Giant's Causeway on the Antrim Coast
Northern Ireland – Portrush to Belfast
By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea
The seaside resort town of Portrush served as our overnight stopover en route to the sights along the Antrim coast of the North Atlantic. Summer tourists were gone, and Portrush in September seemed a bit sleepy.
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We had free time to explore on our own. Ginger and some of her new friends headed for the beach. Guide Paul and Mark, our driver, were ready for a wee break and a pint. Gary and I looked around town and then headed back to the hotel for one of the best meals of the trip: sea bass with champ over a bed of spinach, leek, peas and buttery wine sauce for me and a great hamburger and fries for Gary.
Day 12 – Giant's Causeway
It was a clear day and a magical morning visit to the Giant's Causeway.
Folklore tells of Ulster giant, Finn, and his rival in Scotland. Finn built a stone bridge across the water. When Finn crossed and saw that his rival was much bigger, he fled back to Ireland. When the Scottish giant came across, Finn tricked his rival by posing as a giant baby. Finn knocked down the bridge after the Scottish giant fled home.
On the other hand, scientists claim the lava that flowed from volcanic eruptions, millions of years ago, resulted in crystallized, six-sided columns, some of which broke apart to form the scattered stepping stones.
Some of us followed Paul along the bluff for amazing views. Others took the easier sloping path from the parking lot.
Views from the Upper Trail
Descending the steps from the upper trail, we marveled at the tall, regular-shaped basalt columns and the hexagonal "stepping stones" that led out to the water's edge.
All of us danced and hopped from rock to rock!
Giant's Chair
Dunluce Castle
Once an elaborate fortress in the Middle Ages, the castle began its descent into ruins when half the kitchen fell into the sea on a stormy night in 1639. From its cliffside perch, we could look west toward Portrush and north toward Scotland.
Bushmills
A quick stop in Bushmills for lunch on our own – Canadian Randy led fellow traveler, Ginger, off for a liquid lunch and a little shopping at the Old Bushmills Distillery. The rest of us laughed and wondered if we should have followed them! Ginger smiled and laughed the loudest and really enjoyed the rest of the day!
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The memorial sculpture is dedicated to the men from Bushmills who gave their lives in the Great War.
