From Whitehead to Blackhead and back

Whitehead, a little way south of Larne, features some of the most brightly-painted seafront houses I've ever seen (see extras). Seeing the Ukrainian flag fluttering above the car park was an especially welcome splash of colour. We've seen a few Ukrainian flags, as we've been travelling around, sometimes hanging with the union jack (this being, after all, an area of significant Unionist communities - and with 'marching season' coming up next month. More about that to come in a later post).

It's been cool and showery, but with enough gaps between showers to fit in an energetic walk along the coast path from Whitehead to Blackhead and the lighthouse, and back.

Meanwhile we await whatever muddled announcements might be on the way later today about the Northern Ireland protocol. I'm gutted to see that the courts have agreed that the removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda can go ahead from tomorrow, before full legal scrutiny of this horrible policy has been completed. On the other hand, legal challenges on behalf of specific individuals have been successful in taking many people off the list of those due to be ... I won't say 'removed' again,  it's too polite. Those due to be trafficked once again, but this time by a government rather than a gang.