Rathlin Island

At the start of our final week, we traveled from Corrymeela to downtown Ballycastle Harbor to meet the ferry that would take us to Rathlin Island. For some of us, it was our first time on a boat. The ride was about 45 minutes. The weather on our way there was not so great, and it was a bit cold on the top deck, but we still made the most of our time on the ferry, enjoying the views and each other’s company.

–Hayden Smith

Since our arrival at Corrymeela, we had been able to see Rathlin across the six miles of ocean that separated us from the island. We watched as the fog and the rain would hide it away then reveal it again every day. Many of us had been patiently waiting and longing to finally make the journey across the waters and step foot on the seemingly magical island.

The ferry trip was treacherous (mildly uncomfortable) and the seas were wild and unpredictable (mildly choppy), but in the end, we all arrived in one piece.

 

At long last, we got to experience the wonders of Rathlin Island.

Starting off strong, we immediately boarded the Puffin Bus.

The bus featured an audio guide to the history of the island and its notable landmarks. We listened as we enjoyed the view and made our way through the steep hills and tight turns from the center-east of the island to the western coast.

Waiting for us was the fabled Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre, home to Northern Ireland’s largest seabird colonies.

Birds like guillemots, razorbills, and kittiwakes made their homes along the rocky coastal cliffs, which we could see from the viewing area with and without binoculars.

However, the main attraction here were the puffins. They stuck out amongst the crowds of other black and white birds with their bright orange feet and colorful beaks. A few telescopes were already set up to focus on them.

According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the UK is home to 9 percent of all Europe’s puffins, and they are only commonly sighted in a few locations, like Rathlin’s seabird sanctuary.

We spent some time looking at the birds before heading back to the east of the island to explore the gift shops and get some snacks before our ferry’s departure.

We boarded the Spirit of Rathlin once more to return to Corrymeela that evening, all exhausted from our eventful and exciting day.

–Isy Woodcox

It was nice finally being able to go to Rathlin Island after looking at it for two weeks, and wondering what was over there! This was the trip I was most looking forward to, since it felt like Rathlin Island had been taunting us for the first two weeks of our stay at Corrymeela.

Seeing all the birds on the cliffside at the Seabird Centre left me in amazement. Then, on our way back to the harbor on the Puffin Bus, we got off the bus early to get closer to some seals sunning themselves on the rocks of a small inlet. I could never have imagined that such a little island could contain so much beautiful wildlife.

–Colin Berkey

Rathlin was one of the places I had been most excited to see. The huge seabird sanctuary was a highlight. As someone who is involved with conservation work, I appreciated the sanctuary’s glimpse of some conservation efforts overseas.

The Puffin Bus was a bit terrifying as it traveled uphill around sharp turns with cliffs on both sides—not exactly comforting on such a huge bus—but the ride afforded us a great view of the island.

Overall, it was wonderful to explore this quaint little island and its unique biodiversity!

–Isy Woodcox

Rathlin Island was one of the most anticipated adventures on our trip. Many of us were excited to see the puffins, seals, and other amazing wildlife on the island. For this trip, our main goal was to see the puffins, but we made plenty of other little discoveries on the island. For example, Javi, Atty, and I found this super-cute compost pig!

This little island holds so much to explore beyond its puffins. We all hope to be able to return someday.

–Hayden Smith