Castlerock to Coleraine and home: E2 Day 28

After four weeks on the road, time to return home.

After a truly, enormous breakfast I started my nine kilometre walk to the town of Coleraine. A peaceful road walk all the way among fields. Better pasture than most I have seen on this trip, the growth of new grass this spring is adding to the lush greenness. Scattered houses, the Irish seem to like spreading out.

Road to Coleraine.

Coleraine had a river and neat town square but I did not tarry long. Having booked a flight I wanted to get closer to the airport before relaxing. I need not have worried, the train was on time and glided smoothly through the countryside to Antrim (closer to Belfast International Airport than Belfast). As only a short bus trip remained I visited a barber in Antrim's main shopping street. I wanted to look an attractive husband for my return home. Discovering I had been walking the barber told me of a trail race he had completed in the Mourne Mountains, very proud that his team had come second, but then he was a boxer so he was fit.

With some time spare I followed the river walk to Lough Neagh, learning it was the largest freshwater lake in Britain and Ireland. On the way I passed a "dog park", where various breeds were practising on a doggy obstacle courses, one for small and senior dogs, another for Alsatian sized animals. Crossing over a bridge I entered the Castle Gardens. Although the 17th century castle burnt down in 1922 in suspicious circumstances, the gardens are still impressive with a terrace, parterre, "canal" and interlocking paths along which people were enjoying a stroll.

Lough Neagh

Looking over "Six Mile Water" to the Castle Grounds, with some of the building's remains visible.

Catching the bus to the airport coincided with pupils of a local school going home. I was amazed that, seeing there were a few of us older people wanting to catch the bus, the large group of school children parted, standing aside to let us through. Courtesy is not yet dead among the young! Not that I am that happy being an older person, on principal I refused the pensioner discount at the barbers. After an uneventful, if slightly delayed, flight home, and another bus and train, I had a surprise. Despite the lateness of the hour, my wife and dogs came to met me as I walked back from the station, all seemed pleased at my return.