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)
|