A lifetime of Islands: Island 298 - Carrick-a-Rede Island, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Tuesday 20 October 2015

Island 298 - Carrick-a-Rede Island, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Carrick-a-Rede Island is most famous for the rope bridge, which allows easy access to this small rocky island off the north coast of County Antrim near the village of Ballintoy. It is just over half a mile walk from the National Trust Car Park to the rope bridge. If you aren't a member of the National Trust the admission price in 2015 was £5.90 for adults. I visited on a calm sunny afternoon in early September and had to share the island with dozens of other people, although I didn't have to queue to cross the rope bridge, which I understand happens in peak season.

Carrick-a-Rede means "the rock in the road". The name is thought to refer to the fact that the island is an obstacle for migrating salmon on their way to spawn in the Rivers Bann and Bush. The rope bridge was first constructed by local salmon fishermen 350 years ago to enable them to get to the best fishing grounds. It is no longer used by salmon fishermen, as salmon have become very scarce.

It was originally a much more flimsy bridge and even as late as the 1970s it only had one handrail and large gaps between the slats. It does bounce a bit when you walk across and you feel like you are still bouncing for a minute or two after you have crossed but the current handrails and netting mean that it is perfectly safe. The bridge is 30 metres above the chasm below and 20 metres long. The bridge used to be removed each winter and put back in the spring. However it is now left in place all year round. The current bridge, which is made of wire rope and Douglas fir was built in Belfast in 2008 at a cost of £16,000.

There are toilets, a gift shop and a tea room at the car park.