Information taken from the SERC Forum 10th April
2008
Greetings from the
Emerald Isle and good news for all Scots - The tribes from the Antrim coast
settled the area of Dalriada in about 500 AD, and now you can return to visit
the roots of your ancestors.
The venue for the HI and CC has now been settled. The dates are as published -
9th/10th August, and the venue will be at Glenariff in the Glens of Antrim -
Argyll Branch members will feel at home looking wistfully across the North
Channel to the Mull of Kintyre. The venue will be in Glenariff Forest Park, and
the ride will be over forest tracks, disused railway lines and farm tracks
incorporating parts of the Antrim Plateau. It is a spectacular venue, and worth
the visit, even without the horse! (OS of NI Sheets 9 (Ballymena, Larne) and 5 (Ballycastle))
We will have use of an adjacent camping and caravan site, with electricity hook
ups etc. Full temporary stabling will be within this site, and coralling will be
available.
A full programme of rides is provided over the 2 days, including a 2 day 160km.
A schedule will be available shortly on www.ildra.co.uk. Concessionary
Ferry rates for participants have been agreed on the Stranraer routes to Larne
and Belfast, and thereafter access is very easy.
I will be happy to provide any further details.
Helen McFarland, I.L.D.R.A.
Additional Information
I don't know the
exact amounts for the ferries, but it would be £304 (vehicle, box and 2 people)
on Stena - Stranraer/Belfast. This is a 'sport' rate offered by Stena to ILDRA -
it is funny because sometimes you can actually book a cheaper deal on the
internet depending on what is on offer and times, but it usually works out
better for peak times like August. I do not have the P & O Stranraer/Larne
details.
As for the ferries, we would normally use Stena HSS which is 1hr 50 mins. The P
& O would be 1 hour, but we would have no experience of that one. We have found
Stena very helpful. There is some paperwork you will need for the journey to
enter NI and to leave it, (but not at the Scottish end), but the D & G
Constabulary will probably stop you to dip your tank and look for illegal
immigrants! There is no longer a veterinary check requirement.
As for the onward journey, Belfast is just as good as Larne, because the Coast
Road is spectacular but pretty twisty (a bit like Glasgow - Oban!) with a big
climb at the end. The best way is via Ballymena, and the M2 out of Belfast is
just as good as Larne.
Rides Location Map
