Ballygally Castle

 Overnight 25 to 26 September 2011


We spent the night in a castle!  The brown section (see the picture at the right) was built in 1625 while the white section was built in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  It does have modern amenities including free WiFi in the lobby.  It is only a few miles east of the Giant's Causeway.

The castle faces the Irish Sea.  Scotland can be seen in the mists to the North from the front of the castle.  The turret window on the NE corner of the building is said to be haunted.  Legend says that the Lady of the castle, Esmeralda, threw herself out the turret window when her baby died.  They say that she roams the "old" castle in search of her babe.

After dinner we climbed the stairs to Esmarelda's bedroom.  She must have been a very small person!  The window in her room is about one and a half feet wide by two feet tall and at least four feet from the floor.  Maybe she had help?!  At any rate, we didn't see her or hear her during our stay in the castle.

The Irish Sea is immediately across the two lane highway and "car park."  The castle has a private beach.  

I am standing on the beach looking back up at the parking lot entrance.  My daughter is standing at the top looking out to sea.

In the far distance, to the west, we could see the Giants' Causeway that we visited the day before.  


And yes, we went in the water, sort of...  She stuck her foot in and said it was freezing so I put my fingers in.

Behind the wall around the "old" castle wall (look back at the first few pictures) is a delightful terrace and garden.  The gate in the distance leads out to a path that leads to the street.

This is a view of the garden standing at the same point but looking to the south.  The roof in the distance is to a guard post.  

This terrace is right outside of the dining room.  At one point the current dining room was the great hall of the castle.