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.
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.
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| 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.
