A £6 million project to restore a historic coastal path in east Antrim, Northern Ireland, is nearing completion. The half-mile Gobbins cliff path on Islandmagee was built in 1902 and was more popular than the Giant’s Causeway in its heyday.
The attraction, with bridges and a path carved into the cliff-side, fell into disrepair after the Second World War and was closed to the public in 1954.
Larne Borough Council is contributing £2 million to the project, which will also receive £3.5 million from the Special EU Programmes Body.
At the end of last month, a 20m 5.4-tonne tubular steel bridge was lowered into place (by a 350-tonne crane) to form one of the first sections of the path.
Larne mayor Martin Wilson said: “This remains a technically challenging project, not only in terms of the engineering expertise but also because of the cliff-face location, plus the need to work in often difficult weather and to take account of nearby puffin breeding sites.”
The new walkway will deviate from the original path in some sections. It will feature around 15 bridges, including the tubular steel bridge and a suspended bridge.