After breakfast at Derrin House in Larne we said goodbye to Ivy (our host) who suggested that we take a route many motorcyclist enjoy along Torr Rd from Cushenden past Torr Head to Ballycastle.
We set off following the Game of Thrones Location Map…Cairncastle – where Ned Stark beheaded a Knights Watch deserter and Catelyn captures Tyrion Lannister and where Bran,Osha and Hodor take a last look over Winterfell before heading North.
We didn’t go to Slemish, in the Shillanavogy Valley where Daenerys Targaryen learns what at Khaleesi is and she and the Dothraki ride the grasslands as it meant a detour from the coastal route we were on.
We stopped at Glenarm, where we visited Steenson Jewellery Workshop that made all the pieces for the GOT such as crowns, lion pins, stag pins, roses etc.
Next we went to Cushendun but we couldn’t find the actual caves where Davos Seaworth takes Melisandre ashore to give birth to the shadow baby who kills Lord Stannis’s brother Renly.
We took the detour on Torr Road, Ivy had suggested, and Vince said it was the hardest, most challenging sealed road he’s ever ridden on. Predominantly ridden in 2nd gear, sometimes 1st, standing up on the foot pegs, his weight over the front wheel up the inclines to try to keep us steady. The road was so steep and the weight distribution with the panniers so biased to the rear, that the front wheel was lifting of the ground at times as we travelled up the steep hills. These were “rollies” with attitude. I kept quiet on the back as I was very scared.
We rode past Murlough Bay and Fairh Head… which were used as the road to Pyke where Thegn Grayjoy and his sister, Asha, ride on horseback and where Davos is shipwrecked after the battle of Blackwater Bay.
We stopped at Carrick-a-Rede Rope bridge and hiked the 3km there and back ….only to discover it was a very short bridge …a bit disappointing for the 5.90 (pounds) each they charged us. After the experience on the Torr Road it was nothing! Back to our GOT locations, Larrybane, nearby, is where Brienne is given a place in Renlys Kings Guard, Renly swears to Lady Stark he will avenge Ned’s death but is killed by the shadow baby. Magawry confides to Littlefinger she wants to be Queen and Davos tells Stannis what he witnessed in the cave with Melisandre.
We went to Ballintoy Harbour …Lordsport Harbour in the Iron Islands where Theon come homes and where he is baptised into the faith of the “Drowned God” and where the pirate, Salldhor Sann met Davos and pledged support to Stannis Baratheon.
We camped at Portballintrae and again didn’t cook, but we bought some supplies in Bushmills and made a simple snack dinner at our campsite, so we christened our plates and utensils. Our campsite cost 15 pounds per night and a pound each time you want to use the shower (on a 10 minute timer).
A few photos of Torr Road from the GoPro – they just don’t convey the steepness of the road …
