The first September dander

Since the Moyle way 3 weekends ago, a family “do” last weekend, meant that today was the first day that Mr Clark and I could don the walking boots and set out for our regular Sunday dander. We agreed that a walk by the sea would be nice so we choose that old favourite for folks around here, the Causeway. So along with two new friends  David and Norman and sundry canine chums we set off for a bit of plod on the coast.

Portballintrae

So we started out from Portballintrae car park and headed east along Runkerry beach towards Runkerry house on the headland. Runkerry House was part of the Macnaughtens of Dunderave Estate, built in the early 1860’s by Sir Edward Macnaughten  the fourth Baronet who became Lord of Appeal for the United Kingdom in 1887 with a life peerage. In 1951 Sir Malcolm Macnaughten donated Runkerry House to the Northern Ireland government for

Runkerry House

public use. It was used for many years as a wonderful retirement home, later as a Residential Activity Centre and finally a Rehabilitation Unit. It was closed down and in 1996 without consultation with the community for other possible public/social uses, placed on the open market and sold at Public Auction to Seaport Investments Limited. At the time the sale caused controversy in relation to the moral ‘right of sale’  by the government of a charitably donated property. But then we are talking politicians here and to be fair are we surprised that they are a bunch of thieving amoral money grubbing arseholes? The

Portcoon

apartments the house were converted into were reputed to be the most expensive in the North and they do have a superb view. Being Hyper expensive meant the properties were bought by people with “money” who objected to plebs like me walking past their front door and tried to deny a right of way around the head land. Thankfully they lost and it is still possible to make your way around the headland to Portcoon and the causeway itself.

To the West from above the ampitheatre

The causeway visitor center is having a bit of a face lift at the minute so we headed down the path down to the causeway itself and then out towards the organ and up the steep “shepherd’s steps” to the cliff edge. We headed east to have a look at “Amphitheatre” while having our sandwiches and coffee. Whilst there we were treated to a fly by from some of the planes from the Causeway Air show happening in Portrush.

Heading back to the vistor centre car

Chuffy Puffy Train

park we had to make a detour down to the road to avoid the building work and we made our way down to the tram station past the Causeway School and the Nook Bar, (Beloved of mr Bill Buchan) and down past the golf course following the tram track back into Portballintrae and the cars. The Trams were still on the go even this late in the year and here for all fans of Thomas the Tank Engine is some “Train Porn”, it is small and blue and goes WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! every now and then and is generally train like. More than that I have no idea what it is. 😉

7.5 miles of lovely weather, excellent views and bracing sea air was finished off by a wee detour to Mr Clark’s cousin Avril’s cafe above Dunluce Castle “The Wee Cottage” for Coffee and freshly made scones which I have to say were EXCELLENT!!!! and if you ever in the vicinity do call in and take 20 mins for a sit by the fire and some excellent grub.

Now where to next week?