Day 10 - Belfast to Rossglass | Fat Bloke on a Bike

My earliest start so far. Belfast was damp. It had rained overnight and the forecast was for more. I got my waterproof out for the first time this trip.

I started the day at the Big Fish next to the Lagan and headed out of the city along Airport Road to the coast path at Holywood.

The costal path was very rideable, making me wonder why its not been designated a dual use route. As it started to wind, I looked to the map for a more direct route and my quiet, winding morning became a a torrent of rush-hour traffic. Exactly what I had hoped to avoid.

It was raining as I left Bangor, by 11am it was dry and bright again. Cloud cover and the breeze made cycling easy. Charming seaside towns and villages populated this coast. All adorned by the greatest number of Union Flags I’ve seen outside of a Jubilee or Coronation celebration.

Donaghadee, Millisle, Ballywater, Ballyhalbert, Portavogie.

At Cloughey, I turned onto the lanes to follow the coast around Quintin Bay and onto Portaferry.

I spent an hour in Portaferry. Google told me the cafes in Strangford village were closed on Mondays. I toured round the little town and got coffee from Paws for Coffee on the quayside. Watching life go by for half an hour was one of the best bits of the trip.

The ferry was a bargain. £1.30 to save around 50 miles. Strangford is stunning. Castles in Portaferry and Strangford started a trend for small, square defensive castles along this coast. I was tripping over them until Ardglass, which must have the highest number of castles per head anywhere. Castle, castle, castle. Even the golf club clubhouse is a converted castle.

Around the bay to Killough, drinking in the shoreline views, and on to St John’s Point. The first black and yellow lighthouse I’ve ever seen. Campaign signs urge visitors to keep the iconic light shining. A successful campaign, I realise later as I see the light sweeping the seascape.