Day no 3. Ballymoney to Culdaff
It had rained hard during the night but I never heard a single drop of it, Joyce is a light sleeper and did, she was also up early to get out for her morning jog. There was a pretty decent path all around the campsite and she headed out onto the quiet local roads for a few extra km's also. There weren't many cars around but she was overtaken by a few cyclists who passed the time of day with her. I had the boys up and dressed by be time she got back, we totally sorted the van out for a few days of hopefully cheaper parking...free I mean.
We headed west towards Londonderry. Its really nice looking small city but has seen more than its fair share of problems in the past. We took a drive up to have have a look at the murals around the Free Derry corner, they are a sobering reminder of what people living in both Northern and Southern Ireland have had to deal with in the last few decades.
Its a really lovely looking city with a cool winding walkway bridge over the river Foyle which we will walk across the next time were are here if we have more time.
TIME, there is just never enough of it.....and its about now that we realise just how big Ireland really is and how 3 weeks is not really that long. We start to head north east and then north toward Malin Head, I have a thing about these points on a map, I like to visit the most northern, southern, eastern and westerly points, and of course the highest if possible too. So Malin Head was on my list of objectives. A very good friend of mine had just this year cycled from Malin Head to Mizen head supported by his girlfriend who drove their Bongo campervan along the route also, and I think we now realise the enormity of that effort. As I said before, Ireland is big and the roads are long and winding.....and now I realise quite steep also.
We had a nice walk on Kinagoe beach, the boys wanted to stay here for the night but it was a bit early to park up. I wanted to get up to Malin Head, so we carried on up there always looking for a spot to spend the night. We reached a rather blowy Malin Head and I wanted a photo or 2. There was mutiny in the camp at this point, Callum and Logan had just woken up and Mum wasn't seeming too keen to get out the van either, so I went up to the derelict building and viewpoint by myself, took a photo and headed back to the van. This annoyed me however, we haven't made this journey just so I can visit certain places alone and the others not experience it also, just because it a wee bit blowy!! So I nipped back to the van, read the riot act to Callum who was being downright difficult and lazy, and we donned a couple of layers and all visited the most northerly point of Ireland, we had a wander along the cliff top to Hells Hole and then back to the van just before a squall hit, perfect timing. So, now they have been there, and done that, it's up to them if they ever return but for me it was worth it and I like being able to take them to these places, but they need to put in a wee bit effort themselves.... One day they will understand (the captain)....lol.
Joyce was getting concerned now, it was getting a bit later than normal, we hadn't parked yet for the night and tea still had to be made. We drove south for about half an out back to Culdaff where we knew there was a good parking area. Its a bit more sheltered, quite and there's a beach we need to investigate in the morning as we can hear the waves crashing on the beach as we eat our mince n tatties, enjoy a nice glass of red...and get settled for the night. Where will tomorrow take us?
We headed west towards Londonderry. Its really nice looking small city but has seen more than its fair share of problems in the past. We took a drive up to have have a look at the murals around the Free Derry corner, they are a sobering reminder of what people living in both Northern and Southern Ireland have had to deal with in the last few decades.Its a really lovely looking city with a cool winding walkway bridge over the river Foyle which we will walk across the next time were are here if we have more time.
TIME, there is just never enough of it.....and its about now that we realise just how big Ireland really is and how 3 weeks is not really that long. We start to head north east and then north toward Malin Head, I have a thing about these points on a map, I like to visit the most northern, southern, eastern and westerly points, and of course the highest if possible too. So Malin Head was on my list of objectives. A very good friend of mine had just this year cycled from Malin Head to Mizen head supported by his girlfriend who drove their Bongo campervan along the route also, and I think we now realise the enormity of that effort. As I said before, Ireland is big and the roads are long and winding.....and now I realise quite steep also.
We had a nice walk on Kinagoe beach, the boys wanted to stay here for the night but it was a bit early to park up. I wanted to get up to Malin Head, so we carried on up there always looking for a spot to spend the night. We reached a rather blowy Malin Head and I wanted a photo or 2. There was mutiny in the camp at this point, Callum and Logan had just woken up and Mum wasn't seeming too keen to get out the van either, so I went up to the derelict building and viewpoint by myself, took a photo and headed back to the van. This annoyed me however, we haven't made this journey just so I can visit certain places alone and the others not experience it also, just because it a wee bit blowy!! So I nipped back to the van, read the riot act to Callum who was being downright difficult and lazy, and we donned a couple of layers and all visited the most northerly point of Ireland, we had a wander along the cliff top to Hells Hole and then back to the van just before a squall hit, perfect timing. So, now they have been there, and done that, it's up to them if they ever return but for me it was worth it and I like being able to take them to these places, but they need to put in a wee bit effort themselves.... One day they will understand (the captain)....lol.Joyce was getting concerned now, it was getting a bit later than normal, we hadn't parked yet for the night and tea still had to be made. We drove south for about half an out back to Culdaff where we knew there was a good parking area. Its a bit more sheltered, quite and there's a beach we need to investigate in the morning as we can hear the waves crashing on the beach as we eat our mince n tatties, enjoy a nice glass of red...and get settled for the night. Where will tomorrow take us?
I am in fact laughing out loud 😊 And I'm in a pub while reading this folk probably think I'm txtxing a girlfriend 😂 I think the captain had a successful mission the troops will thank him for ( one day )
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