Islandmagee to Gobbins – Short Walk – See Further Post for Revised Arrangements

DATE:  10 January 2020.

SHORT WALK – 3 miles.  The walk will take c3 hours, including a lunch break.

LEADER: Robert McDowell, Telephone No 028 93373084 (landline)                    07711 706022 (mobile).

MEETING POINT/TIME:  Ballycarry Railway Station at 10.34 am (train users) OR

Gobbins Centre, Middle Road, Islandmagee at 11 am (car users).

PUBLIC TRANSPORT:

Outward Journey:

Train – Dep Lanyon Place 9.55 am, dep Carrickfergus 10.20 am, dep Whitehead 10.31 am, arr Ballycarry 10.34 am.

Return Journey:

Train – Dep Ballycarry 2.10 pm, arr Whitehead 2.14 pm, arr C’fergus 2.23 pm.

BY CAR:

The Gobbins Centre, Islandmagee is c18 miles from Belfast city centre and c8 miles from Carrickfergus.  From Belfast city centre, take the M2 motorway north, then the M5 motorway, the Shore Road through Whiteabbey, Greenisland, Carrickfergus and Eden.  Pass the turnoff to Whitehead and the first turnoff to Islandmagee (B150) – the “Bentra” restaurant is at the corner.  Take the next turnoff on the right hand side onto Island Road Lower, signposted “Islandmagee” (B90).  The road crosses Larne Lough.  At the roundabout, go straight on and at the ‘T’ junction (the Rinkha shop is right in front of you), turn left onto Middle Road.  The Gobbins Centre is c400 yards on the left hand side where there are plenty of parking spaces.

THE WALK:

The walk from/to Ballycarry railway station to the Gobbins Centre is c0.75 miles each way.  The Gobbins upper path linear walk is c0.75 miles each way.

Note: While there is a charge for the Gobbins lower path walk, there is no charge for this upper path walk.  There is a short steep decline/incline at the start/end of the walk which is well surfaced.  The upper path is flat and well surfaced.  As the road from the Gobbins Centre to the start of the walk is narrow and has no footpath, it is dangerous to walk along.  As there is no parking on Gobbins Road, arrangements have been made to transport everyone to and from the start of the walk.  

LUNCH:

We will have lunch at c1 pm at the Gobbins Centre where there are loos, a gift shop and an information centre.  There are no loos at the upper path.