Ballymacormick Point, Groomsport, County Down

We assembled at nine-thirty this morning for a half-day of maintenance work at Ballymacormick Point, the National Trust's coastal land near Groomsport in County Down. Our meeting-place was the car-park at the Banks in Ballyholme. There was quite a good turnout today; there must have been about a dozen of us. It's always good to see familiar faces again; I wasn't in the best of form, though I still managed to bring the usual cheese-and-onion sandwiches, flask of tea and a tea-cake.

Armed with spades, loppers and a bolt-cutter, we began the principal task which was to remove old fencing along the path. Most of the stakes were deeply inbedded and rusty barbed-wire was attached to them. However, we managed to get quite a substantial section done, perhaps three hundred yards.

Ballymacormick Point is a lovely spot; unspoiled, natural and popular with dog-walkers and naturalists. There is a small inlet with a tiny, golden sand beach at the opposite side. Very pretty. Cars can easily be parked at the village of Groomsport nearby.