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County Antrim

Giant's Causeway

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Howburn Digger wrote:
I lived near the Giant's Causeway (at Portrush) for three years in the 1980's. I used to love the get the bus out to the GC. The steep path down to the site was a real toil back then (no nice smooth footpath as now!) but once you were down there, you were effectively cut off from everything above. The coastal path which goes along by the GC and round the dizzying headlands and tightly enclosed bays is strangely claustrophobic at points. You cannot see anything above.
As for golf courses the area is very well catered for in that respect. There is the Ballyreagh Course, Royal Portrush and another one between Bushmills and Portballantrae (close to the GC). The Pringle wearers aren't exactly suffering from a lack of available links. Not a "sport" I enjoy but I really cant see any clifftop golf club development having any impact on the Causeway or the coastal path.
The GC itself is a truly magical and strange place to visit. The formations and columns are bewildering. On the walk down from the clifftop to the sea, you can see Islay and the Paps of Jura in the distance. The cliffs themselves have massive sections where you can make out the huge columnar basalt like the pipes of a huge church organ. The actual causeway section at the sea is a baffling jigsaw of beautifully formed geometric shapes.
Many of the gardens in Portballantrae and Portrush sport rockeries with parts of the GC.
A wonderfully descriptive piece of writing, much appreciated because I've not yet visited (it is on my ever growing list). It seems curious then why the National Trust in N.I. are opposing the development so vigorously.

tjj wrote:
It seems curious then why the National Trust in N.I. are opposing the development so vigorously.
It's what they do.
The NT don't have to have valid reasons for their stupidity, but if they don't use their funds they may well find them cut.
It's about time the NH and EH were merged into one body, imo.

tjj wrote:
A wonderfully descriptive piece of writing, much appreciated because I've not yet visited (it is on my ever growing list). It seems curious then why the National Trust in N.I. are opposing the development so vigorously.
Opposing all developments seems to be part of their remit and must cost a small fortune.

A lot of kids I meet don't care a stuff for the past. Equally a lot do and I think that is reflected throughout people of all ages. There has to be give and take and appreciation of differing views. The NT are trying to uphold their view which I assume is supposed to reflect what they think the public always want, but is it? This is a modern world and we have to balance those views accordingly. If the new project doesn't harm or obstruct the Steps in any way other than the fact that they don't wish to see it happening, then they won't succeed.