Northern Ireland escape: Causeway Coastal Route

‘I’m a lover of the natural world so any chance I can get to escape to the sea, the trees, the mountains, I’ll take it. Exploring the Causeway Coastal Route of Northern Ireland never gets boring, with vast amounts of rugged terrain and breath-taking views, it never ceases to amaze me. I especially appreciate the sounds of the waves crashing, the bird life buzzing above and the gentle wind of coastal air that feels better than any medicine when you need that pick me up. Along my adventures I always make time for a pit stop which involves a cup of tea, my go to drink and a bun too. It really is the simple things.’

Contributor Ellie Letch takes us on a little adventure along the Causeway Coastal Route. Let’s discover some of the places that truly make her feel heiter:

‘Images of Benone Strand which is along the Causeway Coastal Route of Northern Ireland. It is seven miles of blue sea, golden sand and mountain views with Donegal in the distance. You also see a photo is inside my Land Rover Defender which takes me on all my adventures and where I shelter when a tea break is needed.’

‘This is Downhill Beach which is a part of the seven mile expanse of Benone Strand. The 2nd photo shows the road leading down to the beach. The 3rd photo is looking up to the Mussenden Temple which sits perched on the edge of the cliffs. The temple was built in 1785 with the intention of being a summer library for Frederick Augustus Hervey, Bishop of Derry and Earl of Bristol. The design is quite unique and inspired by the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli.’

‘Downhill Forest is maintained by the National Trust. The trees stand tall with birds flitting around and as you walk along the pathway the sea can be heard in the distance.’

‘Lost and Found is a café in Portstewart. The view inside looks out to the sea which immerses you into a relaxed state as you watch the waves lap and sip on a cup tea. Much like the name you can easily get lost in thought as you find yourself focusing on the nature around you.’

‘Sea Shed café is just a stone’s throw away from Downhill Forest and a few minutes from the rugged coastline.’

‘Downhill Beachhouse which looks onto the Downhill Beach and has the Mussenden Temple in the background. It was recently featured on the television, B&B By the Sea by the BBC.’

Ellie (short for Eleanor) Letch is named after her grandmother and lives in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.  She studied Marine and Natural History Photography in Falmouth University and gained a lot from this time away: the ability to truly experience a new place, new people and a chance to figure herself out. Ellie’s love for animals and the natural world comes from a lifetime surrounded by animals and remains that way today as she helps look after the small holding she calls home. Ellie is creatively minded and articulates that through her photography, exploration of places and expression through clothes and homeware which she loves sourcing from vintage and charity shops.

Accidente Con Flores, an ethical fashion brand that constantly evolves

Accidente Con Flores is a creative studio based in Mallorca. Ola and Adrián started their clothing line spontaneously, without any plans or calculations. “After graduating, we both knew that we wanted to stay creative and to work for ourselves,” explains Ola and Adrián. They design, cut, and sew everything in their studio on the island and collaborate with many local artisans to support their art and craft pieces.

Ola and Adrián believe that this is a way to offer better choices and transform the fashion industry from being the second largest polluter in the world. “While studying fashion design in Antwerp and fine arts in Tenerife, we became aware of the consequences and environmental impact of the fast fashion industry. That’s why Accidente Con Flores only makes sense for us if it is completely honest and transparent in every aspect.”

“We don't work according to the pace and restrictions imposed by the fashion industry, such as collections or seasons, we prefer to create each piece separately. Our pieces are, therefore, not dependent on the trends imposed by outside influences.”

They both enjoy the process of creating — from the first decision to the final product. They don’t limit themselves with ultimate goals, visions, and long-term plans. In their eyes, Accidente Con Flores is constantly evolving. They have the freedom of learning something new every day and to be able to go in any direction that feels right for them. Ola and Adrián sum up this approach: “There is never a definite beginning nor a definite end.”

Mallorca immediately felt like home to them. “We wanted to be surrounded by nature, animals, creative people, and endless possibilities, that’s why we decided to create a peaceful place here. Mallorca is incredibly rich in traditional crafts. There are so many old techniques, such as weaving palm leaves, glass blowing and textile weaving that are still being preserved at the highest quality.”

While Mallorca has become home, a priority for the duo has always been to design products locally and use nearby resources. For example, their entire wool clothing line is made on the island using local sources only. They do this by cooperating with Eugenia and Gemma, who are working with local shepherds to turn the wool into a beautiful, high-quality product. And with another local shoemaker, Toni, they’ve created handmade espadrilles.

Once they realized that there was not an online platform that would show the work of all these local artisans that they enjoyed meeting, they created one called “How They Work”.

“We wanted to present some rare, behind-the-scenes insights into their life and work. We hope this website will serve as a useful guide for anyone interested in discovering and supporting them and to be the beginning of many beautiful relationships and creative connections.”

Supporting local artisans gives them a sense of belonging and the joy of contributing to change. “It fills us with satisfaction. Moreover, we feel like being a part of a very big family.”

Getting to know Ola and Adrián a little bit better

Their favorite Accidente Con Flores pieces: everything really :)

The best thing about living on Mallorca is: nature

If you weren’t designers, you would be: musicians or bakers

If you had five minutes to teach someone something new, what would it be: breathing techniques or baking bread

Andrea Juckem is a writer and co-creator of the bi-lingual online magazine NIKA (which means niche in English). She has always been attracted to people's stories and communication but it was not until recently that she decided to put it all in words that have an impact: Andrea now uses her (Czech and English) writing to express emotions and share meaningful thoughts and stories.

Images: Valentina Riccardi

Images featuring the Accidene Con Flores espadrilles: Nùria from Isla et Nomade