Crumlin Heritage Trail

What high hopes we set off on the heritage trail with, sadly our hopes and expectations were dashed when we reached Crumlin Glen. Since we've already explored nearly everything in Antrim and Randalstown we decided to give Crumlin a go, detouring with a visit to Holestone in Parkgate on the way home. We pulled up to the carpark at Crumlin Glen, on the surface this is a lovely piece of land, in fact it is everything one could hope for on a leisurely walk- trees, high pathways overlooking a small waterfall, some heritage sites such as Cockle House, the main reason for our trip. Folk lore has it that Cockle House was built as a mosque for a landowner's Muslim servant, it is a small dome-like feature which overlooks the water from either side, so pretty one might think, one thought wrong. It has been vandalized by thoughtless thugs who sprayed 'Jason' over the stone work. Jason, you should be ashamed of yourself! The ground was covered in a debris of alcohol tins, bottles and other unsavoury waste. In fact, the entire glen is strewn with litter. As a heritage trail that is promoted by Antrim Borough Council I feel this should come with a warning, it is certainly a waste of a trip and I didn't feel safe at all. Such a disappointment.