Portballintrae Visit

I've been spending a few days at the County Antrim seaside resort of Portballintrae.

For those who don't know, Portballintrae is very close to Bushmills, a larger village, celebrated for its whiskey distillery.

Today, after breakfast, I motored along the coast to Portbradden, a spectacular old cluster of fishermen's cottages at the bottom of a cliff.

There is a National Trust holiday cottage here; and my acquaintance Con Auld was in residence at his charming cottage, decorated and beautified in his inimitable style.

I brought Con an apple pie, though I was a bit early for him. I might call again some afternoon.

Thence I drove further along the coast, to Ballintoy harbour, another spectacular place, renowned nowadays as a Game Of Thrones setting.

The little tea-room and cafeteria, Roark's Kitchen, was open; and I noticed that fresh chowder and wheaten bread was on the menu for lunch.

Two well-coiffured elderly ladies were seated outside, apparently "people-watching"; because, as I passed, I overheard one of them - a woman of some corpulence - make a remark about the "scallywag wearing skinny jeans". 

The irony of it.

On my way back to Portballintrae I stopped at the whitewashed little Ballintoy Parish Church, where I took the opportunity of photographing several headstones in the adjoining graveyard.

Names included Trail, Macartney, and Stewart.

IN the afternoon I visited Dunluce Castle, a historic monument well worth a visit. It is well preserved.

At the car-park there is a charming little cottage which sells souvenirs and provides meals and refreshments. 

Somebody has a keen sense of humour!

The bridge over to the old castle originally had a drawbridge, though this was later replaced with an arched bridge.

I ambled across the main road to the ruinous and roofless St Cuthbert's church, which presumably was once used for divine worship by family or servants at Dunluce Castle.