I started the day with an opening time visit back to the Giant’s Causeway, which was in my plan either as a second visit with a different approach or as a back up due to weather. After torrential overnight rain the air was pretty hazy and the wind had moved around to the southwest which got my attention on the walk along the cliffs above the causeway. The view is worth the risk and I took the scary Shepherds steps down to the causeway which was much quieter. I’m glad I went back but the light was not great for photos. Just along the coast is the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and more fine coastal landscapes which continued at Torr Head with a look 12 miles to the northeast to the Mull of Kintyre. I then headed down to Belfast for a visit to HMS Caroline, a WW1 light cruiser and the only surviving ship from the Battle Of Jutland, the largest naval battle in history. My friends Norman and Margaret had told me it was worth it, an it was. They have the best audioguide system I have encountered. By now the weather was heavy showers with rain intervals which has continued into the evening here in Newtonards. I have captioned the photos from the day starting at the Giant’s Causeway.

As you can see from the panorama looking back towards Portrush it was a grey and misty start.

A few early souls are on their way to the Causeway.

As the ‘Experience’ was quiet I grabbed a snap. You judge.

That is an actual phone box. A very rare sight.

This is the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. I did not cross this time partly because there was a major queue and also not as much point as my previous visit when the island was full of nesting birds, but not at this time of the year. That is Rathlin Island behind

It is still a nice 2 mile round trip along nice coastal scenery.

At Torr Head the Mull of Kintyre is visible in the haze and the Causeway Coast cliffs give way to gentler coastal scenery.

HMS Caroline was built in 1914 and the reason it survives is between wars it became permanently sited in Belfast as a training base and for operational control in WW2. It is located within site of the great Harland and Wolff cranes and on the edge of the Titanic Quarter.

The visuals both in an introductory are and onboard were clever and informative and the ward room was pretty cool