This was our first venture into Northern Ireland. We were surprised by the amount of agricultural land and some of the scenery is attractive. Our campsite outside Antrim is a council-run facility but very tidy and popular with locals. Lough Neagh, the UK’s largest lake, is only a quarter of a mile away.

Saturday 10 September 2022 – weather was good so we trolleyed the kayaks to the Lough and ventured out for a paddle. The Lough is quite impressive as it is so large you cannot see the furthest shore and there is an abundance of vegetation at its edges. We got as far as the River Maine and met a paddle boarder who used to be the chairman of the Northern Ireland canoe association and he used to live in Windsor…

Outbound route
The way back.
The first obstacle – what appears to be a loading pier in the middle of the Lough
Shane’s Castle
What horizon?
This is the entrance to the River Maine
A spot of whitewater paddling on the River Maine
Lunch is definitely an emergency!
Still water…
Lost in space.
This sailing boat appeared to be above the surface of the Lough
A sculpture of Finn McCool, the giant who was responsible for the creation of Lough Neagh. He grabbed a clod of earth (creating the Lough) and chucked it a a rival giant in Scotland, but the clod fell short, creating the Isle of Man. The same two giants also created Giant’s Causeway on the north Antrim coast.