County Antrim

So today was the last day of my tour. I think it was my favorite day yet. Could be because it was sunny and beautiful in Ireland today. The weather was amazing, finally warmer, I didn’t freeze throughout the day and there wasn’t a drop of rain or hail to pelt my face. Lovely. We trekked through the remains of Dunluce Castle (claim to fame was that a storm once blew the kitchen into the sea), then on to Giant’s Causeway which is a really cool volcanic rock formation on the coast. As usual, the setting was gorgeous. After a lovely picnic lunch overlooking the Atlantic, we headed off to Carrick-A-Rede-Rope Bridge, which is 80 feet above sea level and you cross it in order to access the salmon fishery on the tiny island across the way (or cross it just for kicks, like us). Luckily I am not afraid of heights, otherwise climbing along the rocks on the Giant’s Causeway and balancing across the Carrick Rope Bridge would have been nauseating. It was a beautiful sight. The coastline of Northern Ireland is the most picturesque place I have ever been. It’s absolutely amazing. Because of the instability in Northern Ireland, tourists haven’t really seen or been exposed to the beauty of the North. Within the last 8-10 years though, the terrorist attacks have declined and the peace agreements are finally being enacted. We did a walking history tour through Derry the day before, which was a town that was almost completely destroyed with all the bombing, but as our guide said, they have turned a corner and looking forward to a peaceful future. It was such an interesting place to experience. So much sadness and destruction has taken place and it’s nice to see both sides working together. So, if you make it to Ireland, I highly recommend the Northern Coast in County Antrim, it’s like walking through a wall calendar. Everything corner you turn is breathtaking. So glad I got to see it.

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