WHITEHEAD TO BALLYCARRY WALK

DATE: 1 December 2023.

SHORT WALK:  3 miles/1.5 hours plus lunch break.       

LEADER: Robert McDowell, Telephone No 028 93373084 (land line)

                                                                                            07711 706022 (mobile)

MEETING POINT/TIME: Platform 1, Whitehead Railway Station at 11.30 am.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT:

Outward Journey:

Train – Dep Whiteabbey 11.05 am, dep Jordanstown 11.09 am, dep Greenisland 11.12 am, dep Carrickfergus 11.20 am, arr Whitehead 11.30 am.

Return Journey:

Train – Dep Ballycarry 2.10 pm, dep Whitehead 2.15 pm, arr Carrickfergus 2.24 pm, arr Greenisland 2.33 pm, arr Jordanstown 2.36 pm, arr Whiteabbey 2.39 pm.

BY CAR:

Take the A2 Shore Road towards Larne through Eden village. Take the first turnoff to Whitehead down Cable Road.  Take the third left onto King’s Road which goes over the railway bridge and, at the T junction, turn right onto Chester Avenue.  The Park and Ride car park is situated on the right hand side beside the railway line.  If there are no spaces available, you may park on Chester Avenue.

THE WALK:

From the railway station, we will walk to the promenade at the seafront at Whitehead, continuing along the coastal path.  We will climb the steps to the Blackhead Lighthouse and walk down McCrea’s Brae past Whitehead Golf Club.  We will walk along Ballystrudder/Low Road Islandmagee, stopping briefly to look at the Community Garden.  We will then walk along Reid’s Road and Middle Road to the Gobbins Visitors’ Centre where we will have lunch.  After lunch we will walk to Ballycarry Railway Station.  The walk is well surfaced and is mostly flat apart from the steps up to the lighthouse and the downward slope at McCrea’s Brae.

Note that there are no toilets at either railway station.  There are pay toilets in the car park near the start of the coastal path at Whitehead and free toilets in the Gobbins Visitors’ Centre.

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