After walking Giant’s Causeway yesterday, we were ready for more walking/hiking today, so we headed to Glenariff National Forest. One of nine glens in the region, Glenariff has assorted hiking trails of various lengths and difficulties. We picked the longest trail (~10 km) and quickly descended to Glenariff River before climbing up to the top of the ridge, eventually circling back to the car park. (We cut off the last bit after deciding that we’d seen the most spectacular vistas and had tackled enough up and down that we didn’t need to follow the comparatively boring last short stretch along the road into the car park.)
We finished the two-and-a-half hour hike at about 1:30 and wandered back to Cushendall for a late lunch. With only two restaurants open, we took a bartender’s recommendation (since the pub wasn’t serving food) and tried lunch at the Glen Hotel. It was nothing to write home about, but we enjoyed our cold beers and the simple sustenance after the energy-intensive hike.
After lunch, we found our way to Layde Church, church ruins overlooking the Cashendall Bay, before returning to Ballygally via the A2. We again enjoyed a diversion between Glenariff and Carlough; the A2 was closed for a short stretch along the coast, but the diversion led us to a higher vantage point to look out over the ocean.
Tonight, we ate at the hotel restaurant. The food was tasty, but the service was marginal (likely as a result of a large party dining in the restaurant). Regardless, we enjoyed our meal and each other’s company.
Tomorrow, we head to County Wicklow to explore the Wicklow Mountains.