Accommodations:
Carefully selected B&B's, guesthouses and small family run hotels.
Twin rooms with bathroom ensuite.
Meals Included: Irish breakfast daily and dinner one
evening.
Touring
Itinerary:
Sat
We meet up in the centre of Belfast, after an introductory meeting we
have dinner together.
Sun A Sustrans Cycle path guides us out of Belfast along the
coast to Carrickfergus and its famous 12th Century castle. We then head
inland to avoid the Sunday drivers and up into the mountains before
descending to the first of the Antrim Glens with beautiful views of
the ocean below . That night we stay in the quiet seaside village of
Glenarm.
Mon In the morning we cycle back up into the hills and see Sperrin
mountain. It is here where legend has it that St Patrick spent his youth
in captivity as a pig farmer before escaping back to England only to
return as a Bishop to convert Ireland to Christianity. We then return
to the coast for lunch in a seaside Hotel. The days cycle takes in the
beauty of Antrim not only in its coastline but also in its famous and
stunning Glens. Slowly but surely we make our way along the coast to
the village of Cushendall where we base ourselves for two nights.
Tues In the morning we explore the pretty and less visited Glen
of Glenaan and then return to the coast for lunch in Cushendun. In the
afternoon comes one of the highlights of the week, a breathtaking cycle
along the coast road to Ballycastle passing along green fields dotted
with sheep, while you look out over beautiful views of Scotland and
the Mull of Kintyre, just across the sea.
Wed One attractive option on the rest day is to take the ferry
to explore nearby Rathlin Island which has one of the largest bird colonies
in the country as well as a small seal colony. It is a wonderful place
to spend a rest day giving you that sense of being away from it all
that you can only experience on an island.
Thurs We start with a cycle along beautiful coastline to view
the hexagonal basalt rock formations at the Giants Causeway, Northern
Irelands most famous landmark. When you see this geographical
wonder you will understand why is had been awarded World Heritage Site
status. Our next stop on a day of spectacular sights is the Carrik-a-Rede
Rope Bridge. This swinging bridge to Carrick-a-Rede island was originally
erected by local fisherman over a 23m-deep and 20m-wide chasm to check
their salmon nets. After taking the rope-bridge challenge
we head on along the coast to Bushmills where we have lunch before heading
back to Ballycastle for the night.
Fri For our last days cycle we head South back into the Glens
towards the ECOS centre. From here we take a transfer back to Belfast
and a last night on the town together.
Sat After a hearty breakfast, like all good things the tour ends!