Giant’s Causeway
22 km walk
Thursday 8th - Friday 10th September 2010 Giants Causeway and Causeway walk to Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge
On Thursday we took the noon boat back from Rathlin Island to Ballycastle. We had decided to postpone the bike shop visit until Saturday, based on George’s theory: since all the broken spokes face backwards, the stress is due to pedalling rather than braking, so we avoided the bottom range of gears to prevent ourselves from putting too much stress on the remaining spokes.
So we set off following Sustrans 93 to the Giant’s Causeway (about 29 kms). It’s a good route on very quiet roads and farm lanes, hilly at first as we rode over the shoulder of Knocklayd (a big hill south of Ballycastle that we passed on our left). Then we found ourselves stuck behind a group of frightened cows that had strayed on to a narrowly fenced lane. We had little choice but to ride slowly, herding them along the lane for what seemed ages until they finally were able to turn off.
The final section was busier with some tourist traffic and we noted the entrance to Causeway Visitor Centre before continuing up a hill to the Carnside Guest House where we were greeted warmly and given another room with a spectacular view. Leaving our belongings there we walked down to the Causeway to get a sunset view of the spectacular array of hexagonal vertical columns on the beach. From above you see a horizontal array of hexagons and it does look like a walk way. We read the alternative explanations as to their creation: made by giants or by lava drying out and cracking.
On Friday, we did the causeway coastal walk shown on the map above (from the Lonely Planet guide). It’s about 22 km, all of it filled with scenic beauty and interest. We started the walk on the lower level where we had been the night before and went on to the next bay which holds the vertical pipe structure called ‘the organ’. Then we went up the ‘Shepherds Steps’ to the clifftop and along a grassy path outside the fence at the top of the very high cliffs. The view down is shown in the panorama below. We continued to see pipe structures in the cliffs in many subsequent bays. The first is named ‘the amphitheatre’. You could imagine a giant ripping up these pipes and making a causeway.
We stopped for a lunch picnic in front of the ruins of Dunseverick Castle, which are on a grassy mound with deep ravines to the sea on either side. The path then winds down to the shore, using a bridge to cross a rushing stream, soon reaching Dunseverick Harbour. The path then zig-zags below black rocky cliffs round small cloves, then through an arch in the rock. After a scramble we arrived in the little bay of Portbradden which has what must be one of the smallest churches anywhere. After another scramble over rocks below high white cliffs with embedded flints, we arrived on White Park Bay and enjoyed a long walk on the very smooth sand beside the sea (you can only walk on the beach 2 hrs on either side of low tide). At the end of the beach we scrambled over more rocks and used a little road to reach Balintoy Harbour where we joined the many visitors who had arrived by car and had tea in the café. The remainder of the walk to Carrick-a-Rede uses the road for some distance before returning to the cliff top. During the walk we saw many starlings, oyster catchers and gulls. We also watched a large soaring bird (not a buzzard) and a big black bird on the rocks (not a cormorant). In the latter part of the walk, we saw views of Rathlin Island and Sheep Island.
The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge was built above the sea between the mainland and a small island so that fishermen could observe the movements of salmon - it was decommissioned in 2002. George braved the crossing and reported having seen much wild life - including a seal and a razorbill.
Carnside is up the hill beyond the Causeway Visitor Centre, well away from the road with views of the coast from the windows. With an excellent buffet breakfast, it is only £55 a night for two; a bargain reserved for those who don’t ask for a cooked breakfast. The owner’s sister, who normally lives in France, was very welcoming and we exchanged experiences of France.
On both evenings we went to The Nook bar, beside the Visitors Centre for our meal. The atmosphere is very good and one night there was a singer. We found the food palatable but a little strange: the Irish Stew was mashed and the Quiche Lorraine had a grilled rasher of bacon on top.
