Stage Eleven: Drains Bay, Larne
to Cushendall (41k or 25.5miles)
<Author: Gerry O'Boyle>
Saturday 16 December 2017
With only nine days to
Christmas Day, today’s run had a kind of festive feeling about it. The
beautiful green glens of Antrim were still covered in snow to add to the
occasion. And to complete the whole picture, Helen was wearing her Christmas
hat with ringing bells!
We have to thank Laura
McAllister (Helen’s friend) for meeting us in Cushendall and driving us back to
our start at Drains Bay (just north of Larne) – that saved us having to take
two cars today!
We were delighted too that
Laura’s husband, Phelim ran with us for most of way today. Phelim, Laura and
wee Jude live in the beautiful village of Glenarm and Phelim took time off from
plucking turkeys to join us on the Antrim coast. However with both Phelim and
Sean supporting similar beards, shorts and shirts it was confusing at times
today!
 |
| Phelim & Sean |
Sean came straight from the
night-shift for today’s run. He also had a wee 100 mile run last week through
the Wicklow Mountains so maybe he’ll go easy on us today. Meanwhile Debbie from PhysioWorks is keeping my
body in order and has given me special exercises which involve moving my pelvis
without moving any other part of my body - easy enough to do (if you happen to
be a Hawaiian dancer!)
It was 9.00am (just after
sunrise) when we got to Drains Bay (just north of Larne) and in our wisdom we
decided to tackle the Larne parkrun that takes place in Drains Bay. We got a
great welcome from the organisers of the Larne parkrun and we even got the
benefit of a local photographer (Bill Guiller) who also caught up with us later
at Glenarm and took more pictures there. Thank you Bill!
After completing the parkrun
we eventually leave Drains Bay at 10.30am. Such a beautiful part of the world
today in Co. Antrim and we had the perfect weather with blue skies and lovely sunshine as we reached the village of Glenarm. Glenarm is the first of the nine glens of Antrim and claims to be the oldest town in Ulster having been granted a charter in the 12th century.
We hugged the coast the whole day, passing through such lovely villages and amazing views across to Scotland, with the Mull of Kintyre now only about 20 miles away. Also the tall island of Ailsa Craig could be clearly seen in the distance jutting up from the Irish Sea. (apparently the Ailsa Craig Island/Rock is still for sale and reduced now to £1.5m, down from original £2.5m – a bargain I’d say!)
We
leave Glenarm and the sun is still shining as we arrive in Carnlough which is
probably our half way point today. A beautiful rainbow appears over the hills
which really should have warned us that rain was ahead! Sean stops to take
pictures of the rainbow but Helen, Phelim and I carry on towards Waterfoot
along the winding Antrim Coastal Road.
Antrim Coast Road
The 40k coast road (Larne to
Cushendall) that we’re running along today was built by William Bald between 1832
and 1842. Bald also had the unique idea
to blast the cliff face which then fell down onto the foreshore to form the
base for the new road. Up to that point there were no proper roads in this area
and the 12-15 miles of sea to Scotland was a much easier trading route.
Phelim
has to leave us (more turkeys to pluck!) and so Helen and I carry on to
Waterfoot with Sean (still trying to stay awake) a few hundred metres behind. Gradually
the sun disappears, replaced by the rain and wind and the temperature drops.
It’s a real struggle now to keep going in such miserable conditions.
My
body and especially my feet are suffering (and blistering!). I was listening to
Radio Ulster last month about a traveller/explorer from Castlerock called Leon
McCarron. He was describing how he was walking through Jordan after a long
day’s trekking when a local man, invited him into his home and together with
his son, proceeded to wash Leon’s feet. If only we could be so lucky on the
Antrim coast!
Helen
and I eventually reach the outskirts of Waterfoot and very slowly make our way
(walking/running) to the centre of the village. We stop at a shop for drinks
and the girl there tells us (the greatest news!) ‘it’s
only one more mile to Cushendall’.
We wait outside the shop for Sean and when he arrives we continue
together for the final stretch. It might be one of the shortest days in the
year but it seemed a long long time since I parked my car in Cushendall this
morning. And so Christmas is almost here ...and our adventure continues again in
2018.
Total distance to date: 449k or 280.5miles
Next stages: Sat 20 Jan (Cushendall
to Ballycastle) and Sat 10 Feb. (Ballycastle to Portrush).
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Clifton Special School, please see below.
