With reference to Pas Vites post on CarrickCraft Hire Boats now on the Lower Bann Navigation , I thought I would try out Ocean Froggies tips on posting photos and videos. I hope it gives you a small taster of what I think is a much under-rated piece of water up here in the North.

As we are trail-boaters we have some choice over where we start & stop on a trip. On this occasion I wanted to put to use what I had learned at a recent RYA Seamanship & Navigation course I had taken at Kinnego Marina. The plan was to start in Kinnego ...



.......motor the 18nM up Lough Neagh to Toome and spend a short time on the Lower Bann before returning in time for work on Monday. As you can see Lough Neagh was a bit lumpy however the wind was behind us which made things more bearable. (Sorry tried to embed this but no go - if you're interested you'll have to click )

[www.youtube.com]

Took us just under one hour to reach Toome where we were locked through. Old style manual locks compared to the ones I have seen on the SEW.

[www.youtube.com]

After a quick picnic lunch we headed onwards passing through Lough Beg and Newferry before we came to Portglenone ..



Bracknamuckley ..



. . approaching Portna Lock



Before calling it a night and making tea at Kilrea.



Next morning we headed to Movanagher Lock where the decision had to made whether we turned back here or headed to Coleraine.



After a couple of phonecalls to book a B&B close to Coleraine Marina - the decision was made



Coleraine New Bridge



Coleraine Town Bridge



Coleraine Marina



And a welcome shower and a soft bed. Two adults and 2 kids in a 17ft boat can be "compact and bijou" as the estate agents would say.
Return trip to follow

Fantastic trip. I have never seen this navigation in real life and you have sure made it interesting. Makes the desire to open the Ulster Canal even greater. Looking forward to the return trip with loads more photos.
Unfortunately, its a bit difficult to tow the auld barge, so my guess is it is unlikely to see her there any time soon. Pity, looks a brilliant waterway.

Les 41M

sorry for the hijack.....


a few pics from our last trip....


[www.iwai.ie]



may add to the taste for the Bann

another hijack.....


the inland shark....


[www.iwai.ie]



.

Now, that sounds like a trip in the makin for the PB branch......

Quote:

Richard Ellis
Now, that sounds like a trip in the makin for the PB branch......

+ 1

Hijack away til your hearts content - you can never have too many boating photos. Since I helm and photograph / video at the same time while my wife stops 'our two' from launching themselves over the side - my pictures can be a bit patchy. Feel free to fill in the blanks.
I'll try and upload a few more soon
Cheers
George

Did the trip from Toome to Portglennone myself last sunday in my 12' 4hp boat. Lovely day and lovely trip. You have a choice of slipways at Toome or New Ferry. No sign of the Carrickcraft boat although I did see a barge on its way to cut some overhanging trees.

John Geary
(Rose - E - Belle)

Sunday was a cracking day, we went from Kinnego to Coney Island, picnic lunch and back - lovely.

The slipway at Toome looked a bit short & steep for our set-up when I originally checked it out so we would use Newferry. A lovely newly built slipway with great parking. Full marks to Ballymena Council and all those involved.

What an excellent thread. How did I miss this one? Great story and photos. Well done guys.

OceanFroggie