Dave Byrnes' Adventures

Round Ireland - 2016
Overview     Planned Schedule     Map     Diary     Pictures
Day: 076
Date: Wednesday, 8 June 2016
Start: Glenariff Forest Park
Finish: Glenarm
Daily Kilometres: 27
Total Kilometres: 2098
Weather: Cool, overcast and foggy in the morning and warmer with some sun in the afternoon
Accommodation: Water's Edge B&B
Nutrition: Breakfast:  Full Ulster Breakfast
Lunch:  Muesli bars, Snickers Bar, chocolate and an ice-cream
Dinner:  Cold chicken, egg salad & potato salad, fruit trifle
Aches: None
Highlight: The afternoon walk in sunshine along a coastal backroad high above the Irish Sea being entertained over the course of an hour by the passing vehicles of an antique car rally.
Lowlight: None really
Pictures: Here
GPS Track: Here
Journal: The day started well, when I managed to get a 30 minute Skype call with my daughter, Alicia, in Melbourne, who has a birthday tomorrow.  Shortly after, I walked down the street to catch my bus back to Glenariff Forest Park and was walking on the Moyle Way again by 10:20am.  The first few kilometres descended through the foggy Forest Park along some lovely paths and past some waterfalls.  There were a few walkers out and it is obviously a popular local recreation area.

I emerged from the park onto a rural back road and followed that along the valley floor to the Irish Sea.  Low cloud prevented me seeing the tops of the rocky bluffs to my right or mountains to my left.  It was like there was a lid on the valley, but it was cool and pleasant walking weather.

At the sea, the Moyle Way ended and I began following a 'linking section' of the Ulster Way, along the coastal tourist road towards Glenarm, my destination for the day.  I had to dodge traffic, as there was no path for pedestrians, but it wasn't too busy and the scenery was spectacular.  The towering cloud-shrouded bluffs continued on my right while a very calm and clear Irish Sea was to my left, with some fog banks far offshore.

There was an opportunity to parallel the main road on a higher backroad for an hour later on during which I was entertained by a passing antique car rally, with vehicles coming by every few minutes with some of the participants in period dress.  The sun was shining, the road partially shaded by trees and the views impressive.

About 4:45pm, with an hour to go, I reached the picturesque village of Carnlough, hosting a couple of tourist buses whose passengers all seemed to be enjoying ice-creams while taking in the scenery.  I decided to join them and bought an ice-cream and drink and consumed them while sitting on a rock wall overlooking the pretty little boat harbour.  All was right with the world.

An hour later I was checking in at my waterfront B&B, glad of an earlier night, as I still hadn't sorted out accommodation for Friday and Saturday nights when I will be in or near Belfast.  I found out later that the Belsonic Music Festival is on this weekend, so ended up booking two nights in Bangor on the other side of Belfast and will use public transport to get me to my start and finish points each day.

Later I went into the village to get some dinner, but there was only a very small supermarket and I ended up buying cold chicken and salads, but it was OK.  A bigger day tomorrow, probably with some more moors and bogs, and then another bus to try and catch.

ADVENTURE LIST

 

Round Ireland
(2016)

Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)

Via Alpina
(2012)

Australian Alps Walking Track
(2011)

Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)

Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)

Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)

Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)

Three Peaks Race
(2004)

Appalachian Trail
(1986)

Alpine Track
(1983)

(Previous Page)

(Next Page)

You can email Dave directly at dave@davebyrnes.com.au or subscribe to his Adventure Blogs here.

You can see Dave's Running Blog here.