Five boys completed their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze qualifying expedition as they explored the historical points of interest around Ballypatrick and Torr Head.
Their adventure began a few miles outside Cushendun, on an unassuming gravel track along the Cushleake Road. The boys were greeted by their assessor Uel Mackin, Captain of 4th Lisburn Company. Uel explained that he would meet the boys at various points along their route and reminded them to enjoy themselves before the set off on the first leg of their journey.
The boys headed north west, following a track to reach Loughareema, the mysterious “Vanishing Lake” which reappears during heavy rainfall. On this occasion the lake was empty, giving the boys a look at the various muddy banks that meander into a sinkhole in the middle of the lake bottom. From here the boys followed the Loughareema Road north west to an entrance of Ballypatrick Forest, where Uel was waiting to check on them.
After a brief chat, the boys followed the gravel tracks deeper into the heart to the forest to reach their first point of interest – a Double Horned Cairn. This ancient form of grave contains two burial chambers and dates back to 2,000 BC. After some exploration, the group continued along the gravel tracks to reach an exit on the north eastern corner of the forest. From here it was a short walk along the Cushendall Road to enter Watertop Farm, and then find where to pitch their tents for the night.
Uel was waiting for the boys to observe their camping and cooking skills, and was joined by leaders Jonathan and Tommy. Satisfied with what they saw, the adults left the boys in peace to enjoy their dinner and the rest of their evening at camp.
Day 2
The following morning, the boys packed up their tents and headed east to another ancient burial chamber located on Carnanmore mountain. When they reached the summit they were greeted by Jonathan and Tommy who had ascended from the other side to observe the boys. After a short break, the boys descended north east to reach Torr Head where met with Uel again before exploring the former Coast Guard station.
Next the boys climbed the steep and winding Torr Road north west to the derelict RAF Murlough Bay, a Cold War era radar station used to detect enemy bombers. With the end in sight, the boys plodded on following the roads to arrive at the headland above Murlough Bay itself. Uel met the boys one last time, and chatted with them about what they had learned during the last two days.
Despite the sore feet and aching shoulders, the expedition was a success. We had been blessed with beautiful sunny weather which gave spectacular panoramic views of the coastline. With their qualifying expedition complete, the boys are one step (or several thousand) closer to achieving their Bronze award.
A big thank you to Uel Mackin, for his cheerful assistance during the expedition.
