Ramblers Trip to the Antrim Coast and Glens~~~Day Five~~~Carrick-a-Rede to Ballintoy Harbour

It's Friday the 15th of October.We go home today.
We've time for a little walk though.
After we've had breakfast and packed the vehicles, we're out walking through the village heading for the rope bridge.

The Carrick a Rede Lounge and Bar only opened for food at the weekends,hence our patronage of the Fullerton.

Out towards Sheep Island,the sea seems a bit choppy today.We did get to see much of our native Scotland today though.

It's only half a mile or so to the Visitors Centre,and we've arrived ten minutes before the opening time of 10am.

There's information galore all over the internet about the rope bridge.The one I'm putting on here gives you pictures to drag around for 36o degree all round views.
It's pretty impressive.
Virtual Visit

The hunk of rock known as Stackaboy at Larrybane Head,complete with concrete walkway and salmon net winch.

The sign says it's a kilometre to the bridge.Those with their National Trust card don't have to pay a thing.The rest of us have paid our £4.90.They make it less of a challenge with more ropes,and then charge you a fortune.I ask you !
I suppose with the amount of visitors they get nowadays It's justified.

We reach the bridge.
There's a man on duty checking tickets.We're paying his wages too I guess.
Earlier this year a woman visiting the island fell and broke her leg.She had to be rescued by helicopter.

There was also a rescue by the coastguard down below on the Larrybane Cliffs.
A father and his ten year old daughter got stuck about 60 feet up.

The majority of the group have walked over and appear to be enjoying themselves.
We had a good walk around.It was too windy to attempt to get on to the more northerly rocks today.

The last time I was over here,you could walk down to the salmon hut and winch.The steps have been dismantled now...another case of the Health & Safety department taking no chances I suppose.


It's a fantastic place when the puffins are nesting.I've got some old pictures of puffins,but I don't know what the blazes I've done with them.

Time to move on...

...here's another I took earlier.Not so many ropes then eh !

From the bridge,we take the short scenic loop before rejoining the path back to the visitors centre.

Now we head along the cliff walk towards Ballintoy.While some of us are going straight there...

... others take a look at the old quarrying works down the shore.

Here's a passage from the following link.
Importance:
Between Dunnaglea and Larry Bane Bay one of the most complete sequences of the Ulster White Limestone Formation is well exposed. The site includes the type sections for the Boheeshane Chalk, Larry Bane Chalk and Ballintoy Chalk members. The site is therefore of national interest and should be conserved.
Habitas

Now we continue along the cliff top to Ballintoy.
There's some sort of long distance rally taking place today.I think the guy mentioned the 'Scally Rally',don't know if that's right.

In all the times I've visited Ballintoy,I've never really looked at the Bendoo Plug (In the above collage,bottom left picture,it's the dark volcanic mass to the right of the beach),I must take a look next time.

Here's a nice memorial to Billy Yeaman who died on the 26th of June 2008.
I never got around to talking to him.My loss I'm afraid.

The Harbour Cafe Ballintoy, also called Roarks Kitchen, has been run for years by three lovely ladies.The fare is excellent,and a number of us sampled some of their delightful food.
The Ulster Fry that some of us had,would see us right till we got home.

Back up the lane to the hostel we stopped at the Half Door gift shop.I got the above calendar.


We take our last look at the village before heading for the boat.I hope I've timed it right.

A steady run to Larne,and we've timed it almost to perfection.
The boat is about to dock so we aren't hanging about too long.

It's a fairly uneventful crossing.One side of the outside decks are closed due to high winds,but the boat's almost on schedule.

We're almost last off the boat,but everyone gets safely dropped off.We'll nearly all meet up again for tomorrows walk and dinner at Stoneykirk.

I'll drop the Minibus off in the morning and the Stationmaster will give me a lift home.

It seems to have been an enjoyable and successful trip.