Causeway Coastal Route Road Trip - Day 1

Despite having to get up at 4am (and being awake since 2.45am!!), we managed to get on the right plane to Belfast, though, in my semi-comatose state, I did manage to navigate us to the wrong airport car park! The best part of being up so early though was that we got to enjoy a spectacular sunrise (extra photo 1), something that's not likely to happen again in the foreseeable future!!

It was a beautiful blue sky day in Northern Ireland, though the heatwave that hit most of the UK didn't manage to reach Northern Ireland, just 12°C. But that didn't stop us having a lovely day, hopping our way along the Causeway Coastal Route, following the coast north west from Belfast towards The Giant's Causeway.

The first stop of our road trip was Carrickfergus and its impressive Norman castle (extra photo 2). Several stops later we reached the beautiful White Bay to search for fossils, a stunning place on such a lovely day (main and extra photo 3). Heading inland we next came to Slemish Mountain, the legendary first known Irish home of Saint Patrick (extra photo 4), before returning to the coast and Carnlough for ice cream by the harbour (extra photo 5). Our final stop for the day was Cushendun and our home for the weekend: the little bungalow that you can see to the left of the taller buildings, a former salmon fishermen's hut, with wonderful views in every direction and across to the Scottish mainland, only 14 miles away (extra photo 6).


(Am now back in Ely and back-blipping, will catch up with you as soon as I can stay awake long enough!!)