As the first form of mass transport, railways brought great social change in the 19th century. Able to travel further and more quickly, ordinary people did this in great numbers. Industrial workers now enjoyed a half-day on Saturday and a day-off on Sunday, so trips by rail became particularly popular.
Attractions served by a railway could now enjoy tidal tourism, while other areas, not so lucky, lost out. Located at a railhead, towns like Tramore, Ballybunion and Bundoran morphed into busy seaside destinations as did Portrush, County Antrim and Newcastle, County Down.
One enterprising railwayman decided to give tourism a push by creating new attractions. A solicitor’s son from County Wexford, Berkley Deane Wise became an engineer. This was when the profession was at its most glamorous: engineers were shaping the world with innovations such as steamships, telegraph and railways.
Appointed chief engineer on the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway, he was a visionary who immediately saw the potential of tourism. Soon he made Glenariff, one of the nine glens of Antrim, into an important attraction. Visitors could now enjoy the previously inaccessible waterfalls by following a walkway he created along a sheer cliff face, which is still in use today.
His most famous construction was, however, the Gobbins Coastal Path as a then-unheard-of, cliff face walk. Stretching for two miles, it was designed to attract railway tourism to the dramatic coastline of the then-sequestered, Islandmagee Peninsula. Consisting of a series of bridges, tunnels, walkways and staircases clinging tenaciously to vertiginous basalt cliffs, the path offered a close and personal experience of coast and cliff that proved irresistible to Edwardian travellers.
Easily accessible from the newly industrialised Belfast by way of the nearby Ballycarry Railway Station, it was soon rivalling the Giants’ Causeway in its popularity and attracting visitors from the British mainland.
Following World War II, the path declined as tourism conceded to the Mediterranean sun. Closed in 1954 after a landslip, the Gobbins has now, been re-imagined as a £7.5 million attraction billed as a “fabulous and special encounter with nature.”
Wondering if the hyperbole could be true, I arrive at the Gobbins Visitor Centre and am soon among a group going through a health and safety briefing. We must wear strong footwear and waterproof clothing, while rucksacks and walking poles are not allowed. Then a bus transfer followed by a steep descent conveys us to our start point. Here, we come upon a tree with a strange, how-did-this-all-begin, custom of hammering coins into the wood before making a wish.
Shoe-horned through a tiny rock aperture known as Wise’s eye, our reward beyond is not only an oversight of Antrim’s rugged coastline but also a dappled vista across the Irish Sea to the mist-laden Scottish Hills. Our guide proves a wellspring of knowledge about the path and also the expansive bio-diversity provided by the caves, ledges and outcrops that punctuate the cliffs above.
The first accessible cavern is Sandy Cave, where we are told the ever-proper Edwardians, stopped for a formal lunch. Crossing a spectacular cylindrical bridge, we pass beneath the aptly named Man O’War sea stack, which is likened by some to a sailing ship. The sheltered waters of the Aquarium provide an opportunity to point out the abundant marine life before entering the eerie gloom of the tunnel, which takes us briefly below sea level.
Finally, a suspension bridge elevates us to a last spectacular viewing point just below an expansive nesting place for seabirds. It’s quiet today, but during the nesting season, we are informed, that the cliffs come alive with wheeling and shrieking puffins, guillemots and razorbills.
Having to retrace our steps proves an anti-climax that is enlivened somewhat by the appearance of seals showboating spectacularly in the nearby waters. The final steep re-ascent to our bus proves the most demanding climb of the day, but soon after we are back over coffee in the visitor centre.
Here, I conclude that the Gobbins isn’t exactly an adrenalin rush and is actually a rather tame affair. Nevertheless, it should, despite the eye-watering admission cost, be high on a list of must-do attractions in Northern Ireland. A most remarkable place, it offers a great insight into Victorian engineering and access to an edgy, unforgettable seascape that otherwise would remain the exclusive playground of seabirds.
To visit the Gobbins, take the A2 from Belfast towards Larne, County Antrim. Go right onto the B90 for Islandmagee and then follow signs for the Gobbins Visitor Centre.
The walk follows a well-constructed cliffside path while accompanied by a guide. Helmets must be worn.
The Visitor Centre is open from 8.30 to 5 pm daily. Booking required.
Admission: Adults £21.50 (approx €25.65), children £15.50 (approx €18.50), family £48 (approx €57).
