Through My Lens -Rahtlin Island - (Part 1 ) Upside Down West Lighthouse

OK now we are heading to another island, yes in another boat, off Ballycastle in Country Antrim.  I have shown you photographs from Rathlin Island before so I hope you will not get bored with these upcoming posts.  I have a VIDEO of part of the ferry journey as it comes into harbour. The first 2 images are taken while I was driving up the coast road and you can see Rathlin Island in the distance. 

Rathlin Island is the only inhabited offshore island in Northern Ireland. Most people will travel to Rathlin via the ferry service operating from Ballycastle, County Antrim, just six miles from the harbour on the island.  

There are 2 ferries.The one I am on is the fast ferry and only takes about 20 minutes but the black ferry you see here, takes about 45 minutes.

­Looking back you see part of the County Antrim coastline.

We are in sight of Rathlin to the left of this shot and below is part of the coastline of the island

On the crossing over, I saw Gannets and Gulls, 

and most of the Auks flying around.

When I land I go straight to the waiting bus which takes you up and down dale to “The Stacks".  This is where the seabirds are all nesting and you will see that on the future posts this week.

So the next photographs are all taken from the moving bus as we leave the harbour.  It is a steep climb for the bus and fortunately it goes quite slow.  So enjoy the views and the last shot today is when we reach The Stacks at the West Lighthouse. 

I know, right now, you cannot see the birds on these rocks to the left of The Stacks, but believe me there are thousands of Common Guillemots on top of the flat part and many gulls on the rest of it.  

Looking to the right we see even more cliffs at The Stacks which has thousands of breeding birds on them. You will some of them tomorrow but now we are going to make our way down this very steep cliff to the viewing place and this upside down West Lighthouse.  

There are good steps but hold on tight to this handrail and take in the views as you walk down slowly.

West Lighthouse

This upside-down light was a major feat of engineering when it was built, between 1912 and 1917. The top of Kebble Point was too high for the light to be effective, so it had to be placed some way down the cliff. The works needed a cable tramway and a pier, as well as the road across Kebble. The work cost £400,000 in 1912, equivalent to an amazing £17million today. 

I took this image off the web so that you could see what the lighthouse looks like from below and also to see the information centre on top of the cliff where the bus leaves you and how high it is from the lighthouse.

CLICK HERE if the video does not appear below.  

I hope you enjoyed this post today.  Tomorrow you will see the birds closer, both on stllls and video, so see you then.

I am linking this post with THROUGH MY LENS.

Many thanks for visiting and also to all thoe who leave comments.