The joy of walking the Ulster Way
During the spring and early summer of 2016 I had the opportunity to fulfil a lifetime ambition by walking the entire Ulster Way.
Luckily many days were sunny with blue skies and the countryside was in full bloom for this long distance walking route.
Some of the highlights included the Lecale coastline near Ardglass Co Down, Tynan area Co Armagh, Slieve Beagh Co Monaghan, the forests and mountain loughs of Fermanagh, the Glenelly Valley and Sperrin Mountains Co Tyrone, Benbradagh and Binevenagh Mountains Co Londonderry and the Glens of Antrim.
Trees were coming into leaf in all shades of green, hedgerows of whin were in full yellow bloom, woodlands were full of bluebells and wild garlic whilst common spotted orchids and woodland sage where amongst many of the wild flowers on show.
I spotted my first Irish red squirrel, got to within 20 yards of a peregrine falcon which was perched on a tree and saw my first cuckoo, pygmy shrew and Irish stoat. So if you want to escape Brexit and sample part of the Ulster Way, or any other walks, details and maps can be found at the excellent website www.walkni.com.
If you want to walk the entire Ulster Way it is quite a challenge.
For me it was 33 days, 550 miles, 1.1 million steps and 6 blisters!
Thomas Stewart, Belfast