Walks in Northern Ireland
Richard Marklew
take in a few easy day walks (other than the Mournes). Does anyone know of
any sites specifically for this area. A search has only come up with the
Northern Ireland Tourist Board site with a few sketchy walk details.
Thanks,
Richard
Philip Blair
On Mon, 5 Apr 1999 19:03:08 +0100, "Richard Marklew"
<ric...@marklew.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>I'll be in Northern Ireland for a week at the end of April and would like to
>take in a few easy day walks (other than the Mournes).
Sensible enough if you ask me. The Mournes are somewhat
oversubscribed.
> Does anyone know of
>any sites specifically for this area. A search has only come up with the
>Northern Ireland Tourist Board site with a few sketchy walk details.
I am afraid that I can't help with sites but I can suggest a
few walks. For a day walk it is often possible, and fun, to
walk parts of the Ulster Way. I am sure that there are maps
of this route available. I am going to suggest a few walks
which I Consider "nice" and you can see what you think. They
are all in the North Antrim area and appear on OSsheet 9
which is Ballymena - Larne.
SCAWT HILL.
This walk isn't far from to town of Larne, head for
Carncastle and then for Feystown. Drive up the bit hill and
park in the car park on the left at about 333073. You can
then cross the road, over the stile and head north along the
hills which overlook the Irish Sea. On a good day you can
see the Paps of Jura from the top of Scawt Hill.
This is fairly easy walking and is mostly grass underfoot,
you can walk along the hill for as far as you want to, until
you reach Glenarm. There are usually a lot of larks along
this hill and it can be fun to lie on top of Scawt hill and
listen to them.
COLLIN TOP.
Park the car at Dungonnell dam at about 193170 and pick a
hill to nip up. Collin Top is the one with the little cairn
thing on top and it is easy to see this from the dam at
Dungonnell. I like to stroll along the lough side and up the
burn towards the hill top. You could also go up Mid Hill and
then walk along to Collin Top. Either of these are OK by me.
I would then head along the ridge for a bit in a sort of SE
direction and then drop down to meet the Inver River. Then
walk along the river until there is a concrete road/track
and follow the road back to your car.
The walking isn't so good as for Scawt Hill as there are
bits of the hill quite soft and wet. Also the ascent of
Collin Top is through heather which always knackers me.
However there is a great view from the top and get up to see
it before all the trees grow up. Just be very careful not to
stray into the Red Sea/Red Bog area as it is pretty nasty
and you could easily sink never to be seen again. If you
keep to the north west side of the hills and the ridges then
you will have no problems there.
CARNLOUGH LOUGHS.
I like to fish a bit when walking and so would often nip up
hills with lakes on them. The town of Carnlough has loughs
on the hill right above it and they make a good walk. You
can also have tea/lunch at the Londonderry Arms Hotel before
heading up the hill.
Drive, slowly, up the Waterfall Road from the centre of
Carnlough. Go up the road beyond a right hand hairpin bend
and then find a farm yard to park in. Be sure to ask for
permission. Also ask for directions as to how to get onto
the track for going up to the loughs. They will direct you
to a track which goes up the side of the Little Trosk. It is
marked on the OS map, though it actually continues across
Pollan Burn unlike on the map.
Follow the track up and when it forks take the righthand
fork which is steeper than the main track. Head up for the
large fence post on the ridge above you, probably NW once
the track runs out. Once you get there you can then go
nearly anywhere on the hill. If you head directly north from
the post you will hit Lough Fad in no distance at all. You
can walk around the back of the Big Trosk by Loughnatrosk
and then back to your car or you could head out across the
hill to Lough Natullig, or even Lough Galboly if you a
feeling up to it. You can come down either by the route you
went up or by Loughnatrosk.
The walking on the various tracks is easy going, as you
might imagine, but on the hill it can be pretty wet and
there is often a lot of heather. So that can take it out of
you a bit. However once on top of the hill there are not
many steep bits to climb so you can put all the climbs at
the start of the day.
Hopefully that will get you started.
Regards,
Philip
bla...@iol.ie
Robert Johnston Dixon
<ric...@marklew.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
I'll be in Northern Ireland for a week at the end of April and would
like to
take in a few easy day walks (other than the Mournes). Does anyone
know of
any sites specifically for this area. A search has only come up with
the
Northern Ireland Tourist Board site with a few sketchy walk details.
Thanks,
Richard
Hi,
I would like to suggest 2 walks that a are little bit
different.
Fair Head on the north Antrim coast, from the Ballycastle side, along
the base of cliff then up Grey mans path and back along cliff top,
watch for Buzzards and feral goats.
Cuilcagh ridge Co. Fermanagh, several approaches, though I prefer from
the North west end of ridge, less moorland to cover.
Enjoy your trip
Johnston
R.J.Dixon, GI0BFO
Belfast. N.Ireland
e-mail john...@dixon.net
jdi...@enterprise.net
gi0...@qsl.net
http://johnston.dixon.net
jimm...@my-dejanews.com
"Richard Marklew" <ric...@marklew.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> I'll be in Northern Ireland for a week at the end of April and would like to
> take in a few easy day walks (other than the Mournes). Does anyone know of
> any sites specifically for this area. A search has only come up with the
> Northern Ireland Tourist Board site with a few sketchy walk details.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Richard
>
>
supply a handy brochure outlining the various stages of the 'Ulster Way' which
makes a circuit of Northern Ireland, each stage can be easily done in a day.
You will be able to get one over there if it's too late here. I may be biased
but the ones over the top of the Antrim Plateau give some of the best views of
coastal scenery in the British Isles including views across to Scotland.
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
A. Ball
>In article <7edfbq$j2r$1...@news8.svr.pol.co.uk>,
> "Richard Marklew" <ric...@marklew.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>> I'll be in Northern Ireland for a week at the end of April and would like to
>> take in a few easy day walks (other than the Mournes). Does anyone know of
>> any sites specifically for this area. A search has only come up with the
>> Northern Ireland Tourist Board site with a few sketchy walk details.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Richard
>>
england!) is great. As you come down off the barren hills you find yourselves
in some wonderful wooded valleys. I found the Mournes much like Exmoor
although a bit higher and very compact. Sorry it has been a while since I last
went to Northern Ireland so I can't remember exact places but County Antrim is
also ace. Lots of little castles and some of the best cliffs In Britain. (you
can see Scotland too!!)
Alex