How to get there - From Ballymoney take the Aghadowey Rd out of the town and travel around 5km to the Argivey Bridge over the river Bann. (map)
Suggested Launch Site - Use the parking area on the right hand side coming from Ballymoney. Launch on the other side of the fielded gate just downstream of the parking area.
General
Description - The full trip is around 15km and is downstream. It can easily be broken into three much shorter trips if desired. (Argivey Bridge to Camus, Camus to Cutts Canoe Steps, and Cutts Canoe steps to Coleraine marina... e-mail me if you want more detail on these).
The trip goes through a nice range of scenery starting in open fields, through sections of small forest and the town of Coleraine. Along the way you pass three ancient fortification mounds. The first of these is about 1km and 200m from the bank, south of the launch point on the right hand side. This is a 'serpantine' rath which is a mound surrounded by a series of circular moats, now only partly filled with water. The second is very hard to find and little remains. The third is clearly viable just south of the Cutts Canoe Steps on the right hand side. It is a large Motte used in Celtic times and reworked by the Normans.
Sections of the river are used by water skiers and the Cutts weir should be portaged around using the canoe steps on the left. These areas are clearly marked so follow the signs.
The weir at the Cutts can be fairly fast flowing so take care to go river left when directed. At the canoe steps follow the path along the bank to below the loch gates and use the steps to re enter. The steps are fairly steep and narrow.
The exit marina is on the right hand side about 1km south of the rail bridge in Coleraine. (route)
There are currently no photos for this trip. If you have some please send them to me at keith@canoedaysout.com
