Northern Ireland 1

 17th July 2025

It has been hot and sunny for a month or more but the rain begins as I arrive in Cairnryan for the ferry to Larne in Northern Ireland. The ferry takes two hours and I drive off in drizzle looking for the coastal route to the Giant's Causeway. It's an attractive drive in good weather and dramatic even in drizzle. There are cliffs on one side and stray rocks on the other. Some are the remains of old sea stacks thrusting stiffly from the grey sea.

I arrive in my chosen camp site, a CL in Armoy, just in time to choose my pitch ahead of some garrulous French folks in two large motorhomes. An hour and a half later they have moved four times and held endless discussions very loudly while I have set up, cooked my evening meal and washed up before they have even started.

I'm here to walk for at least five miles in each of the six counties of Northern Ireland. This is to add to the 86 counties of England, Wales and Scotland I have already walked. More Details here.

This first day was to get into position, the campsite being only a few miles from the coast where I plan to walk tomorrow. Here's the overall plan showing my route from Larne generally anti clockwise.