Our first day trip along the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland

Many of my postings will be in the form of day trips you can take at your leasure - usually by car. This first choice is also my first choice and an area I know very well as I spent most of my Irish childhood in this area.

The trip can be done comfortably in one day. Starting off of course with a good Irish breakfast before departure. And yes I know you will find it a bit off if you are into health foods, yoghurt and muesli but when in Ireland do as the Irish and rest assured you will not feel hungry until well past lunch time. bacon, sausages, eggs, soda bread, potato bread, mushrooms - all fried. of course you start off with porridge before this and end up with two rounds of bread and marmalade (toasted).

Here is the plan for the day. We are in Northern Ireland and it is our first visit to the Antrim Coast - some of the most spectacular scenery in Ireland all of Europe. We start on the coast on the very left of the map and continue eastwards to Portrush, Carrickareade, Bushmills, the Giant's Causeway and end up in the sleepy little holiday resort of Ballycastle.
In total we are covering less than 70 kilometers but there is so much to see and plenty of tiem to see it.

Portstewart is one of th emost popular retirement towns in the north of Ireland. I has a magnificent beach called Portstweart strand and golfing, fishing, yachting activites. The white strand stretches for several miles and I believe you are still permitted to drive along it though beware I have seen many a struggling driver panicking as the tide comes in and he tries to escape. Portstewart is peaceful and the view from the promenade provoked the Irish ballad "Red Sails in the Sunset". In winter stragely enough students inhabit the town as it is close to the University of Ulster in the adjacent town of Coleraine and offers cheap winter accommodation once the summer tourists have fled. From here you continue round the coast some 3 miles to the little resort of Portrush, a favourite holiday location for local Irish and full of the holiday atmosphere. The harbour you see here is also great for swimming or hiring rowing boats but do not underestimate the currents when you leave the harbour. Portrush also is famous for the Royal Portrush Golf Course and reportedly is one of the bestin Ireland. The town itself is situated on a little promentory with beahes on both sides, packed on summer days. Leaving the town towards Bushmills you will pass the golf coarse and enjoy the drive towards Bushmills, the home of the oldest whiskey distillery in the world. Bushmills actuall is no larger than a village but the distillery is it's major claim to fame and there are guided tours to show the distillation process and a great shop for any whiskey connisseur. I recommend the 400th anniversary malt which came on the market last year (2008). A little pricey at around $70 but it will become a collector's item. Leave youself about oen hour for the tour of the distillery and the shop visit and then you are off to the 8th wonder of the world - The Giant's Causeway - a strange natural phenomenon of how basalt stome crystallised and formed hexagonal shapes when the lava cooled on meeting the chilly waters.


May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live