Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Another fantastic Northern Ireland site is the rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede. Located near Ballintoy in County Antrim, this bridge was first erected by fishermen about 350 years ago. It spans over a 23-meter deep and 20-meter wide chasm and was traditionally used by the fishermen so that they could check their salmon nets. Today fishermen no longer work in the area due to a diminished availability of salmon. In the 1960's fishermen caught approximately 300 salmon per day, but by 2002 only 300 salmon were caught in a single season.
The original rope bridge consisted of a single rope hand rail that was replaced with a two hand railed bridge by the National Trust. So suffice it to say it's much safer now than I'm sure it was 350+ years ago! For those afraid of heights, crossing is definitely a thrill since the rope bridge undulates as everyone walks across it. However, the staff has safety in mind as only a maximum amount of individuals can cross at any one time. So don't despair!
Once you cross the bridge you'll find yourself on Carrick Island with a clear view of Rathlin Island and Scotland. Sadly I don't own a telephoto lens, so I don't have photos to share as none of my them did this view justice. But it's pretty wild to be able to see another country's shores from the country in which you are currently exploring.
Carrick Island also has a busy and diverse birdlife, providing nature photographers with plenty of opportunities to snap some avian shots.
The island also has an interesting geology story in that it's one of the best examples of a volcanic plug in Northern Ireland. A volcanic plug occurs when magma hardens within a vent of an active volcano. Due to its volcanic history, tuff, explosion breccias, and grey volcanic ash are present on the island, further illustrating a past filled with violent eruptions.
And, once you've finished exploring the island, the only way back to your car, of course, is to cross the rope bridge one final time! On your way back to the car take some time to enjoy the vantage points, flora, and fauna that you'll witness along the footpath.
Northern Ireland's Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge suits many travelers' tastes from the nature-seeker to the amateur geologist. As I have with so many of the sites we visited in Ireland and Northern Ireland, I of course recommend holding on to your bootstraps and finding the courage to cross this bridge. Northern Ireland has many stunning views and geological sites and this one certainly fits the bill for both.
What beautiful photos! I recently visited Portstewart for the first time and we went to Ballintoy briefly as it's in Game of Thrones, and then onto Giant's Causeway. It was so wild, but gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHannah :) (tolleybakes.com)
Thank you very much! I didn't realize Ballintoy was in Game of Thrones, though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since the Dark Hedges, which I blogged about a post or two before this, were used as the King's Road. I'm actually prepping a Giant's Causeway blog post, so be on the look out for that! :)
DeleteLovely memories about Northern Ireland! Did you see Dunluce Castle and the Dark Hedges, too?
ReplyDeleteCaz | Style Lingua
Thank you, Carolin! Yes, we saw the Dark Hedges and Dunluce Castle as well. I'm actually hoping to get my post out about Dunluce sometime this week. I've been slammed with work lately. Fingers crossed!
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