Green day

Gleno is a tiny, picturesque village located in the glens of Antrim. It’s home to a beautiful waterfall and that was my destination last Saturday on  St Patrick’s Day. The day, it has to be said, was bitterly cold and as I made my way along the coastal route from Belfast, the sea was distinctly choppy, the wind whipping the water onto the road as I drove.  Thankfully, as I turned off the main road and started to wind my way up into the hills, the grey sea disappeared from view and the wind eased.

After about 15 minutes or so, I reached Gleno , which is Irish for ‘ valley of the yew’ and followed the signs for the waterfall.  Off the beaten track and the normal tourist trail, the land here is owned by the National Trust and in recent years they have carried out some works to upgrade the path that runs from the small car park to the top of the waterfall.  As soon as I got out of the car, all I could hear was the pounding of water, the waterfall no doubt in full flow after recent rainfall.  I started my walk along the path, which slowly winds it’s way up a wooded glen adjacent to the waterfall. It’s steep in places and a tad slippery here and there, but well worth the climb for the views.

The valley is covered in lush ivy and ferns and when  the sun appeared and the church at the top of the valley came into view, it added a rather magical feeling to the place.

By the time I had got to the top, tiny snowflakes were starting to appear, at which point I decided it was probably time to head home. When I returned to the car park, mine was the only car left – just me and perhaps, who knows, a few leprechauns and fairies in the wood I’d just left behind.  Off I went on my journey home, having had a little touch of the ‘green’ stuff on St Patrick’s Day 🙂

Have a lovely Wednesday x

For more information on this beautiful hidden gem,  you can visit the National Trust website.