Great Irish Roads - Ballycastle to Cushendun via Torr Head
The northeastern corner of Ireland comprises a jagged coastline which juts out into the North Channel on many rocky promontories, or, in complete contrast, broad sandy beaches.
Our journey, the last in this year's series, begins in Ballycastle, the largest town in the Antrim Glens.
Famous as the venue of the Ould Lammas Fair, the oldest and allegedly the most popular fair in Ireland, which has been held since the 1400s.
From the busy harbour in Ballycastle one can look across at Rathlin Island and towards Benmore, better known as Fair Head and familiar to several generations from the daily shipping forecast.
Beyond Fair Head can clearly be seen on all but the most inclement days the Mull of Kintyre on the west coast of Scotland.
Our journey took us out of Ballycastle on the A2 towards Ballyvoy where the road branches and we left the A2 to take the road signposted to Torr Head.
For the keen driver this is a most attractive road with sweeping, flowing bends which rise and fall and a fine surface for the initial part of our journey. However, a small word of warning at this point.
The road which takes us around the coast to Cushendun is often very narrow and rises and falls with great rapidity.
It's not a problem provided one takes some extra care, for one can meet an oncoming vehicle suddenly and without warning.
Having said that, it's a road well worth taking the trouble to explore as the views along the coastline are spectacular.
It's possible to take short excursions off this road to both Fair Head and Torr Head - itself jutting out beyond Portaleen Bay - or alternatively just enjoy this road as it winds around Carnanmore (379m) and Cushleake Mountain towards Cushendun.
Along much of the way the road clings to a sharply sloping coastline and winds its way down to Cushendun Bay and the pretty, and unusual, town of Cushendun.
Cushendun is situated at the foot of Glendun, one of the Glens of Antrim and was designed by the architect Clough William-Ellis, who designed the village of Portmeirion in Wales, at the request of Lord Cushendun and his Cornish-born wife, Maud Bolitho, in 1912.
The heart of the village is the town square, built in Cornish style with vernacular buildings and Georgian-style windows.
The square's terraces are linked at the corners by twin arches and the courtyard can only be entered by way of a pair of very large gate piers.
The row of cottages known as Maud cottages were built later in 1925 and again show Cornish influences. The whole village is now a conservation area in the safe-keeping of the National Trust.
Last year this series came to an end at Hook Head on the southeastern edge of Ireland, so it's entirely appropriate that this year's series should end at the other end of the island having traversed Torr Head on the northeastern coast.
We look forward to bringing more Great Roads for you to explore in the spring of the New Year.