A Grand Day Out, Gromit!
EasyJet have now made it possible for the Rambler to have a day trip to the spectacular coast of North Antrim.
On Tuesday morning this week, I was checking in at Newcastle for the 7.10 EZY0551 to Belfast International. I'd hardly managed to get through a chapter of Carl Hiaasen's latest laugh out loud "Skinny Dip" when I heard the thud from the 737-700's undercarriage locking.
Within half and hour I'd collected my web-booked VW Polo and together with my map-quest instructions and my two companions, we were on our way to Bushmills, the gateway to the Giant's Causeway.
My carbohydrate levels were bumping along the bottom so an "Ulster Fry" was called for. And one was available in Bushmill's "Village Bistro". £3.70 filled a large plate with bacon sausage(s), fried egg, soda bread and potato cake. In deference to my companions I passed on the beans!
So refreshed the mile to the Causeway was covered in moments.
I can remember my old geography master, Don Walker, teaching me about this area. How its geology was the result of volcanic activity many tens of millions of years ago; how molten lava had cooled quickly to create hexagonal columns, and how the weather had done the rest.
The Causeway and the surrounding area is cared for by the National Trust. And ten out of ten for the staff there. This was the only one of their properties I've visited where I was not subject to the full court press to part with sixty four quid to become a member!
View from Causeway Centre towards "The Camel", Portnaboe
It's a tiring walk to reach the Causeway, though the views especially from the top path, are magnificent. The stairs down to the shoreline must be pretty treacherous in the rain. I'm glad to say that our grand day out was blessed with wonderful sunny, and increasingly warm, weather.
The Giant's Causeway Co Antrim.
We could have spent all day there, but we had to move on. Many miles of that wonderful North Antrim coast awaited.
Next stop, the village of Ballintoy. It's almost unspeakably beautiful wherever you looked or pointed your camera..
Looking out from the Harbour at Ballintoy Co. Antrim
Leaving the Harbour Ballintoy Co. Antrim.
Then half a mile further along the coast to the rope Bridge at Carrick-A-Rede.
The guide book tells the visitor that "the precarious... rope bridge which crosses a 24m deep and 18 m wide chasm gives access to a ( now fished out t.h.) salmon fishery. Stunning views over the Scottish coast". In fact Billy, the entertaining National Trust Warden, told me that on a good day- and Tuesday 24th May was such a day- you could see both Islay and Mull, though you could not sniff the former's many distilleries!
Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge Co. Antrim.
View from the Rope Bridge towards the Scottish Mainland.
It was now well into the afternoon, and the intention was to drive back to Belfast, having a look at Lough Neagh before we returned to catch the EasyJet flight back to Newcastle.
We headed for Amoy and Ballymena and arrived at the Lough to be faced with the largest swarm of the largest midges I've ever seen. A short jog along the river walk was enough to demonstate the need to make a further deposit in the calorie bank. A visit to one of Paul Rankin's restaurants Rain City, topped up the credit. And on time EZY558 took off, touching down at Newcastle half an hour early. The pilot confirmed the early arrival was due to a fair wind blowing from Ireland. Seemed a perfect comment to me.
Cheers
t
posted by Tony @ Thursday, May 26, 2005
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