Day 6 of my Summer Season, and I’m still on the south-eastern coast of the Ards Peninsula in County Down.  Remember my post on Kearney?  From there I headed south round the headland into the townland of Knockinelder.

This is Knockinelder Bay.  The outer edges of the bay are in the townlands of Kearney and Ballymarter, but the middle of the bay is in Knockinelder.

If in doubt about the townland, just look at the name of the house beside the carpark.

The PLACENAMESNI website suggests that the origin of the townland name was the Irish Cnoc an Iolair meaning “hill of the eagle”.

If you want to leave your bike or car and continue on foot, follow the map on the carpark information panel for a beautiful walk to Kearney and back.  You will see some birds, but an eagle is unlikely.

Wildflowers along the shore include the Bird’s Foot Trefoil (lotus corniculatus) also known as “Butter and Eggs”, “Eggs and Bacon”, or “Hen and Chickens”.  Here is a link to Zoe Devlin’s website, WildflowersofIreland.net which is a mine of information about Irish wildflowers, and which describes the bird’s-foot-trefoil as “this much loved little yellow pea-flowered perennial…which brightens up roadsides, sandhills, stone-walls and most grassy places”.

Or you can stay in the bay and relax.

One of my friends swims here regularly.  The water is clear and, she claims, not cold!

more information

Which county is Knockinelder in?   County Down

Which civil parish is Knockinelder in?   Ballyphilip

Which townlands border Knockinelder?   To the northeast, Dooey and Kearney.

To the northwest, Ballyrusley.

To the southwest, Ballymarter.

Click here to see a map of Knockinelder on Townlands.IE.

And finally, click here to read more about the townland name on PLACENAMESNI.ORG.