Learning to Walk

Rowan, Leo, Gina at the foot of Slemish

We've decided that we need fresh air and excerise; the children are turning square-eyed from sitting behind the TV and my legs are seizing up from being curled up in front of a fire all winter.
So last week, in a moment of proactive parenting, we piled the children into the car and told them we were going on an adventure. As we pulled into the carpark at the bottom of Slemish Mountain, my youngest son Leo, who is only 4, gaped up towards the summit and prounounced it "awesome". After 2 hours of climbing, sliding, being blown about and scraped, he was calling it less flattering names but the rest of us were hooked.
Yesterday we went prepared. With proper walking boots, backpacks (they are learning from the start to carry their own waterproofs and water) and hiking sticks, we decided on Glenariff Forest Park in Cushendall. It has been described as "The Queen of the Antrim Glens"; a 5 mile walk that takes you along wooden walkways built into the cliff face;  past magnificent waterfalls; over rustic bridges which cross rocky gorges and through steep woodland full of the smell of wild garlic.

Leo pulls down the forest

At the start before Leo fell in

 Oh the joy of skipping, happy children, poking things with sticks and jumping across stepping stones in the river at the very start of the walk - until Leo fell in. And then I realised the flaw in my carefully laid plans - I didn't bring a change of clothes for the kids.
One hour later, having had no option other than to head back to Ballymena and buy new clothes for Leo, we made it past the starting point, round the bends and up the Glens and all the way back to the end.

Gina on the stepping stones

The kids (alright, me too...)found the steep bits really tough but there were so many waterfalls and pretty rivers to look at that we were distracted enough keep going.
Gina's verdict of the walk ; "That was brilliant. Where will we climb next?"
Leo was thrilled because he got to have a picnic but Rowan just wanted home to watch Dr Who at 6 o'clock. He's a work in progress!