…upon the sea-sand….
Here is another information placard found near Cushendun harbor, with a lovely poem.
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Here are several of the information placards near the harbor explaining some local history.
Here is a house on the Cushendun harbor road, windows opening to the Irish Sea. Doesn’t it go well with the poem?
Unexpected Beauty
Coronavirus is raging this March 20th (I schedule posts several weeks ahead now), on this day of our anniversary, easy for me to remember falling close to or on the Spring equinox. Earliest spring flowers were up for a week when I spied this group of crocus blooms on a hill. We do not remember them being there, so I called Pam to enjoy them.
These are extra special, Pam’s parents planted them years ago. The above images are the same photograph. On the left, white balance is set to “cloudy.” At the time, late afternoon, the sun was behind low clouds, providing back light. Perfect lighting for flowers, which is why I interrupted springtime yard cleanup to run inside for the camera.
My intent was to increase the f-stop to over 20 for the following photograph. Metadata on the photograph shows I was only successful in increasing it from 5 to 5.7. ISO was increased from 100 to 400. There was an intermittent breeze and my intent was to avoid blur.
In retrospect, I neglected to change to Aperture mode so any change to F-stop I made was reset. This is a beginners mistake, so photograph turned out well. The colors are richer in the f/5.7 shot.
Nearest Ferry, today
Today, the nearest ferry is just over an hour south, on the M2, Belfast and there is no option for the Mull of Kintyre. You can go to Cairnyan, Scotland; Douglas, Isle of Mann; or Liverpool, England.
Torr Road lopes over the hill, upper right.
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Across the Water
North is a glimpse of land across the water, a reason Cushendun was a ferry port since ancient times: the Mull of Kintyre across the North Channel. The ridge to the sea is townland Tornamoney (Irish Tor na monadh).
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Tableland
Standing on the beach at Cushendun village, looking south to take in the broad sweep of the shallow bay.
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Tableland
Standing on the beach at Cushendun village, looking east towards the Scottish coast, just over the horizon. Cushendun is an ancient ferry port.
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Tableland
Standing on the beach at Cushendun village, looking west towards the glens. The Antrim coast is notable for the rising tablelands of broad, eroded valleys, or glens.
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Neat and tidy
Here is a view of our route to Torr Head standing on the beach at Cushendun, facing north. The village name in Irish is Cois Abhann Doinne, meaning at the foot of the river Dun, the land here and bay formed by the outflow of rivers from the glens.
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Gorse in flower
In 3.1 miles Torr Road passes nine townlands between Cushendun and Torcorr Townland, each with a namestone holding the Irish and Anglicized name. We can walk it in an hour at a steady pace, the terrane is sliced up so.
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Tornamoney townland is “Cattle Field of the Bogland.” That is the car door, foreground.
Common to all was the slope down to the North Channel.
Rowan Tree directional growth from a constant east wind..
Sheep pasture above the Loughan Cottage ruins.
Here is the friendly owner who climbed off his tractor for a chat with Pam while I photographed.
Rising from Cushendun Village
Torr Road passes nine townlands between Cushendun and Torcorr Townlands, each with a namestone holding the Irish and Anglicized name. Here are a few interesting names.
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“Ballindam” is derived from the Irish “Baile an tdam”, the Anglicization is the sounding out of Irish. Baile is “town” and “an tdam” is on the dam.
Headed uphill, the next is “Ballycleagh”. Bally is the English pronunciation of Baile. I found “cleagh” on Google translate under “Scots Irish” for “Well.” So, this is the town of the well.
Here is a sheep lookout at the aptly named, Alt gabhair townland, Irish for “Goat Section.” Otherwise known as Altagore.
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 