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Northern Ireland's last remaining inhabited offshore island, Rathlin Island , lies five miles north of Ballycastle and just twelve miles west of the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. Caledonian MacBrayne ferries (tel 028/2076 9299; www.calmac.co.uk ) make the fifty-minute trip from Ballycastle harbour four times daily between June and September; a return ticket costs GBP8. Outside these months services are reduced but, in winter, the wreck-filled waters in the race can become too treacherous for the boat to sail at all or make the return trip, so it's worth making sure in advance that you find a bed on the island, as accommodation is strictly limited. Shaped like a truncated figure seven, Rathlin is an impressive, rugged island, with a coastline consisting almost entirely of cliffs and a lighthouse at each tip. As the island's width is never more than a mile, the sea dominates the landscape and its salty winds discourage the growth of vegetation - wind turbines harness this energy source for electricity generation. The presence of dry-stone walls and numerous ruined cottages indicates a time when the population was far larger than the hundred or so current inhabitants concentrated around Church Bay . A stroll around the island will reveal relics of far greater antiquity. Halfway to the West lighthouse is the site of a Stone Age axe factory, and, to its north, earthworks known as Doonmore ( dun mor , "big fort"). In the early Christian period the island was a haven for monks , who've left evidence of their presence in the form of a sweathouse (a kind of primitive sauna) at Knockans, back towards Church Bay. In 795 AD Rathlin was the first place in Ireland to be raided by the Vikings . Subsequent times saw three bloody massacres, one by the Scots and two by the English. In 1575, the mainland MacDonnells sent their women, children and old people to Rathlin for safety from the English, but that didn't stop the invading fleet, under the Earl of Essex (whose soldiers included Sir Francis Drake), from slaughtering the entire population. Later, in 1642, the MacDonnells were again butchered by their Scottish enemies, the Campbells; Rathlin was deserted for many years afterwards. You can discover more about the island's history in the Boathouse, down by the harbour, recently converted to house a heritage centre (Easter-Aug daily 11.30am-4.30pm; 50p). The island's cliffs make superb birdwatching country, particularly Bull Point , on the western tip, part of a large RSPB nature reserve. The viewpoint at the West lighthouse (April-Aug; contact warden in advance on tel 028/2076 3948) provides wonderful views of Northern Ireland's largest colony of seabirds - a minibus plies between here and Church Bay in summer. The foot of the cliff is riddled with caves , many of them accessible by boat only in the calmest of weather, and many also filled with detritus from wrecked ships, brought to the surface by storms. Bruce's Cave , on the northeast point of the island, below the lighthouse, is a cavern in the black basalt where, in 1306, so the story goes, the despondent Robert the Bruce retreated after being defeated by the English at Perth. Seeing a spider determinedly trying to spin a web gave him the resolve to "try, try and try again", so he returned to Scotland and defeated the English at Bannockburn. You can rent a boat to see the cave , but only in calm weather.
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