Herb Riddle's photos

As we continue our easterly direction walk to this UNESCO World Heritage site we begin to see the crowds and basalt rock columns. We were to join the throng and have our picnic there too. Another phone photo, even though I had my big camera swinging from my neck on this slippery surface. ~ The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles northeast of the town of Bushmills. ~

Walking along the coastal path eastwards from Ballintoy eventually brings us to this this rope bridge. Now for some reason we had supposed that we could buy the inflated price ticket over it, at the bridge itself but it turned out that you had either to buy from a special café near a carpark some distance away or on-line. As we had not done this, our way was barred. We however still got some nice views from the mainland path as can be seen here. The PiP shows a lone adult leading a child over this wobbly bridge with the waves crashing below. Our viewing of this showed many people going over it with some trepidation and maybe understandable fear. They were only allowed over, singularly or in very small personal groups. The Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is a rope bridge near Ballintoy in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The bridge links the mainland to the tiny island of Carrickarede. It spans 20 metres and is 30 metres above the rocks below. The bridge is mainly a tourist attraction and is owned and maintained by the National Trust. The name Carrick-a-Rede, from the Scottish Gaelic 'Carraig-a-Rade' means 'The Rock in the Road' - the island being an obstacle in the path of migrating salmon. Suspended across the 20-metre-wide chasm, this famous rope bridge was first erected in 1755 to connect salmon fishermen to the rocky island of Carrick-a-Rede. (The National Trust/Wiki) HFF, enjoy the weekend.

A lone adult leading a child over this wobbly bridge with the waves crashing below. Our viewing of this showed many people going over it with some trepidation and maybe understandable fear. They were only allowed over, singularly or in very small personal groups.

As we progress east towards this World famous landmark we start to see the background clifftops and very distinctive rock formations of Benbane Head which looks down onto the causeway. At the moment we are by ourselves on this path but we were to join the throngs of other tourist shortly. Until then enjoy this view with me. See Pip for closer view showing the Organ Pipes too. Essential full screen

We are walking here from the harbour town of Portballintrae to the famous Giants causeway. Alongside us is the ‘Bushmill Railway’ line, a two mile stretch from the whisky town of Bushmills to the Giants Causway. It used to be the old tramway but now has a small diesel locomotive running three days a week that we unfortunately never saw. Across the bay is the rather nice Runkerry manor house. ( A description of that can be seen in the previous photo). Our way leads us in front of the house and around to its back left to climb the hill in the background. Nice full screen

Runkerry House is one of Northern Ireland’s grand country homes, a landmark Victorian-era manor overlooking the ocean near the Giant’s Causeway. Built by Edward Macnaghten in 1885, it boasted 20 bedrooms, 5.6 hectares (14 acres) of gardens and a beautiful location by Bushfoot Strand in Portballintrae, County Antrim. It has embodied not just grandeur but generosity because in 1950 Macnaghten’s son, Sir Malcolm Macnaghten, gifted the estate, worth £3.25m in today’s money, to Northern Ireland’s government. But there was, it turns out, a less than philanthropic reason for such munificence. Newly declassified documents reveal Macnaghten, an MP and high court judge, wanted to keep the property out of Catholic hands. As we passed it, it was clear that extensive renovation work was being carried out. Nice full size.

Just like the majority of agricultural farmland in Europe, June is a time to cut the meadows and hillsides for winter hay. This will feed cattle and other livestock throughout the winter. We see here the cut grass drying in the sun before bailing and taking to the storage barns. These fields are just off the coast near Ballintoy in Northern Ireland. Essential full screen

Situated in the grounds of Invercauld castle near Breamar, we sat inside here during a walk in May 2019. Fog houses are a special type of pleasure or summer house popular in Scotland and at one time commonly found on many country estates as a feature in the pleasure gardens. The name 'Fog' derives from the Scots word for the moss that was a major feature of the building, mainly used to line the walls and roof. (Wiki) See PiP for external view. Enjoy full size and enjoy your week in safety.

A grand walk through the grounds of Invercauld castle, Scotland brings us to this. See next photo for internal view. We were to walk about another four miles+ past here.

A rather different take of one of our garden sweet pea flowers. Described as a flowering plant, this bit had invaded the inside of my greenhouse whereas the main parent plant sits outside. It climbs to about two metres if allowed on anything it can get its little feelers around. It has been flowering in the same spot now for about four years. A black background card accounts for the dark background. Essential full screen

Another look at the harbour district of this magical place. Here we see the view to the west. Disrupted by dangerous black rocks and heavy sea’s. I had to wipe spray of my lens after this capture. PiPs Essential full screen

A chance for both boys and girls to get some extra exercise and friendly sport on this Saturday morning. Taken at the side of one of our new local schools on what appears to be artificial turf. A certain reluctance nowadays to take such snaps as parents and staff soon get suspicious of the reasons. For me, of course, it’s simply getting some interest along with a fence. HFF, enjoy the weekend.

Another view from the eastern side of Ballantoy harbour looking northeast towards the dark steep rocks known as Sheep Island. Beyond that is the far larger Rathlin Island with its white western lighthouse that can just about be see here. Again the rocks below us here are most photogenic and inviting but quite dangerous as well. Essential full screen

Who he or she was, I know not, but they left behind a lot of people to mourn the passing. The scene is Ballintoy Parish Church, high above the harbour on a crest of a hill. The church looks down over the large vista of rocky coastline above the Ocean and sandy bays nearby. We are just starting off on the high coastal path towards Carrick-A-Rede. Have an enjoyable and safe week in perhaps cooler and wetter weather.

Ballantoy harbour and the aftermath of strong winds at sea bring in these adventurous waves. I am stood on a big rock alongside a good few other people, all mesmerised by the pounding waves on the sharp rocks. Not a place to fall into but to study the strength and beauty of nature. Gazing at this photo you can almost feel the spray in your face, hear the pounding thunder of the wave crashes and smell the salt in the air. see Pip for full harbour view. Essential full screen

Away from the harbour, we head east high above the sea. We are walking towards the Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge. The two left pointed hills are in fact coast cliff headlands. The seat itself faces the sea. Enjoy full size and enjoy your week in safety.

People who know my travels and photography know that I have been to some splendid coastal spots. I can honestly say that my mind was blown away with this tiny picturesque harbour. Accessed by a spectacular, steep winding road, it is a painter’s paradise with sea stacks, rocky islands, pools and busy harbour leading to one of Europe’s great cliff-top and wild beach walks. The village itself is one kilometre from the harbour up-hill. I have a problem here. This place was only a 20 minute drive from our holiday home and so we visited it on two occasions, taking copious photographs. The first time, on our first full day in this area, the weather was very windy and the seas were pounding on the many rocks, displaying marvellous splash scenes with a backdrop of very broody cloud. In fact I took so many shots that the choice to post here is overwhelming. The second time was in much more photogenic lighting but nowhere as much interest in the waves at low tide. And so, in answer, I give you one of the few I took showing the very popular café, tiny path and free car park to give you an idea. I will post more of the real seascapes in the following days and weeks. Essential full screen

Well we are now in our second location of this Ireland trip. Our first day takes us just a few short miles inland to this iconic location. I have always been a lover of such trees and had some luck once before with some similar in England but this wonderful avenue had a very special feeling to it. I did expect there to be some tourist but was astounded by the amount that we encountered just minutes after taking this, many coming by bus from as far away as Dublin on Cruise Ship tours. Fortunately an early start made us miss most of the hordes and another trip later in the early evening gave me another view. This beautiful avenue of beech trees was planted by the Stuart family in the eighteenth century. It was intended as a compelling landscape feature to impress visitors as they approached the entrance to their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House. Two centuries later, the trees remain a magnificent sight and have become one of the most photographed natural phenomena in Northern Ireland. In fact, the iconic trees have been used as a filming location in HBO's epic series Game of Thrones, representing the Kingsroad. Featured Scenes: Season 2, Episode 1: The North Remembers - On the King's Road, Arya Stark has escaped from King’s Landing, disguised as a boy. She is with Yoren, Gendry, Hot Pie and others who are to join the Night’s Watch, in a cart, travelling north on the Kingsroad. discovernorthernireland.com Essential full screen. See PiP for another view without people. The second pip shows my 2014 Cathedral of Trees in Devon. Enjoy the weekend.