Ballycastle to Castlerock

Tuesday October 5, 2010

The hostel that I slept in for the night, the Castle Hostel.

Most hostels seem to have a check out time between 10 and 11 am. However, sometimes the manager of these little hostels in country towns I've been staying in haven't given me a check-out time, I guess it's okay that I just leave at a reasonable time, sometime in the morning I guess, which I want to do anyway, to get more daylight riding in. But without a deadline I do find it hard to get up. I dragged myself out of bed at about 10 am and was very happy to see the sun out with a clear blue sky.
I surprise even myself at how much I can fit in my little tummy. I'd bought 2L of milk the night before and used it with cups of tea, and I finished the bottle off this morning with 15 Weet-Bix, or Weetabix as they call them here, mixed with Kelloggs fruit and fibre flakes, and I still wasn't overly full.

A water-feature in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland.

I headed off just after mid-day, and although the sun was out, I discovered it was particularly windy, mostly a cross-wind so it could have been worse, but at times I was riding on an angle, having to lean into the wind, and it was difficult to ride in a straight line which would have been preferable, in order to minimise the risk of being hit by a car.
I was following the "Causeway Coastal Route" along the north coast, and I had a brochure describing all the tourist attractions along this coast.

On Whitepark Road, Northern Ireland.

On Whitepark Road, Northern Ireland.

On Whitepark Road, Northern Ireland.

On Whitepark Road, Northern Ireland.

On Whitepark Road, Northern Ireland.

On Whitepark Road, Northern Ireland.

On Whitepark Road, Northern Ireland.

The first major attraction was "Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge... which crosses a 24 m deep and 18 m wide chasm which gives access to a salmon fishery."
I got there and had a look around; there was some pretty cool coastline.

The coastline near Ballintoy, Northern Ireland.

The coastline near Ballintoy, Northern Ireland.

The coastline near Ballintoy, Northern Ireland.

The coastline near Ballintoy, Northern Ireland.

Then I discovered it was a £5.20 admission charge. Wow, they charge you for everything over here, I don't think they'd charge for something like this in Australia, can you imagine? "Righto mate, that'll be eight bucks to look at the twelve Apostles... hey, don't look over there! No, you've gotta give me eight bucks before you can look at them!"
So I wasn't going to pay five pounds just to cross a rope bridge! I've made bigger rope bridges in Scouts!
The bridge was a kilometre's walk from the pay-point, so I couldn't get a close look at it - this photo from the brochure will have to do:

A photo of Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge taken from the brochure, because I was too tight to pay £5 to view it in person.

The next attraction was meant to be the best one, the most popular anyway. "Ireland's top tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the world famous Giants Causeway displays formations of unusual six sided basalt columns and a wealth of local and natural history".
There was an admission charge to park the car but since I was on the bike I didn't have to pay this :) There was a bus for lazy people to ride on for the 1 km down to this geological attraction, non-lazy people just walked, and of course I just rolled down on my bike.
It was actually quite impressive, and having studied geology at uni, it should be something I'm interested in. There were heaps of tourists there, all taking photos, quite amusing.

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

Actually there is there is a similar geological feature in Victoria, at the Organ Pipes National Park, just near Calder Raceway. I guess not that many people know about it though.
I didn't stop by the "Old Bushmills Distillery... Irelands oldest licensed whiskey distillery."
I went past Dunluce Castle, which also had an admission charge. "Clinging onto a dramatic cliff-top, Dunluce is thought to be the most romantic and picturesque Castle in Ireland dating back to the 14th Century."

Dunluce Castle

I stopped for a late lunch of left over tikka masala with beef and rice, initially right on the coast near Portrush, but the wind was blowing the rice off my spoon. And this wasn't because I was skilled enough to cook light, fluffy rice - it was on the gluggy side; It was because the wind was so damn strong! So I stopped a little further on in a less windy spot, before going through the town of Coleraine.

A cloud over Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

Coleraine, because of its name, reminded me of the Coleraine in Victoria, where I did a three-stage bike race at the start of the year. I came third in the third stage actually, good fun! That's another story though.
Dusk was approaching as I approached a town called Downhill, funny name for a town eh? And funily enough it was downhill into Downhill.

I arrived in Downhill just in time for a lovely sunset.

I arrived in Downhill just in time for a lovely sunset.

Going down into Downhill though, I had passed through a little forest which seemed like a top spot to camp. I had wanted to get further but I just couldn't pass this potential campsite by so I looped around, the road on the other side of Downhill was signed as a 20 % ascent, heading back away from the coast again. They should have called the next town "Uphill" ;)
I looped back to the forest and set up in a secluded clearing in the middle. I could tell it was a good spot because other people had camped there before, there was a campfire site. It was the second time I'd managed to set the tent up before dark too.
I ate gingernut biscuits and a banana for tea because that's all I had. Actually I still have some iced fruit cake which I bought in London. I've been carrying it since London, over 2000 km ago, up countless hills, crazy! I haven't eaten it yet because it doesn't taste great, but I'm not going to throw it away, I hate wasting food. I will get through it!
I did some blogging and went to sleep, before midnight for once!

Ride stats
Distance: 71.64 km
Average: 15.9 km/h
Maximum: 60.5 km/h
Time: 4:30:18