As you follow Bryan's Burn, the burbling and sparkling stream that threads its way through Strickland's Glen, it is possible to imagine that this tranquil and enchanting wooden glade has changed little since the time of the ancient saints. Small brown and white birds known as dippers flit and splash in the shallow water as they hunt their prey, other birds sing from the branches and the sounds of the sea softly sigh evocatively, just at the edge of hearing.
Columbanus grew determined to carry out missionary work on the continent, to help spread the word of God to those regions that had entered a dark age in the centuries following the collapse of Rome. He sought permission to begin his mission from Comgall and along with his twelve companions: Attalus, Columbanus the Younger, Cummain, Dogmal, Eogain, Eunan, Gurgano, Libran, Lua, Sigisbert, Waldoleno and Gall. They left on their long journey, never to return to Ireland. Follow the pathway through this enchanting glen and head towards the murmuring sea.
Bryan's Burn sparkles and tumbles through this wooded valley on its journey from Clandeboye Estate to the sea at Smelt Mill Bay. Great for a peaceful walk, this glen has also a wildlife larder and hunting ground. The trees and river are home to millions of insects, bugs and beetles which provide food for hungry birds and other animals.