Belfast: Gobbins Cliff Path Walk - what to expect

[Maligator]

Hopefully, a search led you to my humble little post. Let me preface by saying we did this excursion through Celebrity in August 2022 and I don't think anyone on our tour was fully prepared for what it entailed and the level of exertion needed to complete it. I cannot speak for any other cruise line's description, other than Celebrity's.

 

We've been on numerous hiking tours and the like that carry the caveats that participants should consider their overall physical condition and fitness. Sure, some are more challenging than others. But I don't believe even these advisements fully prepared us - or anyone else on our bus - for exactly what this tour entails. I'm not knocking the tour or the operator. For reference, the day we went, the weather was mostly sunny, around 75F, and breezy.

 

The Gobbins Cliff Path Walk is an independent organization from the coach service Celebrity provided; that is to say, the coach gets you to the visitor center and the Gobbins staff then takes over until your return. I assume the tours are all the same when it comes to cruise groups. Tours are divided into smaller groups of about fifteen. As you're ushered into the briefing room, the guides are assessing footwear. Anyone not wearing appropriate shoes/boots with grippy soles are sent to the side to be given loaner shoes. I had trail running shoes with knobby soles and was deemed acceptable; my wife had regular Asics running shoes and was given loaners. You're then given a helmet, of which they have a variety of sizes. You MUST wear the helmet once the tour begins and it IS NOT for show! Backpacks, purses, etc are placed in lockers and you keep the key. Much of the walk isn't big enough for backpacks.

 

From the visitor center, each fifteen-person sub-group is assigned a guide and everyone piles into a shuttle van for the three-minute ride to the drop-off. From that point, there's a relatively steep grade path down to the sea. Keep that in mind, as what goes down must come up.

 

The entrance to the actual cliff walk is the next obstacle. This path was originally cut in the 1800's and while much of it is improved, some of it isn't. The entry requires squeezing through a gap in the rock. I'm 6'5" and had to shrink down quite a bit. The majority of the walking surface is either the rock or steel grate. The steps - especially those carved out of the rock - can be very uneven. Some are short. Others take more of a step. Even the steps made of steel grate can be super steep - more like a ladder.

 

One specific section goes through a very narrow crack in the cliff with a steep decline that actually goes down below sea level before coming back up through another steep and narrow split. This is where the helmet really pays off. I recall a number of times I felt the helmet pick up bits of cliff face that would certainly have broken the skin on my scalp.

 

I can't recall just how far you actually go along the cliffs. I'd say anyone in reasonable shape should be able to complete the walk, albeit with some considerable exertion. Young children and seniors were making it through. There is a cart at the bottom of the initial path for those who truly need it to get back up that steep grade. A couple on our sub-group were really sucking wind and took longer to get up to the top. One teenager who seemed to be more of a couch potato was really struggling.

 

The van arrives to schlep everyone back to the visitor center.

 

Anyway....I hope this helps inform anyone considering this excursion. I hope not to scare anyone away, as it is a very pleasant hike and I'm glad we went. I just feel like the description and advisories provided by the cruise line fell quite a bit short.

[Bob++]

This video gives the flavour of the path:

 

 

[bunnyette]

On 8/25/2022 at 11:32 AM, Bob++ said:

This video gives the flavour of the path:

 

 

Hmmm the video makes it look like a leisurely stroll…

[Bob++]

Agreed. Of course they are promoting it and wouldn't want to make it look too tough. I looked for a more realistic video but couldn't find one.