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| The Antrim Glens & Causeway Coast cycling tour Ireland |
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A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY  It’s a coastline sprinkled with historic castles, churches and forts. Many are now just ruins but each holds the memories of a mysterious and heroic past. A past populated by seafaring Vikings and swashbuckling tales of the ancient Irish clans.
Terrain Guide
The Causeway Coast and Glens provide a journey of exploration, where imagination meets eality and where every village and town, castle and rocky shore are just waiting to be discovered.  SHORT TOURS - 4 Days + 4 Nights Day 1 The holiday begins with a "meet and greet" in the picturesque country village of Broughshane, famous for its floral displays, winner of the European Entente Florale and is also our gate way to the glens. Today’s distance – 16mls/25km Our first day’s cycle is a gentle run on quiet country roads heading towards Glenarm the oldest village in the glen. On your way you may wish to take a slight detour and venture up Slemish Mountain, where Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, is said to have tended livestock as a slave boy in the 5th century. Our destination today is Carnlough; a coastal village with a neat little harbour situated at the foot of Glencloy a few miles round the coast from Glenarm. The day finishes in the Londonderry Arms Hotel, which offers a warm welcome, an excellent meal and on most evening's good craic in the bar with live traditional Irish music. Day 2 – today’s distance – 32mls/50km Today’s cycle heads for Glenariff glen known as the queen of the glens with its gushing waterfall and scenic path skirting the sheer side of the plunging gorge. Cycling on from Glenariff you come to Cushendall the " Capital of the Glens". The last leg of your journey then continues cross country and after a short climb you cycle on a quiet road with magnificent views, free wheeling past the edge of Ballypatrick forest and on into Ballycastle. On your way be careful not to fall prey to Loughareema, the mysterious "vanishing lake", watery grave to coach and horses throughout the ages, legend has it. Day 3 – today’s distance – 18mls/29km This morning you set off for a jam-packed day, only a short route of 18 miles but a lot to see. The famous Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, the windswept ruins of Kenbane, Dunseverick and Dunluce castles, the golden sands of White Park Bay, the Giant’s Causeway and finishing up in Bushmills, home of the famous Distillery. Tonight you stay in the little port and beach resort of Portballintrae. Day 4 - today’s distance – 33mls/53km The final day and you are cycling on quiet country roads through miles of scenic countryside passing the Bush River and Slieveanorra Forest as you head back to Broughshane. EVENING - The start of your journey back home (depending on your travel arrangements an extra night is optional) THE ANTRIM GLENS AND COASTAL TOUR. (Glen is a word used in Ireland to describe a deep valley). Day 1 The holiday begins with a "meet and greet" in the picturesque country village of Broughshane, famous for its floral displays, winner of the European Entente Florale and is also our gateway to the glens. Day 2 – today’s distance – 16mls/25km Our first day’s cycle is a gentle run on quiet country roads heading towards Glenarm the oldest village in the glen. On your way you may wish to take a slight detour and venture up Slemish Mountain, where Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, is said to have tended livestock as a slave boy in the 5th century. Our destination today is Carnlough, a coastal village with a neat little harbour situated at the foot of Glencloy a few miles round the coast from Glenarm. The day finishes in the Londonderry Arms Hotel, which offers a warm welcome, an excellent meal and on most evenings good craic in the bar with live traditional Irish music. Day 3 – today’s distance – 32mls/51km Today’s cycle heads for Glenariff glen known as the queen of the glens with its gushing waterfall and scenic path skirting the sheer side of the plunging gorge. Cycling on from Glenariff we come to Cushendall the " Capital of the Glens". The last leg of our journey then continues cross-country and after a short climb we cycle on a quiet road with magnificent views, free wheeling past the edge of Ballypatrick forest and on into Ballycastle. On your way be careful not to fall prey to Loughareema, the mysterious "vanishing lake", watery grave to coach and horses throughout the ages, legend has it. We stay in Ballycastle for two nights. Day 4 – rest day Ballycastle is a busy small town with numerous restaurants, musical pubs and a blue flag beach. From here you can get a ferry to Rathlin Island whose rugged cliffs are home to the biggest seabird colony in Europe. Day 5 – today’s distance – 18mls/29km This morning we set off for a jam-packed day, only a short route of 18 miles but a lot to see. The famous Carrick- a- Rede rope bridge, the windswept ruins of Kenbane, Dunseverick and Dunluce castles, golden sands of White Park Bay, the Giant’s Causeway and finishing up in Bushmills, home of the famous Distillery. Tonight we stay in the little port and beach resort of Portballintrae. Day 6 – today’s distance – 29mls/46km Today we head back towards the glens along quiet country lanes. We will be cycling through Glendun, capturing some of the most breathtaking scenery of the week. The last stretch of which is mostly down hill into the National Trust village of Cushendun where pretty Cornish style cottages line the streets and is our stopover for the evening. Day 7 – today’s distance – 22mls/35km The route today takes us through our final magnificent glen, Glenaan, translated to mean "glen of the little fords" followed by a relaxed cycle alongside Slieveanorra Forest as we head back to Broughshane. On your way you can visit a Neolithic court grave of Ossian, who was reputed to be Finn McCool’s son, the giant from the Causeway Day 8- After a final breakfast and farewell you commence your journey back home. |
Nature has spent thousands of years perfecting it. Stories of giants and ghosts, witches and warlords have enriched it. Man over the centuries has enhanced it.Artists, writers, poets and musicians have been inspired by it.