Ballycastle Co. Antrim - Places to go to in Northern Ireland
Ballycastle County Antrim - the small town that is located in county Antrim, Northern Ireland, happens to be a touristic place for the attractions it carries and the events that might be taking place in it.
Ballycastle is a small town that is located on the north easternmost coastal tip of the island of Ireland at the northern mainland limit of the Antrim Coast and Glens Area. As much as tourists get astonished with the old historical buildings, they also get mesmerized with the nature they are faced with, and this is one of the things that Ireland in general could manage to offer.
Isn't it always interesting to stand at some point in a country and manage to point out to the borders or to islands that are related to the one next to it? That's exactly the case in Ballycastle, county Antrim, where you could point out to Rathlin Island and Mull of Kintyre which are part of Scotland.
Okay, let's dig deep into the important part now, you might be asking yourself what are the things to do in Ballycastle or the places that you are supposed to visit in order to receive a mesmerizing view; we are going to help you since we have already been there and managed to discover some of these places.
The Fair Head which is a rocky headland found in county Antrim, only three miles away from Ballycastle, and is the point considered the closest to Rathlin Island. There is also the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge; some people might fear the idea of walking on it, but it is actually a whole different experience as well as a different view; this bridge links the gap that is found between the North Atlantic and a small island.
There is also the Bonamargy Friary which is one of the places to visit in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, and which is an old friary that was discovered in the late Franciscan time. This Friary is one of the historical places that one could visit in Ballycastle, county Antrim that is believed to carry stories behind.
In Ballycastle, county Antrim, Northern Ireland, you will also get the chance to visit the Holy Trinity Church, you could come across the Ballycastle Museum and see what they have inside, and you could also eventually come to check the Kinbane Castle.
The old history is different from nature and if these attractions we mentioned above will be placed among the different places one should visit in Ballycastle, there are still some other nature-related destinations which one should head to, such as the Lough na Carangh Crannog, which is all about the greenery area and the lake and you could also head to the beach - if the Irish weather will give you the chance to! (
For a lot of people, it might be surprising that there are different places and historical buildings which they could visit and which are not part of Belfast or even Dublin ( but there are actually lots and lots of places that people could go to and which are scattered everywhere in Ireland.
After enjoying those castles, bridges, and getting relaxed by the nature, we want to tell you one more thing you could do in Ballycastle, county Antrim, but only if you are visiting it in the last Monday or Tuesday from August; we want to tell you about the Auld Lammas Fair which is held yearly on the same days, specifically because the last Tuesday in August is a Bank Holiday.
Auld Lammas Fair is a traditional fair that is associated with Lammas Harvest Festival. This fair is a history because it is believed to be held now for 400 years, starting back in the 17th century. There are different things to experience in this fair - we have been there and truly enjoyed our time - you will get the chance to taste and buy different types of candies and sweets (it was finally the time to taste the famous traditional Irish yellowman), you will enjoy walking by the horses and getting into a small farm with different types of animals, buy some toys for the kids, and even see some of the products being sold there which you might be interested to buy yourself any of them. This fair is actually exciting and different - OH, we have even played there on the bull game! - but you might spend more time than you expected, so make sure that you don't have any other plans during the day and give yourself some time to go back home if you are not so close to Ballycastle (
Here, at Connolly Cove, we are trying to help you discover lots of places and things about Ireland and Northern Ireland; we are trying to give you suggestions to places to visit and offer you some recommendations to make your trip more interesting and exciting. Recently, we have been trying to get to other countries around the world and expand that help we are trying to offer to the public.
Visit Ballycastle in county Antrim if you have the chance to and enjoy those places we have suggested then tell us about your experience; do you think it is worth the visit?
Northern Ireland * Rathlin Island * Pics, Evening Sun
British Isles cruise with Poseidon Expeditions 2019 (slideshow)
Just a month ago, our passengers returned from the brand-new cruise for the 2019 Arctic season: The British Isles.
This expedition-style voyage from Plymouth to Edinburgh is a chance to discover some of the British Isles’ most historically significant and wildlife-rich destinations. Cruising aboard our small, luxury expedition ship m/v Sea Spirit is the perfect way to visit hidden treasures of the islands.
0:21 Departing Plymouth, England. We set sail en route to new adventures!
0:29 Tresco, Scilly Isles, England. We discover the exquisite Tresco Abbey Garden with its spectacular collection of more than 20,000 exotic plants, and visit the Valhalla Museum, a collection of colorful figureheads salvaged from the islands’ shipwrecks.
1:10 Sneem, Ireland. Exploring the lovely village and its surroundings.
1:26 Saltee Island, Ireland. A birder's paradise! Perfect weather for hiking.
2:15 Llandudno, Wales. Historical journey of the Conwy castle ruins.
2:23 Rathlin, Northern Ireland. A wonderful place to spot birds.
2:30 Staffa, Scotland. This island of volcanic origin is easily recognized by its striking colonnade of hexagonal basalt pillars.
3:23 Iona, Scotland. Visiting the Abbey, founded in 563 AD. Spellbound by one of Scotland’s most historic and sacred sites and indeed one of the oldest Christian religious centers in Western Europe.
3:34 St. Kilda, Scotland. Rough stone buildings and distinctive storehouses called cleitean, all set amidst some of the most dramatic island scenery in the British Isles.
3:55 Orkney, Scotland. We visit the 5000-year-old village site at Skara Brae and the ancient Ring of Brodgar within the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Heart of Neolithic Orkney”.
4:17 Isle of Noss, Scotland. A great day for bird lovers.
4:26 Mousa, Scotland. On the uninhabited island of Mousa we find the famous Broch of Mousa, the finest preserved Iron Age fortification in the British Isles.
4:37 Shetland, Scotland. Exploring the Shetland Islands.
4:51 Fair Isle, Scotland. One of Europe’s best places to watch seabirds, especially puffins, at close range.
5:21 Isle of May, Scotland. More puffins!
5:33 Bass Rock, Scotland. The world's largest gannet colony.
5:58 Join us on our next departure - 08 May - 20 May 2020 - and explore the British Isles!
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Rathlin Island and the sea of Moyle
Amidst the rugged landscape of this isolated island, you can let your mind wander and discover a tranquility and beauty that is so unexpected.
The ferry to Rathlin Island travels just six miles across the Sea of Moyle. This island is six miles long, one mile wide, L shaped and home to a small population of around seventy people.
In the harbour is the Boathouse, where visitors can discover some of the exciting history, learn about present day island life and see some artefacts from shipwrecks around the island. A short walk around to Mill Bay there is a colony of seals, who are fun to just sit and watch!
At the other side of the harbour are two churches where visitors can sit quietly or just admire the architecture. At the west of the island is the renowned RSPB Seabird Centre, where puffins, guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes can be viewed during the summer months. It is also home to some magnificent views, on clear days Donegal, the North Antrim coastline, the island of Islay and the Mull of Kintyre can be seen. Throughout the year special occations are celebrated with ceilidhs. Music, song and dance remain at the heart of the community life.
There are many tales of myth and mystery surrounding Rathlin, the most famous tells of Robert the Bruce. In 1306, the Scottish King was driven from Scotland by Edward I of England and took refuge on Rathlin. While he was on Rathlin, it is said that he watched a spider persevering again and again to bridge a gap with its web. Eventually it succeeded. Robert the Burce took heart from the spider's efforts, raised fresh forces and returned to Scotland to fight for his kingdom. He too, eventually succeeded and in 1314, regained the crown of Scotland.
How to Explore the Causeway Coastal Route
Hold tight – we're about to embark on an epic journey along the coast of Northern Ireland. This is the Causeway Coastal Route, a 4-day itinerary that will bring you to majestic cliff-top castles, sea bridges swaying high above the ocean and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Here's a few facts about the Causeway Coastal Route:
– The Giant’s Causeway was formed over 60 million years ago, when molten lava from the earth’s core came into contact with the sea, crystallising into the 40,000 hexagonal basalt pillars we recognise today.
– The Cushendun Caves were used as a filming location for HBO’s Game of Thrones®. You’ll recognise them from the scene where Melisandre gave birth to a shadowy creature that would eventually kill Renly Baratheon.
– Rathlin Island is the most northerly inhabited island in Ireland – it’s also home to colonies of seabirds, and a curious ‘upside-down’ lighthouse that glows red at night.
– Overlooking Downhill Beach, Mussenden Temple was once used as a private library. It’s modelled after the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, Italy. Oh, and did we mention they carry out wedding ceremonies here?
– Leading to Carrick Island, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge was initially set up by salmon fishermen who wanted to make use of the abundant waters around the rocky outcrop.
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Sights of Northern Ireland
I've travelled to Northern Ireland several times and I really love it there. So I've put together a collection of my photos from several parts I have visited. Photos include: Ballintoy Harbour, Belfast Giants, Bushmills, Carrick-A-Rede, Castlerock Beach, Dunluce Castle, Giants Causeway, Glenariff, Mussenden Temple, Portbradden, Rathlin Island, & Whitepark Bay,
N Ireland Sea Birds Ride The Winds - Relax Meditate Landscape Scenery
In N Down, Sea birds soar and hover in the first winds from Hurricane Brian approaching N Ireland. The birds are looking for food on the exposed seabed as the tide recedes. Different local birds arrive here at different times dependent on the tides and weather. The nearby beach is very popular with ravens who drink fresh water from a stream emptying into the sea via a snaking sand estuary. There will be more footage uploaded to illustrate some of these various visitors.
Photos of Portland bill in Dorset
Photos slide of Portland Bill lighthouse and pulpit rock on the beautiful Jurassic Coast in Dorset, England.
The Jurassic coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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The Wee Binnian Walker's - St Patrick's Weekend Trip 2010 - The North Antrim Coast.
St Patrick's Weekend Trip to The North Antrim Coast: What a weekend end we had. We had Sun, Sea ..... and plenty of coastal walking. We all arrived at various times to The Adelphi Hotel. Some members did a wee walk along the beach, some other visited the local attractions like Dunluce Castle and Balintoy Harbour. We had a lovely dinner on the Friday night which was a nice to have. Bright and early Sat morning, we got a bus to Carrick-a-Reide Rope Bridge. The bus driver was brilliant giving us plenty of information. The A group walked to and over the rope bridge and then walk to The Giant's Causeway which was 23 km. The B group started from the Carrick a Reide Car Park and walked to The Giant Causway which was about 19km and the C group walk to and over the rope bridge and back to the Car Park and then got the bus to White Park Bay Hostel and walked to The Giants Causeway. This was 12km. I am open to correction on these distances. The groups met for lunch at Dunseverick Castle. The weather and view were quite spectacular. Day 2, up early and went to Rathlin Island. A good day was had. Another group did a walk along Fairhead and again brilliant view and craic. The trip was brilliantly organised and it catered for abilities which was great. The hotel was first class.
Sailing Eden - Rathlin O'Byrne Island and Teelin Harbour, Co Donegal, Ireland
This video is of a little solo cruse I did to Rathlin O'Byrne Island on the north west tip of Donegal bay and an over night stay in Teelin harbor.
This film is a lot longer then I have uploaded before and with no sound track, so i'd be interested to hear what you think. Are the shorter ones better?