Northern Ireland Day 4: The Antrim Coast

We got up early to make a good start on our adventures to the northern parts of Northern Ireland.  We packed up the room, had our breakfast and then loaded the car.  By 8:35 we were on our way.  It took us about 15 minutes to get out of the city and onto a fast road as our navigation system is 4 years old and thinks there are entrances onto highways where there aren't and turns us onto roads that don't exist causing us to go a bit in circles.  It really does make sense to understand where you are trying to go before relying on technology because although not always the best you can look at signs for help along the way if you know what signs to look for.  At least our crazy directions took us up  The Falls Road which is notorious as it leads to generally republican suburbs from the times of greater turmoil.  That checked off of our sightseeing list, we were happy to find the motorway and head north.

Our first stop of the day was about an hour from Belfast.  We made our way to Glenariff Forest Park.  The park is known for the waterfall walk which is where we were headed.  As we arrived in the parking lot, we were the only car!  It is amazing how empty everything is in the off season.  It was about 10am and the facilities were all open: toilets, a cafe and an information center.  Once ready in our walking shoes, you know the ones that were dried out but completely muddy from Sunday's walk, and with an umbrella in hand because as luck would have it the rain started just as we jumped out of the car, we headed toward the path.

We were excited to find that this was a real path.  Parts were paved in asphalt, other parts just rocks and some boardwalk, but all of it easily recognizable with little arrows to help us along.  The rain would turn off and on like forced air ventilation systems but since there always seemed to be rain dripping off leaves, the umbrellas stayed overhead.  The glen is beautiful and there are several small waterfalls along the way before getting to the more dramatic ones.  What was odd was that the water was very brown. Not muddy, but like flowing root beer, as Jacob described it.  There was even the appropriate root beer foam in places.  Perhaps this is the water to make that dark Guiness beer.  Actually the water is colored brown from peat or from iron ore in the rock bed or a combination of both.  Either way, even water logged from the rain, it was making us thirsty!

Back to the car park we had our morning snack and jumped back in the car to head to the coast and the town of Cushendun.  We managed to wind our way through the glens to the shore and park the car.  We walked into the small town via the beach which was tons of fun for the kids.  "We went in the Irish Sea!" was the chant of the walk.  We detoured in town to the post office which the gentleman at the counter for the chemists indicated was closed.  The reasoning is obscure as his accent was not decipherable.  I know that in England the post office in small towns is often closed on Wednesday afternoons, but this was Tuesday so I couldn't even venture a guess.  We had to write it off to inadequate capitalist infiltration of the area and decided to meander along the river walking trail instead.  (so if you expected a letter from us, it's coming a day later.)  We had hoped to have lunch in Cushendun but as it is not the high season just about everything was closed.  I don't know why we were surprised about the post office.  Consequently, we made our way back to the car and carried on our scenic way.

The next part of our journey was the journey itself: the Torr Road.  This is a scenic road along the cliffs way above the Irish Sea along the northeastern most part of NI.  I had to remind Steve to watch the road and not the scenery.  Then I would yell at him to "pull over" so I could take a photo of a view.  I put Pull Over in quotes because this is a road that is really only a lane and a half wide and there are hedges and walls on both sides.  If we stopped, we really just stopped in the road and prayed no one came along from any direction!  With the wind whipping and random rains starting and stopping, I would jump out, quickly take a photo or two and jump back in the car.  The kids are accustomed to the erratic behavior and continue with their antics as if nothing is going on.  Don't ask them about the views, by looking at my photos you will have the same memories of the drive as they have!

The end of the Torr Road dropped us into Ballycastle where food was in order.  After driving up the high street and not noticing anything, we parked the car and decided to walk through town instead.  Fortunately this is a nice small town only about two blocks long making the journey an easy one.  We found the Central Bar about a block and a half through the village.  It is a great place with plenty of old pub ambiance and a kids menu!  We were seated near a fire to warm us up and dry out the bottom 6 inches of our pants. 

With full bellies, we made our way back to the car stopping along the way to poke our noses in a few shops, including the wine shop (it is vacation...).  We also stopped at a small grocery store to get some pasta and sauce to make dinner.  From there we decided to call it a day and head to the cottage we had rented near the Giant's Causeway.  However, we arrived at half past three and the owners were not home in the cottage next door as they were not expecting us until 5.  With time to kill we figured we would check out the Giant's Causeway a day earlier than planned.

Back in the car it was less than ten minutes to get to the National Trust sight parking lot.  As new members, we flashed our temporary card and parked for free.  Our beast of a car squeezed into a space and we headed on our walk down to the Causeway.  We had heard about it and seen photos but you need to experience it.  The walk is about a mile downhill from the parking area which isn't bad until you are on your way back to the car.  But as we were going, the kids were all happy.  Brief rain showers didn't even bother us.  The wind was so crazy that we didn't even bother with umbrellas.  Once out on the rocks were were awestruck.  The kids had fun exploring and climbing out as far as they could. I slipped and fell at one spot and then was freaked out in another because some part are really steep and slant funny and.... You get the idea, I'm a wimp.  Since we were just killing time and planning to return the next day, we didn't stay long but started to head back up the hill.  We didn't get far when a man stopped me to ask about the kids.  Apparently they were filming a commercial for NI tourism (we had seen the cameras but ignored them) and the children they had for the shoot were really young and very crabby about the wind and weather.  The director saw our kids and wanted to know if we would be open to letting them be on camera.  He wasn't sure they were needed as the weather was very windy and crazy, but took our information and asked us to stick around awhile.  With no plans, we said sure. 

Given more time to explore, we went a bit further and onto different areas of the causeway into the water.  The kids were getting more daring making me more nervous.  I wasn't going into the water to save them if they slid in! (remember, I have the camera...Steve gets to jump in)  A group of annoying German tourists had just vacated and the area was emptying so it was more pleasant to explore.  Suddenly another man came up to us.  (I was starting to wonder what was going on or if I had a sign on my back.)  He was actually a National Trust Ranger and had seen us exploring and taking lots of photos.  He asked if we wanted him to take a picture of all of us together.  In fact we were actually as a "famous" part of the causeway called the Wishing Chair which is where we had the photo taken.  He was great to share stories of the legends surrounding the Causeway as well  Still killing time, the gentleman from the filming crew came over to take our phone number.  He did not think he would need us after all.  Filming was going to have to call it a day as the light was getting too low.  He would call if they did need us (which they never did).  Released from any obligation we made our way back up the hill to the car and then to the cottage.

We were only at the house 8 minutes when the owner arrived to help us in.  Maurice was wonderful showing us how to operate just about everthing including how the kids should use the broom to shoo away the chickens!  Finally settled for the next few days, we were able to put our feet up and relax with the libations acquired in Ballycastle.  After dinner the kids enjoyed a movie and Steve and I planned the next day over a round of Harp from a can, which was very good.  Can't wait for Wednesday.