Best for last

When I have visitors, I take them up the Antrim Coast road--a gorgeous drive. I've never taken mom on it because we usually do a big trip somewhere else (Ring of Kerry, Wild Atlantic Way, Fermanagh Lakes, Powerscourt). By the time we get to Belfast for the second half of her trip, I don't want to drive another mile.

But this year we have stayed relatively close to home. So on her final day, with a good weather forecast, we headed north. Before embarking, I took Paddy for an early morning swim in the Lagan in Belvoir Forest.

I use the Lagan like a treadmill, sending Paddy up and down the river in pursuit of sticks. Then home to get organised and then we were off, first visiting Ballycastle, where mom got a good look at Fair Head. I have a painting of Fair Head, so she got to see the real thing. I didn't stop for a photo but here's an internet photo:

The drive down the coast is split in two. The first half is on the headlands and is a narrow road with hairpin bends, blind spots and steep hills, which  "guarantee an adventurous ride" according to a tourism website. The second half is flat, hugging the coast and threading through a series of picturesque villages.

Quick visit to Ballycastle marina then up the headlands. My photos aren't necessarily of the best spots, but of the places where I could stop safely to get a photo. Someone I'm sure has posted a video of the whole drive. This is Torr Head

I had warned mom of the narrow windy roads, but that didn't prevent her from being a bit green about the gills. In the photo below you can just make out Scotland in the distance. This is the narrowest point of the North Channel.

Still, she had to admit, it was a gorgeous drive.

I'm including two similar photos b/c I can't decide if either is better.

A collie was herding chickens across from where I took the photos above. I thought that was hysterical. Funny how much brighter the photo is when you aren't facing the sun. There's probably some trick to offsetting the dazzling sunlight but I don't know it. I did click 'fix lighting' on the photos above to allow Google photos to do its best.

When you descend from the headlands, you first go through Cushendun, a lovely little village that is conserved and managed by the National Trust. At Cushendun beach we met a bunch of senior citizens who had just been in for a swim. Then into Cushendall, where we took a detour to visit a rocky beach and let Paddy out of the car. The waves were quite big here but didn't bother Paddy. Mom and I had a short walk so she could enjoy some sea air. We were next to a golf course whose clubhouse has a cracking view.

Mom likes photos of us for some reason. One of the things mom remarks on a lot is clouds.

Of which we had a good view on the coast road.

On this drive you have the Glens of Antrim on your right and the North Channel on  the left. And lovely villages where the rivers descend. Like Carnlough. The bridge on the right is for what once was a narrow gauge rail for a mineral train, which brought limestone from the Antrim plateau down to Carnlough harbour for export. My friend Thea said the limestone is so pure it was used for painting stripes on roads.

We had lunch at the Londonderry Arms.

Then visited the marina.

Which is very quaint.

Then through a few more cute villages to Glenarm, where I also faniced the marina. I'm not particularly interested in sailing but I seem to like boats.

Then on to Larne and the highway home. Except I missed a turn somewhere and we went through Glengormley and North Belfast before getting back on track and retunring safely to East Belfast. A six hour drive, much of it of the white knuckle variety. But well worth it.

I cannot believe a month has gone by but I do believe I've met my goal of making the trip worth the hassle mom and my sister had to endure to get here.

Oct. 24