Welcome About Crusoes A Taste of Crusoes How to Find Us About the Area Contact: Roger Robinson First Floor 29 Sea Road Castlerock BT51 4TN Tel: 028 7084 9618 E-Mail: crusoes@hotmail.co.uk Open 7 days a week all year excluding Christmas Mon-Sat  9.30 - 5.00 Sunday   11.00 - 5.00 Walks in the vicinity of Crusoes The area around Crusoes is well suited for walkers of all ages and abilities. A selection is given below. These walks are on a variety of surfaces and can be slippy in places, so shoes or boots with a good grip are recommended, as is waterproof clothing for all but the shortest walks. Regular walks are also organised locally by groups, such as the Bannside Ramblers, Causeway U3A and from local health centres. Walk 1 - Downhill Forest: ¾ or 1 ¼ miles Take the A2 out of Castlerock towards Downhill and park after 1 mile at the Bishop’s Gate on the right hand side of the road. Cross the road and follow the path down past the map-board to a small lake. For a short walk, suitable for children or those with a push chair, turn right along the edge of the lake and then right again at the end of the lake back up to the A2. For a slightly longer loop go straight ahead at the lake, taking the right fork at the top of the small hill and then first right again down towards the lake. Take first right and then left to pick up the shorter loop again to get back to the A2. The longer loop has some steeper slopes and steps which can be muddy, so it is not very suitable for pushchairs. Walk 2 - Castlerock to Downhill: 3 miles Starting point is the Tunnel Brae car park, signposted on the left at the end of Main Street in Castlerock. From the car park walk past the distinctive Coastguard Cottages and along the edge of the caravan park to reach the sign for Black Glen Scenic walk. Go straight ahead under the archway formed by bushes onto open ground. Bear left along the top path and then left again down toward the Bishop’s Gate. (The walk can be extended at this point by exiting at the Bishop’s Gate to complete either of the walks above in Downhill Forest). Just before the Bishop’s Gate is reached, turn sharp right, up the slope and through the gate to the open ground. Cattle and sheep are grazed here, so latch the gate and keep any dogs on leads. Explore Downhill House and the Mussenden Temple. Bear right at the Temple, following the wall down the grassy slope to cross the stile on the left at the sign for Lady Erne’s Seat. Take the steep steps (slippy when wet) down to the dam, cross over and take the left hand slope up. From the top, go straight ahead to come out again by the caravan park to return to the start of the walk. Alternatively, this walk could be started at the Bishop’s Gate and extended by walking from Tunnel Brae along Main Street and right onto Sea Road for a coffee breach at Crusoes Coffee Shop. Walk 3 – Binevenagh: 5 miles This walk is for the experienced hill walker only, preferably in pairs or groups rather than alone, and good boots and waterproofs are required. Walking poles would be useful and carrying OS map no 4 is recommended. To reach the start, take the A2 from Castlerock to Downhill and turn left onto the Bishop’s Road. After 5 miles, turn right onto Leighey Road, signposted Binevenagh Lake. Continue on Leighey Road past the turn off for the lake and park ¼ mile further on in the lay-by where the road bends left. Walk back up Leighey Road, turn right onto the forest road, and walk up to Binevenagh lake. From the lake take a short detour on the path to the cliff edge to admire the view. (A shorter walk can be made by then turning right and following the Ulster Way markers down). Retrace your steps to the lake, cross over the dam and follow the sheep track over open ground. Take care when climbing a couple of wire fences. After ½ mile or so, follow the sheep tracks back along the base of the cliff. You will see a forest track below you but keep at a high level to take advantage of a couple of stiles which have been built into the fences en-route. Walk until the forest edge rises to meet you and continue along the path over the fence onto the forest road. Continue along the road which will come onto Leighey Road just below the starting point of the walk. Walk 4 - Mountsandel Fort: 4 miles Starting point is the Strand Road car park between the bridges in Coleraine. Walk along the river path to the newer Sandelford Bridge. Go across the left hand side of the bridge and take the signposted path up to Mountsandel Road. Cross the road, turn left, and the entrance to Mountsandel Forest is a couple of hundred yards on the right. Take the top path on the left, detour to explore Mountsandel Fort at the sign, and then return to the path. Follow the path round to the right and down and go along the riverside back to the entrance. Retrace your steps back over the bridge to Strand Road. Walk 5 - Portstewart: 5 or 7 miles Start at the Harbour Hill car park in Portstewart (signposted off the Portmore Road, just after the harbour). Go across Harbour Hill to the steps down the Promenade and along the Crescent to climb the steps at Dominican College. Follow the path to the strand. Take the steps down to the strand or the road if the tide is too high. Walk along the strand to the 10th life guard station and cut across the dunes on the way-marked path to the River Bann. A left turn at the river is a pleasant walk until you reach the end of the path at the golf course boundary. You will then have to retrace your steps along the river and continue down to the barmouth. Walk back along the strand and take the coastal path back to the Promenade and Harbour Hill. Alternatively, a longer loop can be completed from the strand by following Strand Road past the golf course, along Burnside to the main Portstewart-Coleraine Road. Turn right at the roundabout, past the garage and Flowerfield Arts Centre to take a left turn into Agherton Road. Follow this for ½ mile. Turning left onto the signposted public way and bridle-path. Follow the bridle path to come out onto Mill Road, turn right to Station Road and left along Station Road back down to the Portmore Road. Take the path behind the apartment blocks back to Harbour Hill.