N.I. APRIL - Rathlin Island with the bikes

Friday 28th April

Still grey and misty - we plan to visit Rathlin Island - here’s hoping the weather smiles… 

We set off about 11am to catch the 12 noon ferry from Ballycastle to Rathlin. 

Man chatted about bikes when he saw ours were made by Dawes. He used to race and rode a Dawes in1960s -cost 2 grand then. (did it have wings? I asked.)

‘Are you going to Rathlin?”

‘Yes”

‘Have you been before?’ 

‘No’

‘It’s hilly’

25 mins crossing, with bikes. As we approached we saw the sun shining on the island, and it stayed with us most of the day, with a bit of atmospheric mistiness near the seabird centre.

Rode to ‘visitor centre’ staffed by a Liverpudlian (ish) young woman, now living on Rathlin.

There is a very steep hill from the harbour settlement up to the road to West Lighthouse, and then several more uphill stretches on the way over. 

Once we arrived at a fairly high point we stopped for our frugal lunch, then continued on to the RSPB point, where we got another coffee.

We paid to access the  Seabird Centre and Lighthouse. This lighthouse is at the bottom of the cliff.

From the seabird centre we could see fulmars and other seabirds, and just the one puffin, seen through the telescope, set up by an Italian RSPB worker. We didn’t visit the lighthouse as we were a bit concerned about getting back to the ferry on time.

The ride down was less strenuous, much more downhill!  Donkeys, goldfinches, and at the shore eider ducks with their ‘Kenneth Williams’ calls, and three seals.

We were warned that it might be cold and foggy in Ballycastle, but when we arrived the sun had followed us as well.We deposited the bikes and stuff in the car, then sought out fish and chips at Morton’s.

(Scene: the piercing whistler with Jimi Hendrix tee shirt on a large beer belly.)

Then a short walk through the seafront park before returning to Cushenden. The swans are the children of Lir cursed by a jealous stepmother to be transformed into swans and to spend 900 years wandering.