Ending on a high

Our night in Strandhill had been good, but it seemed a shame just to jump in the van and leave again, so we figured we could afford a few hours more around the area before heading east.
Joyce was up sharp and was out for her jog, and myself and the boys got up at the back of 8, got dressed and sorted breakfast. I had promised the boys a play in the swing park if they behaved last night, and they had so this had to be honoured. Its not easy getting up early, when I've been up scrabbling and then writing this blog, it takes a while, lol. So we never really seem to get up and on the go quite as early as I would like.
Anyway, the boys had some fun on the zipslide and swings but then we turned our attentions to the very obvious hill behind Strandhill. Its flat topped peak just over 300metres high, but looks interesting as its limestone and has some cliffs along its flanks. It also has a huge Neolithic chambered cairn on its summit which is visible from miles around, it is 10m high and 60m across. It surely must also be a fantastic viewpoint and today there is no wind, we decide to give it a bash. We parked the van at the Rugby club carpark and started up, as soon as a little height is gained the view out over Strandhill and the peninsula is revealed, its hard to get a perspective of this from sea level. Soon we encounter the boardwalk section, that goes on and on and on, climbing for the best past of 200 vertical metres without any break in the walkway. Its made of railway sleeper sized bits of wood and is studded the whole way with thousands of U shaped staple nails, so the grip is good, and also perfect for a little foot to trip on, on the way back down. Its only ever 2 sleepers wide so probably about 18inches, which makes it awkward to hold a little ones hand for assistance. Assistance that isn't really required anyway, Callum was fine and Logan just marched up it full speed ahead also.  We got to the top in good time and there was no wind so it was a pleasant picnic spot. Its forbidden to climb on the cairn as legend has it that Queen Maeve is buried within the cairn standing upright with her spear pointing towards danger.......its quite an impressive pile of stones and many of them contain fossilised sea worms and creatures...I refrained from taking one as if everyone did so, soon there would be no cairn.
We headed back down after some chatting with passers by and soon had the boots off ready to leave Strandhill and head east.
We set off at 2.50pm and immediately hit the school run rush hour in sligo, not a good start, it took an age to get out the place and on the road to Enniskillen, on this road we got stuck behind tractors and various other very slow moving vehicles, I was beginning to wonder if climbing the wee hill had been a mistake. We needed to be close to Larne to save a big drive on the day of our ferry.
I shouldn't have worried, we were soon on the A4 which is a much better and faster road, it then becomes dual carriageway and finally a motorway, the M4. We had decided on a site in the town of Antrim on the shores of Lough Neagh, the largest body of fresh water in the UK!!
We found the site no problem and as we entered we passed the hugest play area we have seen all holiday, it was brand new and must have cost a fortune. There was lots of roadworks going on around the site entrance and no obvious signage as to how to get through the barrier gate. A couple of elderly ladies were having some fun at the barrier, they were actually coming out the in gate, I didn't know this at this point in time. They came out, and I approached the barrier to try and get in. Nothing happened, then the warden came out and  gestured me forward a bit, and then a not more bit the barrier remained shut......then his mood changed when he realised we weren't booked in and very grumpily said "have you booked", eh, naw....." Well you should have parked over there and come in to see me"
......to which I promptly replied......well, I would have if there was a sign telling me that and you gave me a minute......lol. A good start!!
He let us in and to be honest he was fine once I went to check, it wasn't my fault as there were so many roadworks barriers everywhere which I impressed on him. It was cheap £22 and very good site. Of course, we had to visit the play park while Mum slaved away yet again over the cooker....it took about 25 minutes to rustle up our tasty tea. We weren't late back.
After tea, the boys were bedded and the Scrabble board came out. It was 9-9 at this point and as game progressed I realised it was an Irish Scrabble championship win for Joyce..... That was cool by me. The beer and whisky were good as usual and I didn't mind losing.....
Think I need a doctor, lol.

Today was a good learning day.....it takes 3 hours or less to get from Larne to Sligo......so if I was going again and wanted to get out west, our route would be perfect. Well worth noting.