Picture Postcard

This is a one of the fishermen's cottages in the village of Kearney, right down at the bottom of the Ards Peninsula. The National Trust owns the village and there are coastal walks that can be taken from the car park in either direction

 

Safe Haven

As today was the last Wednesday Martyn and I would get to go walking before he goes back to university next week, we decided to head out past Bryansford and take the Trassey Track to the top of Slieve Bearnagh. Unfortunately the weather was not good enough with ground level cloud and visibility down to no more than a few feet with lashing rain and gale force winds. Instead we headed for Donard Park and took the long trail through the woods which crosses the Granite Trail and finishes on the main Newcastle/Kilkeel road out near Bloody Bridge. The trees sheltered us from the worst of the wind and rain. You can see how windy it was by looking at the waves outside the harbour

  

60,000

Not a lot to say. Today I hit the 60,000 mile mark in my car, I'm just not sure if it is first second or third time around


  

Glenoe

Today Martyn and I went to Glenoe near Larne for walk up to the waterfall. As this was not an overly long walk we then took a drive around Islandmagee before heading home

  

Should I take up painting?

My two hobbies, walking and photography, just go so well together. Walking allows me to get pictures in some locations that just aren't available by car, but on a horrible wet grey day like today I think it might be better if like my namesake Paul Henry I was to take up painting. At least then I could have blue skies (or any other colour for that matter)

 

Murlough Bay, North Antrim, looking towards Fair Head

 

The Two Towers

Last week Martyn and I went to Scrabo Tower in Newtownards. This week I visited Helen's Tower. It was one of those very rare days when the tower is open to the public and unfortunately Martyn had to work. We have done this walk many times and it was nice to actually go there when the tower was open and get the tour. The picture is taken from the top looking across Craigantlet towards the Belfast Hills

Helen's Tower, Clandeboye Estate, near Bangor

 

Top of the World

Not much to say really - this is a picture of me taken by Martyn at the top of Scrabo Tower in Newtownards. Looking over that railing it is a very long way down

 

It was a grey day

Martyn and I decided we would have a go at The Granite Trail in Newcastle, Co. Down, a walk which starts off from the town harbour. The first part is fairly hard going, a 1 in 3 climb. I took a photo of it, which I was going to post here, but it didn't do justice to the steepness of the path. The view I have posted is what you see when you finally make it to the top where the path continues along to a viewpoint overlooking Newcastle. Here you can choose whether to continue on via the Glen river path into Newcastle or to go back down the way you came. Since the rain was getting heavier and the skies darker we decided just to return as we had came, stopping off at a sheltered spot in the woods for a picnic on the way

the top of The Granite Trail, Newcastle, Co. Down