Pedro around the world: Whitepark Bay and Ballintoy Harbour

Whitepark Bay

The stunning, sweeping sandy beach of Whitepark Bay is located in the small village of Ballintoy, County Antrim.
It's a nice plca to enjoy lazy summer days, picnics, sandcastle-making and leisurely strolls along this spectacular sandy beach which forms a white arc between two headlands on the North Antrim coast.
Hidden away in a secluded location, it is a perfect destination for a romantic getaway or quiet family holiday. Even on a busy day there is plenty of room for quiet relaxation.

Designated as an area of Scientific Interest due to its flora and fauna, the beach is backed by ancient dunes that provide a range of rich habitats for bird and animal life.
Whitepark Bay was one of the first settlements of man in Ireland and evidence of these Neolithic settlers are continually being exposed on the raised beach and sand dune system.
It is said that the manufacturing and exporting of axes and arrow heads took place from here, the limestone cliffs being a rich source of flint nodules.
Its stunning landscape is also ideal for the artist with its ocean beach views and breathtaking scenery.

Ballintoy Harbour

Ballintoy Harbour can be discovered in the picturesque village of Ballintoy. Known as a ‘raised beach’, it is located alongside the B15 coast road, 17 miles north-east of Coleraine and five miles west of Ballycastle. The small fishing harbour can be found at the end of a small narrow steep road down Knocksaughey Hill, which passes by the entrance to Larrybane and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
The village itself, which is just one kilometre from the harbour, has a charming array of small shops, two churches, including the quaint white Ballintoy Parish Church on the hill above the harbour, as well as tourist accommodation, restaurants, commercial and social facilities.
For those looking to capture a true sense of Irish rural life, it is an ideal stop over whilst touring the coastal route.
Maintaining its sense of rural tradition, two of the village’s oldest businesses – the Carrick-a-Rede Hotel and the Fullerton Arms, stand on the single street the village was originally built around.

History:

In the 19^th century the harbour’s primary use was for the shipping of sett stones at which time a small rail track was used for transporting the stones and limestone to the quayside.
A lasting testament to this part of the harbour’s history is the lime kiln that stands to this day.

Ballintoy Church

Sited on the hill above the harbour, Ballintoy Church is located a short distance from the town, and is one of the most northerly in the diocese of Connor. The modern day Ballintoy ecclesiastical parish is located in the barony of Cary, County Antrim, and comprises 27 townland denominations. The church as it now stands is a replacement for an older structure and was completed in the year 1813 under the auspices of Rev Robert Trail to a plan drawn by Henry Wynne. It is two bays in length, with a single north transept, the tower being retained from an earlier building.
The building has undergone many improvements and renovations over the years, including the installation of a new pulpit, pews, flooring, tiling and heating, as well as repairs to the roof and spire in 1883 under the direction of Rev. John McNeice.
In December of 1894 the village was struck by a hurricane causing considerable damage to the church, resulting in further repair work being carried out to the roof. The steeple was also damaged in the storm, however, it is understood that it was not replaced on the church tower at this time. A sundial affixed to the exterior wall, dated 1817, on the west corner, was previously used to record tidal movements. A stained glass window in the chancel, designed by Watson of Youghal, was installed in 1902 in memory of Rev. Robert Trail.
Although there is no precise date of when the original church was built, it is thought that it was erected sometime in the 17^th Century, and quite possibly operated as a chapel of ease to the nearby Ballintoy Castle in the townland of Ballintoy Demense.

Bendhu House

Also located within Ballintoy is the impressive Bendhu House, a listed building designed by Cornish man, Newton Penprase, in 1936, after he came to Northern Ireland as a young man and taught at the Belfast College of Art. Perched on top of a cliff at Ballintoy,the unconventional design of the building was constructed from materials around him on the coast.
A timeless and wonderful construction it was built entirely by hand from buckets of cement and the work of a trowel.
Sadly, the house was never finished and shortly after Penprase’s passing in 1978 it was sold to Richard McCullough and later in 1993 passed to the present owners who have lovingly restored the house.

References: http://ccralive.com/