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Author Topic: Gobbins Path to be restored  (Read 8902 times)

LandyLiam

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Gobbins Path to be restored
« on: May 30, 2013 »


Old postcard of Gobbins path How the path looked during its heyday

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22698028


Quote
A £6m project to restore an historic coastal path in east Antrim is due to begin this summer.

The Gobbins cliff path on Islandmagee is about half a mile long. It was built in 1902 and in its heyday was more popular than the Giant's Causeway.

It was a commercial venture from the start, designed and constructed by Berkley Deane Wise.

But the attraction - with 15 bridges and a path carved into the cliffside - fell into disrepair after World War II.

It was closed to the public 60 years ago.

Several attempts have been made over the last 40 years to raise the funds needed to restore the path, but all efforts have been in vain, until now.

Work on a new visitors centre will start this summer and work on the cliff face path will begin in September. It is hoped both will be completed and open to visitors by May 2014.

Larne Borough Council is contributing £2m to the project, which is also being funded by the European Union and Ulster Garden Villages Ltd.

The cliffs are home to the largest seabird colony along the coast of mainland Northern Ireland - only Rathlin Island has a larger colony.
Tubular bridge

Ian Enlander, from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, said it is a unique place.

"It's designated as an area of special scientific interest because of the breeding kittiwake and razorbill," he said.

The new path will include reconstructed versions of the tubular bridge and a 25-metre suspension bridge which were once part of the route.

Morgan Haylett, the project manager from RPS Consulting Engineers, said he believed it would be a challenge to construct the new path.

"Access is either from the top of the cliff or via the sea," he said.

"Back in the days (when it was built), the bigger bridges were floated in and then lifted into place and it may very well be that that has to happen this time round too."

Visitors will be transported from the visitors centre in groups of 12 by minibus to the entrance of the path. They will then be given a guided tour.

Final ticket prices have not been set, but the estimate is £6 per person.


Geraldine McGahey, chief executive of Larne Borough Council, said the new path would bring thousands to the area.

"In the first year we expect around 50,000 visitors, now that is a very pessimistic projection, but we like to err on the side of caution. Underestimate and overachieve," she said.

"This is the pinnacle of everything that the council have aspired to give to the ratepayer as a legacy of what the council stood for and delivered."
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FairWeatherCamper

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Re: Gobbins Path to be restored
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2013 »
This is excellent news, but at the same time it is sad that the path will lose some of its wild-ness.
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GMB

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Re: Gobbins Path to be restored
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2013 »
Quote
Geraldine McGahey, chief executive of Larne Borough Council, said the new path would bring thousands to the area.

'The Rinka' will need a new extension built for the ice cream counter.
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whoRya

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Re: Gobbins Path to be restored
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2013 »
This would be a nice wee boost for the Whitehead, Ballystrudder etc. businesses and communities.

It will be a nice attraction along that section of the Causeway Coastal Route.  Incidently I just read that Ballylumford power station on Islandmagee produces half of NI's electricity.
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piczo

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Re: Gobbins Path to be restored
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2013 »
More access to the great fishing grounds only available to kayaker's and there's also a serious amount of nesting bird's on those cliffs bad idea i think .. :(
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Wolf_Larson

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Re: Gobbins Path to be restored
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2013 »
Wish they would just leave things alone.
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