Lough Neagh, Antrim

Warmer weather today. After a lie in and a late breakfast we wander left out of the campsite.

The path follows the Six mile Water River for a little while as it flows into Lough Neagh. Lots more small sailing boats moored along the riverbank and the park is full of families recreating with lots of children. The seagulls are well fed.

Lough Neagh is the biggest fresh water lake in the UK and Ireland. Around 19 miles long and 9 miles wide with an average depth of 9m or 30ft so we are only seeing a tiny bit of it. Looking straight ahead we can’t see land. It provides water for half of Belfast and 40% of Northern Ireland!

The myth is that is was formed by an Irish giant Fin McCool throwing a rock at another Scottish giant Benandonner which fell into the Irish Sea and formed the Isle of Man and the hole it left behind became Lough Neagh.

This area of the Lough was used to test torpedoes in the second world war and the wooden platform is currently a bird sanctuary.

We wander towards the forest trail but get sidelined by observing what looks like a yellow round inflatable life raft through T’s binoculars way out in the lough. It’s too far to get a really good look or photo but there doesn’t seem to be anyone on it. Agreeing with a fisherman and some locals we decide to report it, just in case someone is in trouble.

Off on our forest walk we stop at various Lough side viewing platforms along the way. We walk until we come across a tree across the path and as we are thinking of turning around anyway, take it as a sign.

Back with the fisherman it appears that’s no-one’s been out to the raft so we conclude that it’s possibly a blue green algae testing station as someone suggested.

A cup of tea sitting in the sunshine is well earned followed by an ice-cream on our walk back to the van.

Dinner of chicken stir-fry and noodles in the van using up the last of our veg, showers and then we wander back into Antrim. Herons are still fishing from the same spot and both dog parks are busy.