Kilrea - Coleraine

Kilrea to Coleraine

A trip into the unknown.  A 6:00am train journey, followed by an excellent breakfast in the Nobel Cafe in Ballymena.  Then slow bus to Kilrea and finally start running.

First stop at Movanagher Canal. Eels are farmed here and brought to Coleraine by lorry, then they swim the Atlantic and come back to the Bann to get caught. It's a tough life being an eel.

This old graveyard at Vow was were the Rev William Martin convinced the local population that it would be a good idea to emigrate to USA.  They nearly all went and I bet their ancestors now regret it. 

A brief rest a Drumheglis Marina.  Original plan to run 11 miles has been updated and 16 is a bit far for me without a cup of tea - but cafe closed.

Finally arrived into Coleraine just in time to buy some lunch to eat on the train home.  Good to see street decorations already in place for the final Bann run leg in December.

Portglenone - Kilrea

Portglenone to Kilrea

Ever fancy living by a river? There are lots of houses like this on the Thames but this is the first I've seen on the River Bann.

Another rare thing - a riverside path; this runs from Hutchinson's Quay.

A pill-box, complete with blue bin.  I think the Bann was a defence-line during WW2.  The idea was to keep the Germans out of Portadown - they wouldn't have been happy there!

The lock at Portna.  I spent a good while exploring around here but didn't see another living human.  The river is still open for navigation but not used that often.

Finally into Kilrea, the former home of footballer Martin O'Neill.  I think he is the richest man ever to attend Queens University - although I've been told that he only studied there for one week before joining Nottingham Forest.

Antrim - Portglenone

Antrim to Portglenone

You can often judge an area by the number of walkers who respond to your greetings.  On this leg, everybody that I yelled at when running past, said "hello" back; so South Antrim seems like a friendly place to live.

I started at Castle Park, in Antrim.  An excellent park to visit in the summer, don't miss the outdoor cafe down by the Lough.

Football fans in England don't know what to make of this name.  Not many teams are named after a book.

On to Randalstown and over the old railway viaduct.  One of our highest and most scenic paths but it's not very long.

On to Toome and the start of the Lower Bann at the top of Lough Neagh.

Toome canal - a rarely visited but interesting short walk. Sand from the lough was apparently used to build Stormont and Crooke Park ... you learn something new every day. 

The fishery at Toomebridge. Do they still export thousands of eels to Europe every week?  I've only ever eaten one and that was enough for one lifetime. 

Another unusual industry. This is large scale peat extraction
- not popular with some environmentalists but there's nothing to beat the smell of burning turf.

Newferry at the top of Lough Beg.  No sign of a ferry today and I'm not going to try swimming across.  

A perfect end to the day - meeting a wiry woman in Portglenone.  

Crumlin - Antrim

Crumlin - Antrim

Started today with a lap of Crumlin Glen, a rarely visited but nice place to run.

You don't often cross a bridge over a bridge over a river - still in Crumlin.

An hour gone and I'm still there - met old friend Mike.  Still got 12 miles to run, it's going to be a long day.

Great photo in the cafe.  This is the old Nutts Corner airport. Nowadays, most people hate spending time in airports but, back in the 1960s, we used to go here for a day out just to watch the planes and eat airport food.

Off at last and down to Lough Neagh.  Really enjoyed today's route along the narrow lanes beside the shore.

Small jetties like this were used by eel fishermen.  They say that men from the opposite shore used to stay overnight on this side and many marriages resulted.  All this changed when motorboats were introduced.

The sort of cottage were fishing families would have lived. Maybe the locals now use their bike to find a wife.

Near Rea's Wood at the top of the Lough - even on a clear day, there's no sign of the southern shore.

This is the nice cafe used by Antrim parkrunners.  No time today but must come back here soon.

Moira - Crumlin

Moira to Crumlin

Six of us today.  Great to see Liz - she brought a box of her famous chocolate brownies.  As usual they were all scoffed before we even got to the start.

Today was an 11 mile trot through rural Co Antrim.  Good to see moves being made around here to stop the murder of poor, defenceless chickens.

Spot the missing letter.

There's nothing to beat a mid-run bag of chips.  I think there's even a book called Marathon and Chips.

A rare thing - a friendly rural dog.  Liz wanted to bring this one home on the bus.

Colin and Brian waiting for level-crossing gates to open on the Lisburn to Antrim line.

I like the story of this name ...The townland was originally called 

Baile Mhic Riocaird (land of the son of Richard?). That became anglicised to something that sounded similar and involved the game of cricket. 

Lurgan - Moira

Lurgan to Moira


Hot morning, a day for the beach, but a last minute decision to go running was the right choice - as it always is!

Outside Lurgan on a minor road, a place, with a story to tell, appeared through the trees.  This is Kilmore family home of Edward Langtry. A very wealthy man who met the wrong woman (Lily), she went on to great things involving that deadly combination of the Royal Family and horses.  Many years later, Edward died destitute on the streets of Chester.  
Men nowadays have more sense!

Maybe it's old age but on all these runs I seem to be constantly watched by a variety of strange characters.  Here's one of today's faces....

...... and another.

Don't see many of these country shops nowadays.  In my County Armagh childhood, we spent the summer cycling to such places to drink Coke and eat vast quantities of Tayto crisps.  Those were unhealthy but great days.

Annaghdroghal Bridge, not a name that the UK TV presenters ever want to have to try to pronounce. 

Tea break time.  A great place this - The Rusty Tractor in Aghagallon village. Sunshine, luxury seats and tea & toast all for only £1:80.

I asked the waitress (on right) who was the most famous person ever from Aghagallon. She jokingly said:  'I am'.  
I think the correct answer is Stoke City footballer Marc Wilson. 

At Aghalee, I followed the Broadwater path.  This is a remote part of the Lagan Canal which starts back in Belfast. The Canal towpath there is where I started my running many years ago.  This must be one of the best bits.

Not many of us will choose to be buried overlooking our workplace.  But the canal engineer Richard Owen lies buried here at Soldierstown Church on a hill beside his creation.  A wise choice.

The final section down towards Moira Station and a train back home.  This was a wonderful running route - try it one day. 

Portadown - Oxford Island - Lurgan

Portadown to Oxford Island

Leaving the Upper River Bann today on our journey up Lough Neagh.

Before reaching Craigavon, we passed the Seagoe Hotel.  I used to be banned from here for having hair that was too long. Never liked C&W music anyway, so blasted out my own music from the car park in protest.

We then entered a surreal running route called Rushmere Shopping Centre.  Runs certainly weren't like this in the past (no women).

Things got much worse!

After an eternity, we escaped Rushmere and ran around the Craigavon lakes.

Never done learning on these runs - Colin discovers that Portadown pigs don't eat grass.

Mansell the cyclist catches up with us in a tunnel designed for midgets.

Bad news nearing Lough Neagh, the first of about a million mayflies mounts an attack.

At last, relative safety from flies, hungry pigs and women's clothes shops. Colin meets an old friend at Oxford Island cafe.