Extreme Ireland
Belfast is the new hotspot for extreme sports
WORDS: MATT BARR
ANYONE LOOKING FOR A PEACEFUL BEACH HOLIDAY TURN OVER NOW. The Northern Irish capital has been carving out a surprising reputation for itself as something of an extreme sports hotspot. Certainly, location has much to do with it. Northern Ireland is so tiny that Belfast airport is the perfect gateway from which to explore the natural assets of the province. In the time it takes you to transfer from the airport on most city breaks, you can be out there experiencing the Ulster wilderness at its best.
The north coast, with its fantastic surf beaches and attractions such as the Giant’s Causeway and some brilliant mountain bike trails, is a scant hour’s drive away. The beautiful Mourne Mountains are only 50 miles away, while there are amazing canoeing facilities right across the region within easy reach. So what are you waiting for? Here’s how to make the most of Northern Ireland’s unlikely bounty.
PADDLING
Surrounded by water on two sides, and with some of the UK’s most beautiful inland waterways, it makes sense that Northern Ireland is one of the United Kingdom’s best canoeing destinations.
The main draw is undoubtedly the network of canoe trails that have been established across the country – planned paddling routes that vary in difficulty. In Northern Ireland there are five in total and they vary from A to B routes like the River Blackwater trail in Armagh and Tyrone to the 50km mission of the Lough Erne Trail in Fermanagh.
For visitors to Belfast, the easiest trail to access is the Lough Neagh, which allows intrepid kayakers to explore the UK’s largest inland lake at their own pace, or link with the Blackwater Trail and the Lower Bann trail and paddle from the south of the country to the North Atlantic coast.
Whichever option you take, the trails are fully mapped, have official campsites and accommodation options. A good start would be to try a guided tour of the lough, which comes in at £175pp for two days B&B accommodation with an instructor and a day and half of paddling [www.canoeni.com].
Novices who think this all sounds too advanced should try a beginner’s course with a company such as Go Canoeing who take care of both flat water (inland) and sea kayak courses [www.go-canoeing.com]. Happy paddling.
SURFING
The Republic’s reputation as a surfing hotspot is becoming widespread, with the waves of the Ireland’s west coast gaining some serious press coverage in recent years. The casual observer might think that the island as a whole is the preserve of the true surf pro, and that beginners and intermediates need not apply. Thankfully, this could not be further from the truth. Northern Ireland in particular has some great beaches on which to learn and a surprisingly sophisticated surfing infrastructure that makes it as easy as possible.
The place to head is the north coast of Antrim and Derry, about an hour’s drive from the capital. Here, three towns in particular have the bulk of the waves, with Portrush the Newquay of Ulster. There are seven beaches here, although if you’re a beginner you’ll probably want to head straight to West Strand beach. This long, sandy number is a classic beach break and provides the easiest place to learn. If you’re a complete newbie, consider contacting Portrush Surf School for lessons and kit hire [www.tksurfschool.com]. Owned by local pro Martin Kelly and a team of talented locals, you’ll be standing up and enjoying the waves in no time. The highlight of my time surfing here was sharing a wave with a porpoise which, although probably passé for locals, made the experience all the more memorable.
If Portrush sounds a little too sedate, head down the coast a little way to Bundoran, just over the border and within two hours of Belfast. While Portrush is akin to Newquay, Bundoran is more like Biarritz, in that it is the surfing epicentre of the Irish west coast. There are breaks galore here, with some beautiful waves to be had at the lovely Rossknowlagh Beach. The Bundoran Surf Company offers equipment hire, a surf lodge, lessons and all the local knowledge you’ll ever need [www.bundoransurfco.com].
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Chris Moran, author of the forthcoming book Mountain Biking Britain claims Northern Ireland could be the next biking frontier. “It isn’t as well explored as the rest of the country, but there are some fantastic trails.”
The closest of these to Belfast is definitely ‘Project Belvoir’ in Belvoir Park Forest, just outside the city. This beautiful spot is an important green space, and in recent years local bikers have succeeded in developing a network of sustainable off-road trails that are proving to be very popular.
Although not for beginners, experts will love the facilities on offer here. The trail surface is primarily stone and mud, while there are drops, climbs and water crossings to keep you occupied. To make it even easier, stay at Paddy’s Palace [+44 (0)28 9033 3367], a hostel with bike storage facilities. Try www.trailbadger.com for in-depth info on the options at Belvoir.
Further afield, the pick of the wilder trails can be found in County Antrim, on the north coast. On the UK mainland, there are some fantastic trails but they tend to be inland and centred around forestry commission land.
The main draw here is the incredible views afforded by some of the clifftop trails that dot the region, and the best of these has to be the clifftop Ballycastle Fairhead ‘epic’ along the north coast. It is a tough workout, but the sweeping vistas make it worthwhile. Set aside five hours to do the circuit.
MOUNTAIN BOARDING
To the uninitiated, mountain boarding looks like madness. Hell, to the initiated it looks like madness. Think of it as a dirt terrain version of a snowboard or a downhill skateboard. Put simply, a mountain board is a huge skateboard with big all-terrain tyres. You strap yourself to the thing, launch yourself downhill and hope for the best – the first time you try it anyway.
As with most extreme sports, enthusiasts have evolved the activity to the point that it really does now resemble sister sports such as skateboarding. There are dedicated trails and even terrain parks for daredevils to test their skills, as well as contests and even pro riders.
In Northern Ireland, the Mourne mountains, one of the country’s most famous and exalted beauty spots, have proved to be the perfect environment for the sport to flourish. Today there’s a dedicated mountain board centre, the wonderfully named Surfin’ Dirt that seems to be the home of the sport in the province [www.surfindirt.co.uk], providing facilities for boarders and bikers of all ages.
There are also plans to develop the site into a fully fledged terrain park to be known as GASP – Gravity Action Sports Park. Pack the helmets and pads if you’re up for that one.
If you do make the trip, make sure you try Surfin’ Dirt’s ‘Surf, Soak, Stay’ package – it includes an overnight stay at a local B&B, time at the park and a session at the local Soak Seaweed baths [www.soakseaweedbaths.co.uk], where you’ll be able to get the mud off in true style.
