Blog

Reflections on experiencing the best of this little bit of world around us

Covid-19 – Stay at Home

Updated 24th March

The update is short today – stay at home.

Only walk locally once a day for exercise and ensure you keep the 2m social distancing guidelines. If you see someone ahead on a narrow pavement – cross over the road they will understand. Distancing is for everyone’s good.

None of the routes described here are appropriate for this purpose.

I will keep “Grand Day Out” online on the chance that reading some of my descriptions, maps and photographs might be helpful to someone. Perhaps to plan for future days out in better times or to help remember or experience these beautiful places.

Also I want to be ready for when restrictions lift, so I will continue to add content I have already collected and improve maps and other resources.

Stay safe

Charlie Reid

Carnfunnock Country Park

Please do not do any of these walks in the present circumstances. Even if you are local to the walk and do not need to travel, many paths are too narrow to allow sufficient social distancing. Stay local on wide paths and roads you know. This is not a time for exploring!

See also Covid-19 – Stay at Home

Maps and photos note: click or tap to see any maps or photographs below as a high resolution version.

Please reuse this map but first see https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
TYPECircular Walk through walled garden, parkland and deciduous woodland with great sea views
DISTANCE3.5 miles / 5.6 km
SURFACESMostly well made compacted surfaces with variable slopes. Optional steeper, rougher and potential muddy section in woodland.
HEIGHT GAIN / LOSS165 feet climb
HAZARDS Optional woodland section on steeper paths requires additional care.

Carnfunnock is not just for families – this elevated parkland has walking with great sea views, a beautiful walled garden, historical interest and mature beech wood trails. It is also easily accessible to the greater Belfast area and sits on the side of the superb Antrim Coast Road – one of the great drives of these islands.

One of the 13 beautifully conceived sundial based artworks in the Time Garden
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Correl Glen and Carrick Viewpoint

Please do not do any of these walks in the present circumstances. Even if you are local to the walk and do not need to travel, many paths are too narrow to allow sufficient social distancing. Stay local on wide paths and roads you know. This is not a time for exploring!

See also Covid-19 – Stay at Home

Maps and photos note: click or tap to see any maps or photographs below as a high resolution version.

Please reuse this map but first see https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
TYPECircular walk up through natural wooded glen to open mountain and viewpoint and back along riverside.
DISTANCE0.75 miles /1.2 km
SURFACESMostly well made compacted surfaces with variable slopes.
HEIGHT GAIN / LOSS150 feet climb
HAZARDS
    Some steeper path sections.

Don’t be put off by the shortness of this route – it is a great little walk crammed full of woodland and heath richness with some of the best views in Fermanagh. It certainly wouldn’t fill a day, but it would be an ideal excursion between showers on a clear fresh day when the views will be at their best and the rocky Glen fills with cascades of tumbling water. It also combines well with the Lough Navar Forest Drive and other shorter stops at the Cliffs of Magho and Lough Achork. See map at end of this post for details.

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Errigal Glen and the Gortnamoyah Inauguration Stone

Please do not do any of these walks in the present circumstances. Even if you are local to the walk and do not need to travel, many paths are too narrow to allow sufficient social distancing. Stay local on wide paths and roads you know. This is not a time for exploring!

See also Covid-19 – Stay at Home

Maps and photos note: click or tap to see any maps or photographs below as a high resolution version.


Please reuse this map but first see https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
TYPECircular walk through deciduous glen and gorge, then road walking, with ancient church, souterrain and conifer plantation with Clan Inauguration Stone
DISTANCE2.3 miles / 3.7 km
SURFACESUndulating natural woodland paths, asphalt roads and forest tracks. Can be muddy in places.
HEIGHT GAIN / LOSS230 feet climb
HAZARDS
  • Unguarded drops along gorge
    • away from path
  • section walking on ‘B’ road with one blind hill requiring extra care

This short walk features a great diversity of attractions. The deciduous glen and gorge woodland is a beautiful mix of mature planted beech on the level ground and native species populating the steep sides. The glen is part of the grounds of the Grade II listed Ballintemple House (once described as a ‘Thatched Hunting Lodge’ when owned by the Bishop of Derry) which dates from the late 1700’s. An ancient graveyard and church ruin associated with St Adamnon (of Iona fame) is visited. Adjacent to this is a Souterrain and further along the route, in the section through Gortnamoyagh forest, you visit a low hill with a clan Inauguration Stone .

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