Lazaway Life

  The Pleasure Yesterday we saw a walking route sign for the International Appalachian Trail.         In Glenarm?! In Co Antrim, Norn Iron?!  Weird. This morning we found out what this is all about: The International Appalachian Trail (IAT) Ulster Ireland is just one of a growing number of established IAT walking trails stretching across 3 continents which share a common geological heritage - the Appalachian-Caledonian Mountains.  These formed more than 250 million years ago during the Paleozoic Era.  The trail begins at Slieve League in Donegal, goes east through the Blue Stack Mountains, through Tyrone, and then follows the Ulster Way round the north coast and down to Larne - via Glenarm along the way.  Now, where did I put my boots…..? Clive has brought to our attention the pathos: Picture taken from the internet of Madman’s Window. A mile or so south of Glenarm is a geological oddity called Madman’s Window, so called from a tale about a man from Glenarm who lost his sweetheart in t

  Top - The Gobbins looking well as we passed this morning. Bottom - one of three groups of (intrepid?) visitors being guided along the cliff path on this glorious day. HDs Well, no sooner do the schools go back but the weather takes a turn for the better.  We had four days of calm sunny weather forecast, so we are taking the opportunity to get a late summer trip in.  Glenarm and Rathlin.  Though, as I write (in Glenarm) the forecast has reduced to two days of calm sunny weather, so we will see how far we get.  The journey up from Bangor was beautiful - calm and warm.  Disappointingly we saw no cetaceans, but we did see five (or six) Pale-bellied Brent Geese which will have left Iceland probably yesterday morning and won’t stop flying until they get to Strangford Lough.  They fly southeast from Iceland until they get to the north coast, then follow it eastwards to Fairhead, and then follow the Antrim coast south - using the coastline as their navigational aid. You can’t beat a birdbrai