PORTBRADDEN
* Rotate phone for best view | Click any pic to enlarge*
Or Portbraddan. Or Portbraddon.
You gotta love how some places just don't have an agreed spelling. Type one of the above into a satnav and in no time you'll find yourself whizzing along Northern Ireland's epic and beautiful Causeway Coastal Route.
Coming up through mid-Antrim after our pitstop at Donegore Hill, we arrived on the north coast at Ballycastle - immediately heading west and eventually arriving at the lookout point over White Park Bay. Click on any of the pics below, Portbradden is the little white-wash harbour nestled into the cliffs on the far left.
Continue on past the White Park Bay lookout area and you'll find Bothy Coffee on the left with a sign for Portbraddan, pointing down the Portbraddon Road on the right (here we go again with the spelling).
Car brakes in working order? No chance of ice on the road? Good. The 'unsuitable for coaches and caravans' sign rightly hints that the road gets a little tight - ending in a double-hairpin slalom down to the quaint harbour (zoom in on the map above to see).
Once a prime salmon fishing harbour, Portbradden's most frequent visitors these days are walkers on their way along the spectacular 33 mile-long Causeway Coast Way. Of the few houses in the harbour, one is a holiday home (friends, wine, food, fire, walks anyone?) while another gained fame for having the smallest church in Ireland. Unfortunately it was cordoned off when we arrived, so I've had to pilfer a few pics from the interweb (more info & pics here)
Source: Hibernia Landscapes
Source: WalkTalkIreland.com
Carry on past the houses and you're onto the rugged coastline - appropriate footwear recommended...
Lots of great little rock pools for younger ones to explore, while the kidults can have a climb about the hills and outcrops. Where's Wally anyone?
(Quick serious note though - big waves are constant on the other side of this rocky area, so keep an eye on those you're with.)
Climbing up through the hole in the rock face, the view out the other side is fantastic. We could see the walking paths continue on into the distance - with food and lots of wine due to commence at 7.30pm in Portrush, we decided to save this one for another day...
Kidulting...
BALLINTOY
Though we didn't have time for a 33 mile hike, the image of a Guinness by the fire had been stuck in my head since passing the Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy earlier that day. Back we go...
We were impressed even before we stepped inside - as well as being a dog-friendly pub, the place boasts one of the ten Game of Thrones doors! No idea what I'm talking about? Check out the video below and here's where you can check out the other 9 doors.
Such a cosy setup inside - we could easily have ditched the plans for Portrush and just drank Guinness and Irish Coffees all night. A tasty Caesar Salad was just perfect ahead of the food-fest to come later that night. If you are planning on stopping by here though, give the mussels a go. I'm not a big seafood fan myself, but some of the choices on the menu (below) have brought me closer to converting...
The adventure continues - click here to check out our next stop in the land of Giants.
Thanks for reading!