliffs.
At least four hours and eight miles into the walk, you will approach the eastern end of Whitepark Bay. Here, the track passes Carricknaford and the old shoreline of a raised beach. Stone Age flints have been found in the sea caves here.
4. The final push
From the path and byway of the rocky shoreline, you next arrive at picturesque Ballintoy.
Here, bobbing boats shelter in the small harbour tucked beneath the awesome-looking cliffs, and amazing masses of rock formations seem to stand guard.
Add the distant Sheep Island and you will find that all combine to create a striking scene which is sometimes described as bearing some resemblance to an Aegean fishing village.
Few manage to pass by the tea room at Ballintoy Harbour which is housed in a curious old stone dwelling. Not only does this café offer a welcome break for thirsty hikers but there are also a number of outside tables which make it a pleasant place to linger for a while. It's also worth restoring your energy before you embark on the next stage of the route, an exhilarating 30-minute walk along the cliff path to the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.
As National Trust Property, the bridge has recently been replaced by a new model constructed from the strongest materials available.
It is at this outstanding beauty spot, where the bridge connects Carrick-a-Rede island to the
mainland, that we finish this walk along the Causeway Coast.
• Return to the car park at Beach Rd, Portballintrae form Carrick-a-Rede by taking the Causeway Rambler bus to Bushmills using the 25-minute trip to relax as you take in the sights.
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Watertop Farm
188 Cushendall Road, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim BT43 6PP.
Tel 028 2076 2576.
This is a working farm which incorporates a park for tourers. It is set amidst some pleasant rolling countryside and provides the welcome combination of a rural environment as well as seaside locations – the resort of Ballycastle lies just a short drive away.
Watertop Farm appeals particularly to families because of the many on-site activities it provides. These include a range of attractions such as pony trekking, fishing, walking and boating in addition to more unusual forms of entertainment such as an assault course, shearing demonstrations and the popular 'Paddiwagon' rides.
The park has basic sanitary facilities, with two showers, and is more in keeping with a CL-type location. There are just 14 pitches – eight are hard-standing and all have 13A electric hook-ups.
Open All year
Charges Outfit + 2 persons; £11 including electric hook-up.
OS Ref 319438
NITB grading Not in scheme |
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