Adventures on Rathlin Island

I have explored the Causeway Coastal Route many times, but I never took the time to visit Rathlin Island as well – until now. It’s only 20 minutes by ferry from Ballycastle, but it feels like you’ve entered a different world. The moment I set foot on the island, an immense feeling of tranquillity hit me. I understand why people come here, and don’t want to leave. The (small) community is close-knit, friendly and helpful. I experienced that within the hour: the weather was fickle as usual, and while I was on my way to the western point of the island (puffins!) it started to pour. A wee bit of rain has never stopped me from doing anything, but I couldn’t say no when a woman from the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) offered me a lift. The same woman also showed me the only upside-down lighthouse in Ireland, which will be open to the public in August (well, that’s the plan). I think it’s going to be very interesting, with an insight in how life must have been for the lighthouse keeper. It was a manned lighthouse until the 80’s.

Back to one of the main reasons I came to Rathlin: puffins! They’re breeding now, at the bottom of a massive cliff. This is the safest place for them, as the island is full of predators such as rats and ferrets. And they’re not the only ones who found refuge on this side of the island: over 80.000(!!!) seabirds made their nests on or under the cliff and the nearby sea stacks. It’s the loudest place on the entire island, very impressive! The RSPB offered me a telescope and binoculars so I could spot the puffins, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills and fulmars. A lovely mix of birds, but my favourite is still the puffin – so cute!

spot the puffin - click to enlarge

The hike back to the harbour area was amazing, with (of course) many sheep. This breed of sheep was chosen because of its hardiness, as the Rathlin winters are very harsh. Rathlin is mainly covered with heather, grass and bushes – and some lakes as well. In some places, it looks like the lake and ocean are at the same level (which, of course, they’re not). After a lovely meal and a bit of relaxation, I went back to the pub for a night of entertainment. The islanders sure know how to have a good time! ;)

I’m not very good at lying in, especially when I’m on a trip - no rest for the wicked. ;) My Sunday morning walk is probably the highlight of this trip: I walked for 2.5 hours without seeing anyone! I did some off-road rambling, climbed a few fences and walked on cliff edges. Some of these things might not have been very safe to do on my own, but I LOVED it. I think the South Lighthouse is my favourite part of the island, I spotted a lot of seals in the ocean and on the rocks. I was sitting ca. 15 metres away from them and they just didn’t care. A perfect place for some meditation – but to be honest, the entire island is.

I can highly recommend a trip to Rathlin, one day is perfect if you’re not a crazy hiker like me. You could take the ‘Puffin Bus’, learn about the island’s history (Scottish King Robert the Bruce took refuge here) and of course enjoy the puffins, seals and other animals.

I absolutely loved this weekend getaway: I feel soooo zen!

(and a bit sore, I hiked -and climbed- more than 15 miles in one weekend)

Mixtape Monday (11): Going Home

De afgelopen weken heb ik maar liefst 3(!) vluchten geboekt en dat heeft deze mixtape geïnspireerd. Over een maand ben ik weer een week in Nederland, om mijn lieve familie & vrienden weer te zien. Ook zal ik het Best Kept Secret festival weer onveilig gaan maken, daarover later meer. Ik heb het nog steeds erg naar mijn zin in Belfast maar ik ben toch ook wel weer toe aan een goede dosis Nederland ;) Tijd voor brood, frikadellen speciaal, mijn moeders kookkunsten, frietje oorlog, appelstroop en nog meer van dat soort lekkernijen… ik krijg al honger als ik dit typ!

Deze Mixtape Monday staat dus in het teken van ‘vliegen’, ‘reizen’ en ‘thuis’. Want hoe veel & vaak je ook reist, thuiskomen blijft een speciaal gevoel!

1. J.J. Cale – Call me the Breeze
I keep blowing down the road
I ain't got me nobody,
I ain't carrying me no load
2. Oasis – Up in the Sky
3. Vashti Bunyan – Train Song
4. Carole King – Home Again
Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again
It's so far and out of sight
I really need someone to talk to
And nobody else knows how to comfort me tonight
5. Tallest Man on Earth – Fields of Our Home
6. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Our House
7. Jamestown Revival – Home
8. Blur – Country House
9. Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly
10. Justin Townes Earle – Wanderin’
Well I'm just a lonely traveler and I don't know where I'm bound.
Though, that if I keep on moving then I know that I'll be found.
I'll climb high atop a mountain, call for he who holds the crown,
But until that day, keep on wanderin'
11. Johnny Flynn – Shore to Shore
12. Angus & Julia Stone – Big Jet Plane
13. M. Ward – To go home
14. Nick Mulvey – Meet me there
Oh there's a field, meet me there
Out beyond rightness and wrong, meet me there
I'm on my way, meet me there
Please come along, tie back your hair
15. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Learning to Fly



En tot slot, nog een een bonus nummer. Johnny Flynn & Laura Marling, een opname van een aantal jaar geleden. De tekst is erg schattig, en zo waar: I travel light & that's the life for me!