Waterfall Caves June 18

It's June 2018 in Northern Ireland. And we are having a heat wave. 

We have had one hell of a May and now a whole of June, and a new week stretches ahead of us and there's warnings about leaving kids and dogs in cars (even with windows open) and a heat stroke warning out on the news and us poor pink Norn Irish people are struggling a bit with temperatures going on 30 degrees.

'Don't complain' people whisper, it's so rare that we get this kind of weather. 'It's a bit much for me' is a mumbled confession on a par with stealing sweets from the corner shop. Slap slap don't you dare complain.

Christmas seems like a decade ago.

So Friday afternoon, while at work, the notion takes me to throw the camping gear in the car and head off. I was keen to get back to Waterfall Caves as I had really enjoyed my previous trip there. 

Previous blog post here of the 'opening weekend' at Waterfall Caves.

An old favourite

I decided to take an old favourite tent which is the Quechua Base Seconds. This is a pop up tent (truly a pop up, with tensioned flexible poles folded into a circle) and the benefit of it is that it doesn't have plastic windows. The window apertures are a big half circle of mesh and all four sides can be opened giving a good flow of air. Two of the sides can be completely opened too, so you have shelter overhead but lots of cool air getting through.

The tent is just a good size for one person and a dog (Coco was camping too) and it has stand up height inside with straight walls so you can stand anywhere inside. I like the way it looks, a bit like a green egg. I have, somewhere, an inner for this tent but I could not find it and so I elected to take a groundsheet instead that was just about big enough to go under the bed. 

This is the first time I have ever camped without a groundsheet that covered the entire floor. It was actually quite strange, waking up to little dew drops on top of each blade of grass. I always thought having an inner would be a deal breaker for me, given my aversion to spiders etc. Maybe I'm getting more tolerant but I really did not care. Having no inner meant I did have some condensation overnight but it stayed on the tent and didn't affect me. The next day the tent dried quickly in the heat anyway.

I took a cheap supermarket airbed and two sleeping bags. Even with the heat during the day I was glad of the second sleeping bag opened out on top of the first sleeping bag in the middle of the night. As always I took my pillows from home and Coco had her crate which helps her settle at night and kept her off the grass too. 

I was completely alone on the campsite, although there were guests staying in the holiday accommodation which are on the other side of the hedge. Waterfall Caves is a fishing lakes business, with a campsite attached (brand new this year) and some holiday accommodation too. 

On Saturday morning after a good nights rest I went for a walk to Magillian Point. There is a military compound further around the coast so the walk is not that long, but you do have wonderful views over to Ireland and on this occasion there was a cruise ship docked in Greencastle. It is possible to take a ferry to Greencastle from Magilligan Point which I have never taken. It is a treat to be taken the next time perhaps. 

 

Martello Tower at Magilligan

The short walk comprised of seeing the Martello Tower, lots and lots of shells on the beach and what's left of a dead sheep which Coco was particularly interested in. I do not know why dogs like to roll in yucky things but for some reason Coco is attracted to dead animals and other animals poo. 

We finished our walk with a pub meal in the 'Point Bar' right beside the beach. Luckily they have a outside seating area and I could sit with the dog out in the bright sunshine.

All other catering was done on the new Trangia which I got earlier this spring. I find it a really simple, clean and all in one no fuss cooking system. It is quick to boil water and on Saturday evening a heated up frozen curry and pre-cooked rice. On Sunday morning I fried a bit of potato bread that Paula from Waterfall Caves had kindly cooked the day before. 

I left on Sunday at around about noon, and travelled the hour and a quarter that would take me home. I had a great time and thanks to Paula and George for accommodating me and for sharing a wee glass of wine. I look forward to the next time I'm up however I do like to tour around and see other places too. I don't know where the next trip will be although wanted to go to Mannix Point in Kerry again and also Maddybenny, Craig Hall Farm and a new campsite in Cavan called 'Row' which is on the shores of a lake. 

UPDATE as of Jan 2019 Waterfall caves has electricity for Caravans and Motorhomes and now welcomes bookings from both.