GOBBINS - (Part 3)

The Gobbins is an Area of Special Scientific Interest.  High cliffs, hidden ledges and rich fishing make  a magnet for many kinds of birds, and yesterday I showed you 'close encounters with the Kittiwakes'.  CLICK HERE for that post.

This spiral stairway (which we did not climb) lead up to a top pathway which at present is not completed and therefore not open as yet.

 The old path at The Gobbins was a fee-paying visitor attraction. Ticket collectors, like retired railwayman Sam Cuthbert, sat before Wise's Eye from 10am to 5pm each day in the summer season. If you had come by train he would check your railway ticket. If you came under your own steam, you paid a fee. A gate across Wise's Eye kept people off the old path out of hours.  It is kept locked permanently and every guide has a key to open the gate.  

Okay, let's go and mind your head!

The Fulmar bird always nest very high up on the cliffs so it was a matter of craning ones neck up to see them and try and get a shot.  

Great care has been taken to ensure the path at The Gobbins does not impact on the local birdlife.

Thanks to the very different habitats created by the sea, the rocks, with this wonderful Lichen on it and cliffs, have a great variety of plants, ferns and also grasses can be found amongst the caves, ledges and rocks of The Gobbins. The path allows visitors rare access to treasures such as the Bell- like Sea Campion, Kidney Vetch, Thrift and Spleenwort.

Now we have come to the tunnel.  It is very narrow and much darker than it looks in my shots as I used flash.  We had to be very careful where we walked but George kept us right and very safe. 

As we went down there were these 6 small steps 

before the big climb up again.  

I was first up, thus enabling me to take this shot and what is wonderful about it is that my friend Linda, in the pink at the top, has been terrified of heights all her life but decided that this walk just might cure her.  You can see she can even look down and she was thrilled as was the rest of the group and George when we told them at luchtime that she had conquered her fear.

Now, I am sure some of you are out of breath after that big climb so we will continue our walk tomorrow with more bridges/fences to see.

Thanks for your visit and also to those who leave comments.