The first Sunday dander of November

Portstewart harbour

Out again this Sunday with Andy Clark and his tireless Springer/Cocker puppy “Tara” and the destination choosen was the small harbour town of Portstewart some 5 miles away from Chez McDonagh. Oddly, given the last few days of deluge, pish and mizzel the fact that the day started with an azure blue sky, a hint of autumnal frost and the odd whisp of mist, meant that the bold Mr Clarke and I set off on our weekly dander with a spring in our steps that was uncommon for the time of year

OHara's Castle

Our walk took us along the prom and up under O’Hara’s Castle now home of the Dominican convent school and along the nun’s walk past Port na’happle and down onto Portstewart Strand. This is a well trodden Sunday Dander for the amateur danderer. Although at 9am on a sunday morning there were few if any fellow strollers out and about.

Although there were a flock of cormorants and gulls making an unholy row on the rocks under the play park near the witch’s hat. As a fisherman I have mixed feelings about cormoants and the whole shag family. If they are around then there are fish around however … they fish a little to well 🙁

Impromptue Art

On the wander around we passed the site of the old Strand Hotel site of many an evening of bacchanalian excess in both Mr Clark’s and my ancient history and on the rock we came apon an act of impromptue art. The Whys and Wherefores remain a mystery and it stands there testament to someone taking 10 minutes to make a balanced cairn of 4 stones as a monument to.. well … something.

I applaud them and it makes a damn fine photo on this glorious morning!

Portstweart Strand

Onward over the rise and down onto what is for me one of the finest stretches of sand anywhere in the world….. Portstewart Strand. With the north atlantic on one side and the rich earth of the Bann esturary on the other this 3 miles of shore yhas much of interest to the walker. In 2000, the 180 acre dune system at Portstewart was included within the Bann Estuary Area of Special Scientific Interest, for the rare and fragile habitats/wildlife that it supports. In particular many species of butterflies and orchids including the rare bee orchid have been recorded, and can be viewed from the way marked trails. The combination of open sand, dunes and damp hollows or slacks provides a mosaic of habitats rich in plants and insects. The dunes reach heights of up to 100ft, were formed around 6,000 years ago and have significant Neolithic archaeological interest… and most importantly it was also the beach where I first managed to stand up on a surf board and ride a wave. A fact sadly missing from the information boards posted along the paths. 🙁

We dander the full length of the beach and then at the bar mouth where the river Bann meets the see we turned in and walked through the dunes down the way marked trail turning inland at the end of the Golf course to appear once again on the outskirts of Burnside and from there it was a road walk back to the car and home.

It was odd and worthy of repeating that I sit here typing in November and I have a tight hot sun tingled forehead .. weird very weird!