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A driving guide to Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast
May 24, 2016 by Heather Cowper
Filed under United Kingdom, Accommodation, Leisure, featured, Hotels, Ireland, Nature, Northern Ireland, Sightseeing
Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast must be one of the most scenic drives in the world, with a rugged, unspoiled coastline and a coastal road that runs within sight of the sea.
I reckon that you need at least three days to tour this lovely coastline. One day to see the Giant's Causeway and the other attractions of the northern coastline. Another to taste a drop of whiskey at the famous Bushmills distillery and sleep it off at the Bushmills Inn (no driving required). On the final day you can drive down the stunning Glens coast between Ballycastle and Belfast. A perfect long weekend you might say!
The star of the coast – The Giant's Causeway
So here's the star of Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast; the Giant's Causeway. Since the 1830s tourists have been coming here to see this wonder of nature, with hexagonal basalt columns, formed 66 million years ago when a lava flow cooled and cracked. Over time, the sea and weather eroded the columns into the iconic rock formations you see today.
Well that's what the geologists will tell you! But of course the locals know that the Causeway was created by the giant Finn McCool, when he threw rocks into the sea to pick a fight with the Scottish giant who was taunting him from across the water. If you stand on the causeway you'll see the chimneys of Finn McCool's house rising from the cliff.
To tell me the stories of the causeway, I had an excellent local guide in Mark Rodgers who is part of the Purdy family that can trace their ancestry back to the survivors of the ship Girona, part of the Spanish Armada wrecked on the Causeway in 1588.
We passed the stone that marks when the Causeway became Ireland's first World Heritage Site in 1986, while down the path we passed through the windy gap where a sudden gust of wind can easily blow your hat off. Mark pointed out the small harbour where local fisherman would pull up their boats during the summer salmon fishing season, but once tourists started arriving would row them around the headland to see the Great Sea Cave.
Before the 1960s when the National Trust took over the management of the Causeway, a few local families ran souvenir and tea shops for visitors alongside this path. Now all that has gone and the Causeway has been restored to its natural state, with a new National Trust Visitor Centre much further up the hill.
We passed what I would have taken for a puddle in the rock, which Mark explained was a well, fed by a natural spring. In the past ladies would stop to take a drink from the well, then would go and sit on the Causeway in the wishing chair, a natural seat in the rock, and wish for a husband. Of course for fun I took a seat but luckily I already have a wonderful husband so I didn't need to wish for any other.
The pony and traps that once transported visitors down to the Causeway have been replaced by a mini bus (£1 each way) and we took it back up to the visitor centre again. So now we have visited the star attraction of Northern Ireland's north coast, what else is there to see? Well a surprising amount as it turns out, especially if you have a car to get around. (Check out Alamo Rent A Car if you need a rental car)
So lets start at…..
Mussenden temple on the edge of the clifftop
You may have seen photos of Mussenden Temple, an elegant Palladian building perched on the edge of the cliff, which you can spot from Downhill beach below. It was actually a library and summer house for the great house of Downhill Demesne which is now only a shell, as it burnt down in 1851 and was subsequently dismantled in the 1940s.
The temple was built by the Earl Bishop Frederick Hervey in honour of his favourite niece, Frideswide Mussenden, and there was originally space to drive a horse and carriage around it. As it's now perched precariously on the cliff edge, perhaps you should visit while you can, although it's only open for special events like weddings.
The property is managed by the National Trust and from the car park you can walk through the walled garden and see the ice house and dovecote before exploring the ruins of the mansion and walking to the clifftop to photograph the temple.
A little further down the road is Hezlett House, which you can visit with the same ticket. This thatched 17th century cottage is furnished as it would have been a century ago, with store rooms under the roof beams and tiny bedrooms set behind the cosy parlour furnished in Victorian style.
Downhill Demesne and Hezlett House, near Castlerock. Open 10-5, every day in summer and some days in spring/ autumn. Adults £4.50 or free to National Trust members
A stop for the view over Whiterocks Beach
As you drive along the coast road there's a viewpoint where you can stop overlooking Whiterocks beach with a sign that tells you about the coastal park. From here, enjoy the views towards the seaside town of Portrush, the rocky islands known as the Skerries and the limestone cliffs where kittiwakes and guillemots nest. I love the wide, windswept beaches and dramatic seascapes on this part of Northern Ireland's coast and a little further on you'll arrive at ….
Dunluce Castle perched on the cliff
Dunluce Castle looks as if it might just topple off the edge of the cliff and into the sea to the pounding waves below. But wait… apparently a bit of the manor house did fall off the the cliff in the 18th century and you can now see the hole with iron bars across it. Even if you don't want to live life on the edge, the castle does make a great photograph, the ultimate picturesque ruin.
At the ticket office there's an interesting display about the castle's history and a video playing in the exhibition room opposite. The castle was the stronghold of the MacDonnells who were the leading family along the Antrim and Glens coast and it was the base for their power struggles with other Irish clans as well as the English crown. The splendid Jacobean manor house which you can see the shell of was built by Randall McDonnell in 1620 and was the lavish seat of the Earls of Antrim.
The curious part of the story is that on this windswept cliff top was a town which has been partly excavated. It was established in 1608 with the support of King James I to house Scottish settlers who were encouraged to come to establish greater support for the English crown. But by the 1680s the town had been abandoned. I can imagine how the clifftop location, might have been a little too exposed even for the hardy Scotts and Irish.
Where to stay – Bushmills Inn
If you want a base to explore Northern Ireland's Causeway coast by car, I highly recommend the charming Bushmills Inn, where you can guarantee that a warm Irish welcome will await you. If you are coming from afar, they may even fly your country's flag from the tower to greet you, as they have a flag room which contains the flags of every nation in the world.
Even if you don't stay at Bushmills Inn, be sure to stop by in the evening for a drink in their Gas Bar which is lit by the soft glow of gas lamps and has live music on Saturdays and Wednesdays. There's a peat fire burning every day at the reception where all the guests (including me) love to be photographed since it just embodies all that is warm and welcoming about an Irish bar.
The hotel started life in the 18th century as a coaching inn (that's the part where you'll find the Gas Bar) but they've since built an extension at the back, and now have 41 rooms. It's difficult to tell where the old ends and the new begins, since the stonework and whitewashed walls run throughout. I had a luxurious four poster bed and a huge bathroom with roll-top bath overlooking the River Bush flowing behind the hotel, with the same pure water that's used to make the Bushmills Whisky at the distillery just down the road. The restaurant is excellent too – the kind of place where you'd come for a special treat, and specialises in modern Irish dishes that use the best produce from farms and fisherman of the North Antrim coast.
The Bushmills Inn, 9 Dunluce Road, Bushmills.
Dark Hedges – a location for Games of Thrones
If you're driving up through the area around Bushmills, you might want to take a detour to see one of the best known Game of Thrones filming locations in the area, known as Dark Hedges. The avenue of beech trees have an eery, twisted look and were used in Season 2 when Arya Stark travels down the King's Road to escape from Kings Landing, dressed as a boy.
The trees were planted as the driveway for the Georgian Mansion of Georgehill House, which is now a hotel where you can stop for a coffee. Although it looks like a quiet country lane, it was difficult to get a decent photograph of the trees, for all the cars driving up and down and the people walking through – pesky tourists!
Fishing boats in Ballintoy harbour
Let's continue our drive along the coastal road, but before you get to the Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge, take a detour down the narrow, winding road that leads to Ballintoy Harbour, another Game of Thrones location. I caught it in the late afternoon when it was looking very pretty with a small boathouse at the harbour entrance and rugged rocks with the sea spray breaking over them. On the other side of the car park are some sea caves that are fun to explore and a small beach. Enjoy a wander then stop for a cake or an ice cream at the small cafe, before driving on to…
Carrick-A-Rede Rope bridge
Yikes, from all the photos I'd seen this looked like one scary rope bridge. I worried about whether I'd even be able to a take any photos at all – one false move and my iphone might be knocked from my hand and plunge into the sea below.
The original bridge was made by salmon fishermen, who used it to get across the gap between the headland and the small island so that they could get better access to the salmon that swam past here each summer to the rivers on the north coast. On the island you can see the shed of their small fishery which is open on certain days. Judging by the old photographs, the rope bridge was a lot more perilous in those days, with just a rope on one side to steady yourself. Those daring tightrope-walking fisherman thought nothing of balancing themselves and all their gear to cross over the bridge.
Well, back to these days and it's really not that bad. You may need to queue to take your turn to cross the bridge with a warden monitoring progress and telling you when to go. "Don't worry", he quipped, "we haven't lost anyone yet … this month". When it's your turn, you descend the wooden steps and then cross over, just don't look down and in a couple of minutes you are across. Even though it was quite windy, the bridge was surprisingly stable. I had a little look around on the other side and then turned around to come back. The best views are to be had if you walk a bit further beyond the bridge and look back towards it where you can see people crossing.
Adults £5.90 to cross the bridge although it's free to walk along the coastal path. Just a little further along the coast you'll find…
Boats in Ballycastle harbour
Ballycastle is one of the larger towns on the Antrim coast, a market town with a harbour and proper high street with lots of shops, restaurants and bars. It's also become something of a foodie hub for this part of the coast, with many great food producers based nearby and regular Farmer's markets at the weekend. You can even do a walking food tour of Ballycastle with Caroline Redmond of North Coast Walking Tours. For more information on all the great foodie places check out my article: 10 fab Foodie stops on Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast. If you have a bit more time to spare it's worth taking a day to…..
Catch the ferry to Rathlin Island
From Ballycastle harbour, the ferry runs around every hour across the Sea of Moyle to Rathlin Island, which takes 25-45 mins depending on which ferry you catch. I was only on the island for half a day so unfortunately wasn't able to take the RSPB bus to the western tip of the island to see the seabird centre and puffin nesting sites. I did spend an hour or so walking around the harbour where seals were basking in the sunshine outside the Breakwater studio which sold artwork and gifts. I wandered around the bay to take a look at the old Kelp store where seaweed was once burnt to make fertiliser, and if I'd had more time I'd have walked to see one of the lighthouses.
Rathlin Ferry from Ballycastle Harbour: Runs hourly, Adult £12 return, Child £6 return. Booking advisable in high season – can be booked online.
Driving to Torr Head on the Causeway Coast
From Ballycastle I spent my final day driving back to Belfast on what must be one of the most stunning coastal routes in the world, past the Glens of Antrim. The coastal route is well signposted but just outside Ballycastle you can take a detour off the main route along the cliffs by Torr Head. The road passed through open fields where sheep graze with the land dropping steeply down to the sea.
The views were so spectacular that I couldn't resist stopping at every possible viewpoint to take photos, attracting the attention of a few friendly sheep. After a while I had to start lecturing myself; "this is the very last place I'll stop" as I was in danger of running out of time to see anything else on the coast. Still I pressed on until I reached…
Cushenden on the Glens Coast
The pretty village of Cushenden, managed by the National Trust, has a perfectly placed carpark beside the old stone bridge, directly overlooking the beach. On a sunny day, this would be a wonderful place to have a walk on the beach with a picnic from the village shop or a stop for lunch at Mary McBride's bar where they have a restaurant upstairs. There are two sad stories that you might hear associated with Cushenden, one involving a sailor who never came home and his sweetheart who died of a broken heart, the other involving a goat who is commemorated in a statue … but I'll leave you to find out more when you visit. From here I drove on south towards….
Where Cushenden is a picture postcard kind of place, Cushendell is more of a real, working town, with shops and restaurants on the main street that you'll drive through. The beach is another 10 minutes down the road with a separate parking area next to the golf club which is a good starting point for walks along the coast. There wasn't too much to keep me here so I continued on the coastal road….
Driving past the Glens of Antrim
The drive between Cushendell and Glenarm and beyond was truly stunning, passing by the Glens of Antrim, with plenty of opportunities to detour off for woodland walks and waterfalls. The Glens are the deep valleys carved by glaciers millions of years ago, making for a spectacular drive with the sea on one side of the road and the slopes of the Glens rising steeply up on the other. Sadly, as my flight home was calling me, I didn't have time for any waterfalls photos, but just enjoyed the drive and the scenery with a stop at …..
Glenarm Castle for afternoon tea
The tearoom at Glenarm castle was a perfect place to stop before heading back to Belfast Airport to drop off my hire car and fly home to Bristol. The castle is home to the Earls of Antrim and only occasionally open to the public, but there's a lovely walled garden and a tea-room where you can go even if you're not visiting the garden. Much as I'd have liked to explore the walled gardens, I just had time for a cup of tea and slice of home-made cake in the pretty tea room with a glimpse of the garden through the archway. From here it was on to Larne and the fast road back to Belfast International Airport.
It had been a most spectacular weekend driving along Northern Ireland's Causeway and Glens coastline, and having my hire car enabled me to make the most of my long weekend to see as much as possible.
If you are planning a trip to Northern Ireland, check out Alamo Rent A Car for a car rental that you can pick up at the airport and take the scenic route around Northern Ireland's beautiful coastline.
More things to enjoy in Ireland
10 fab foodie stops on Northern Ireland's Causeway coast
Irish tales and 50 shades of green on the Wild Wicklow tour
10 things we did on a weekend in Dublin
Visitor Information for visiting Ireland's Causeway Coast
For more information and to plan your visit to Northern Ireland's scenic Causeway Coast visit the Causeway and Glens website and follow them on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
You can also find plenty of information on the Discover Northern Ireland website and the Tourism Ireland website.
Heather stayed at The Bushmills Inn in Bushmills which is a luxury 4 star hotel that is close to all the major things to see such as The Giant's Causeway and the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery.
My extremely knowledgeable guide for the Giant's Causeway and other local attractions was Mark Rodgers of Dalriada Kingdom Tours who fed me with local tales of fishing families and mythical giants.
If you prefer to have a break from the driving, I recommend Glenara Elite Travel who operate tours in a comfortable mini-bus that enables you to easily see all the attractions of the Causeway Coast in one day. They run regular day tours that cost £35 per person.
Caroline Redmond offers food tours in Ballycastle at North Coast Walking Tours and Wendy Gallagher runs Coast and Country food tours at Causeway Coast Foodie Tours.
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This article was brought to you in partnership with Alamo Rent A Car. Thanks to the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council for hosting my stay on Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast.
This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read the original article here
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10 fab foodie stops on Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast
April 28, 2016 by Heather Cowper
Filed under United Kingdom, Leisure, featured, Eating and drinking, Ireland, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland's scenic Causeway Coast offers windswept golden beaches, ruined castles perched on rocky cliffs and of course what most visitors come to see, the Giant's Causeway (or is it the Game of Thrones locations?) While I enjoyed all of these, what most impressed me most was the quality of the food. I found artisan producers creating new and interesting products and restaurants dedicated to using the best and freshest local ingredients. And the seafood, oh the seafood! So let me take you on a tour of some the restaurants and dishes I enjoyed in between visiting the Giant's Causeway, Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge and Mussenden Temple. In Northern Ireland's 2016 Year of Food and Drink there's plenty here to make your mouth water.
1. The best of Irish cooking at The Bushmills Inn
I loved eating my way through the menu at the Bushmills Inn where I stayed while exploring Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast. If you want to feel the warmth of Irish hospitality, not to mention the peat fire that burns summer and winter at the entrance, this is the place for you.
The hotel started as a coaching inn and the oldest part of the building that fronts the main road now houses the Gas Bar. Lit by gas lamps the bar has a traditional feel, with red walls and subdued lighting casting a rosy glow. It's especially atmospheric on a Saturday or Wednesday night when they have an Irish band sitting in the corner, playing all the folk favourites.
Breakfast was served in the oldest part of the restaurant where I sat in one of the wooden booths and enjoyed the thick, juicy slices of Irish smoked salmon with scrambled eggs served on crested china plates.
I was even more impressed when I had dinner in the newer part of the restaurant which is glazed on one side, creating a lighter feel. The hotel is committed to using local produce and the suppliers are listed at the end of the menu, right down to the farm that produces the herbs. Having heard that the beef here was outstanding I chose the Braised Belted Beef with a mustard crust with vegetables and champ, which was meltingly soft having been cooked very slowly 'sous vide'.
My friend's Kerry Hill Lamb was also getting oohs and ahs of approval. The dishes were at once sophisticated yet totally Irish and beautifully presented. They have an Innkeeper's Choice section of the menu that changes regularly and a decent vegetarian selection too. This is the place to treat yourself for a special dinner and a taste of traditional Irish cooking at it's best.
The Bushmills Inn, 9 Dunluce Road, Bushmills. I ate: Braised Belted Galloway Beef £18.50 and Forest Berry creme brûlée £5.95
2. Seafood on the beach at Harry's Shack
I'd heard so many great things about Harry's Shack at Portstewart that I was determined to have lunch there and managed to fit it in between a visit to Mussenden temple and Dunluce castle. (I was on an excellent day tour run by Glenara Elite Travel) This is the sort of beach cafe you find on every other beach in Cornwall although a surprising rarity in Northern Ireland considering the number of unspoiled, golden beaches. I half expected to find Jamie Oliver popping in for lunch with the family.
The 'Shack' is an overgrown garden shed set just above the beach, with space to eat outside on picnic tables and plenty of light flooding in. I'd heard that the fish here was outstanding so was surprised that there were so many meaty crowd-pleasers: Beach burger and chips, chicken terrine, Irish chicken and mushroom pie. I certainly wasn't complaining when my pan fried fish arrived with capers and cockles in a pool of buttery sauce with a bowl of mash to soak it up.
My friend's fish and chips also looked very good, with the chips in the obligatory metal pail and mushy peas on the side. I was tempted by the cakes on the counter but settled on a single salted caramel macaron to have with my coffee. Harry's shack is definitely a place I'd head back to. It manages to be both family friendly and please serious food lovers of all ages. Rustic beach style with simple food done very well. Why aren't all restaurants like this?
Harry's Shack, 118 Strand Road, Portstewart. We ate: Pan fried fish £15, Fish & Chips £11.
3. A honeycomb ice cream at Ballantoy Harbour
I'd probably have missed Ballantoy harbour, had I not visited as part of my tour with Glenara Elite Travel. It's as picturesque a place as they come and was used as a Game of Thrones setting for the port of Pyke in the Iron Islands (OK, I admit I had to look that up). Because the road down to the harbour is steep and narrow you won't find any larger coach parties down there, although I suspect it's still packed in summer.
As we arrived in the late afternoon, the small tea room on the harbour was closing but we just managed to buy a locally made ice cream to eat at the golden hour. I chose honeycomb flavour which is a local favourite although not much to do with honey, but studded with the kind of burnt sugar honeycomb you find in a Crunchie bar. If you ever get to the Ballycastle Auld Lammas Fair this kind of honeycomb is a local speciality and sold along with Dulse seaweed (but not eaten together!)
4. A lively Saturday night at Ramore in Portrush
Ramore in Portrush is the foodie spot on the Causeway coast where you head for good food and good times at the weekend, a place to put on your high heels and have a laugh. The tall white building overlooks the harbour with the Coast Pizzaria on the ground floor and The Mermaid on the top floor with a sophisticated driftwood and deckchair stripe theme. Ramore has spread sideways to the Harbour Bar next door while the Neptune and Prawn serving Asian inspired dishes is just across the road. None of them is bookable except the Mermaid, which is where I found myself sitting at the cocktail bar for dinner on a Saturday night feeling like a fish out of water amidst the perfectly groomed hair and fashionably bright lipstick.
Things looked up once my Hendricks Southside cocktail with gin, cucumber, mint and elderflower arrived. At least I was in a great spot for people-watching as the cocktails were mixed and shaken before my eyes, expresso martinis decorated with a carefully placed coffee bean, mint and ice being crushed for the Mojitos.
By the time my starter of roast scallops with black pudding and curry cream arrived I was definitely converted. This could possibly be the prettiest dish I'd seen in a long while, with the richness of the scallops and sauce being offset by the sweet sharpness of the redcurrents scattered across the plate.
The roast hake was perfectly cooked, balanced on top of a broth with vegetables and new potatoes but I should have known better than to order the floating brandy snap for desert. Here I had to admit defeat and could only nibble bits of the plate size brandy snap, scrape off a taste of the four different ice creams beneath and try a little of each of the three sauces that came with it. The clatter of glasses and chatter of friends was overwhelming but perfect if you want to party on a Saturday night and probably a little calmer at other times.
Ramore Restaurants, The Harbour, Portrush. I ate in The Mermaid: my cocktail £6.95, starter £5.95, fish £14.95, desert £4.95
5. A drop of Bushmills Whiskey
Of course on the Causeway Coast it's difficult to get by without a drop of whiskey from the famous Bushmills Whiskey Distillery in Bushmills where I was staying. I'd recommend doing the tour which gives an excellent insight into how the whiskey is made, even though you are walking through a not-particularly-attractive commercial production plant. The fun bit comes at the end when you get to taste a generous slug of the Bushmills whiskey which is included in your ticket. You can take your time sipping it in the cosy cafe area and buy your favourite in the shop, including a personalised bottle of the 12 year old which they sell exclusively at the distillery.
If you are interested in trying a few different whiskeys, you can have a mini tasting of 3 of the whiskeys (£7.50) and chat to the bar staff about the different flavours, or better still book for the tutored tasting which takes place every day at 3pm. You can book for this on its own (£15) or combine with a 2pm distillery tour (£20) and you get to sit at the table in the cafe next to the old copper still and taste your way through 5 of the finest whiskeys, (including the 21 year old which sells for over £100 per bottle).
One of the distillery staff will tell you about each whiskey which are different ages, but also matured in different oak casks that have contained bourbon whiskey, port or madeira, each taking a different flavour from the casks. My favourite was the Bushmills 16 year old with flavours of honey, almonds and vanilla matured on port casks (I looked that up from the tasting sheet but it was delicious). Be sure to arrange someone to drive you back to your hotel after the tasting or better still book in just down the road at the Bushmills Inn so you can walk (stagger?) back and spend the rest of the afternoon snoozing in front of the peat fire.
Bushmills Distillery Tour, 2 Distillery Road, Bushmills. Tour: Adults £7.50 including a taste of one whiskey |Tasting 3 whiskeys after the tour £7.50 | Tutored tasting of 5 whiskeys £15 or £20 including the tour (takes place daily at 3pm and must be booked in advance)
6. A fine Sunday lunch at The French Rooms in Bushmills
While visitors will enjoy the Irish charm of Bushmills Inn, it's also fun to have a change from oak panelling and peat fires. Practically next door and in complete contrast is the light and airy French Rooms in Bushmills which I tried for Sunday lunch. With a gift shop and deli at the front and a cafe at the back it feels like you've stepped into a market for deceptively expensive brocante and vintage finds in Aix-en-Provence.
From the Sunday lunch menu I chose the roll of pork stuffed with apples and raisins, with prettily presented side dishes of carrots, peas with lettuce and both mashed and roast potatoes (always a choice of potatoes in Ireland). In between courses I discovered that there was a lovely, light conservatory room at the back, giving out to a charming courtyard garden.
There is a French connection to the area in the French Hugonots who settled here in the 17th century in search of religious freedom and brought with them their skills in the manufacture of linen, using locally grown flax. This is definitely a place I'd love to return to linger over a coffee with cakes or have a light lunch with a friend.
The French Rooms, 45 Main Street, Bushmills. Open Wednesday to Sunday We ate: Sunday lunch 2 courses £13.65 3 courses £16.65
7. Italian inspiration at Bartali Wine Bar at Portballintrae
On a quiet Sunday evening I ate at Bartali Wine bar overlooking the bay at Portballintrae which was just a short drive from Bushmills. The long whitewashed building with a slate roof looked as if it had been converted from an ancient barn or fisherman's boathouse, but in fact was only built around 10 years ago. Inside the wooden booths, brick arches and Victorian fireplace might have been from an old pub, but there was also a young, trendy feel to the place, with an emphasis on local produce and craft ales.
The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and told me that this restaurant and its sister restaurants in Belfast are named after Italian champion cyclists, this being the namesake of Gino Bartali, the others being Coppi (named after Fausto Coppi) and il Pirata (named after Marco Pantani) which serve cichetti bar snacks and rustic Italian cuisine. I enjoyed my market fish; sea bream with cabbage, pancetta and gnocchi which had just the right blend of Irish and Italian. I'd recommend Bartalis for lunch after a walk on Portballintrae beach as well as a relaxed dinner and it has a family friendly conservatory too.
Bartali wine bar, 6B Seaport Avenue, Portballintrae. I ate: Market fish £13.50, Passionfruit Panacotta with white chocolate £4.50. They do a set menu 3 courses or 2 courses + glass of wine for £15
8. Meeting the goats at Broughgammon Farm
As I left Bushmills for my drive past the Glens of Antrim I stopped at Broughgammon Farm near Ballycastle. The family that runs the farm are friends and I was meeting up with Becky Cole, who with her husband Charlie has started a business to rear billy goats for meat which they sell at farmer's markets around Ireland. They run butchery and cookery courses on the farm, have a small farm shop selling their meat and other local products and Becky also has a blog about seasonal living on the farm at Terriers and Tweeds.
Becky told me how they had found their niche after realising that most goats are reared for their milk and the billy goats are slaughtered at birth. For a sustainable approach they buy the male kids and rear them to make cabrito goat meat cuts and sell the famous 'billyburgers' at farmer's markets and country shows, recently branching out into free range rose veal and wild game.
Becky took me to see the goats in their barn where they were full of fun and mischief, nibbling my hand and checking me out with an inquisitive gaze. There's a whole scene of artisan food producers like Becky and Charlie in Northern Ireland which you can look out for at local markets and in farm shops and delis.
Broughgammon Farm, 50 Straid Road, Ballycastle, BT546NP. The farm shop is open Weds-Sun 10am-5pm closed 1-2 for lunch. Check out the meat boxes that can be delivered anywhere in the UK and the events calendar will tell you at which markets you can find the billy-burgers.
9. The Central Bar in Ballycastle
I'd already visited Ballycastle when I took the ferry across to Rathlin Island but decided to stop there again for lunch before driving down the Glens coast back to Belfast Airport. On a Monday lunchtime many of the shops and restaurants were closed but I settled into a table in front of the fire at The Central Bar, an attractive stone building on the main road through town.
Without looking at the menu I knew I had to order the seafood chowder which had been recommended by Caroline Redmond who runs food tours in Ballycastle. It was a delicious creamy soup with chunks of vegetables, fish and prawns from Mortons fishmonger down at the harbour. On the side were three different breads which are cooked on the premises; a treacle and fennel seed, Guiness wheaten bread and a tomato focaccia. The lunch was a real treat and all I needed to set me up for the drive along the Glens coastal route. The Central Bar uses fresh local ingredients cooked to order and there was something to please everyone from Italian pizza, local seafood, steaks, curry and chicken dishes.
Central Wine Bar, 12 Ann Street, Ballycastle. I ate: Seafood Chowder £9.95.
While you're in Ballycastle
Ballycastle is one of the main towns on the Causeway Coast and there's a thriving food scene going on here. I had plenty of recommendations although unfortunately when I visited on a Monday many were closed. Check out the following and let me know what you think;
Morton's Fish and Chips – Look out for the kiosk beside the Ballycastle harbour which is renowned for the best fish and chips in the area. The family own their own fishing boats and also have a fishmonger selling the fresh fish next door so you can be sure that the fish is ultra-fresh and cooked to order. The locals travel miles to buy their fish and chips here and sit eating it with a view of the harbour. Open weekdays 3pm-8pm, weekends 12-9pm Freshly battered cod from £4.00
Ballycastle Food Markets – There's a regular food market in Ballycastle where you'll find plenty of different local artizan food producers. Check out the Naturally North Coast and Glens website for more details.
Caroline Redmond offers food tours in Ballycastle which visit many of the foodie stops mentioned. She also does walking tours of the Causeway coast so check out her Facebook page or contact her by email: [email protected] The Ballycastle walking food tours cost £25
Thyme and Co, 5 Quay Road, Ballycastle – a pretty and airy cafe that uses a lot of local produce. Perfect for breakfast, brunch or a light lunch of Mediterranean tarts and aromatic soups served with crusty breads. Open daily 8.30-4.30 Closed Sunday and Monday
Ursa Minor Bakehouse, 56 Castle Street, Ballycastle, is the place that everyone mentioned to me for bread and cakes and they have a small café too. They make their bread with organic ingredients using traditional methods and supply many local cafes such as Thyme and Co and Harry's Shack.
The North Coast Smokehouse isn't open to the public but look out for their smoked fish at markets and local cafes like Thyme and Co and their smoked sea salt at delis and food shops – I also saw it on sale at Belfast airport. Their website has details of stockists.
Causeway Coast Foodie Tours are run by Wendy Gallagher – you can take one of her 6 hour Coast and Country tours by coach to visit a range of different food producers along the Causeway Coast for tastings and food demonstrations. The tours start and end in Colraine and cost £55. Email: [email protected]
Cushendun and Cushendell as you drive down the Glens coast
On my drive south from Ballycastle I passed through the coastal villages of Cushendun and Cushendell. Unfortunately most places were closed on the Monday but I was recommended the following for a place to eat;
Cushendun is a pretty village is managed by the National Trust and has a long beach, picturesque old stone bridge and a shop where you could easily buy a picnic if the weather is fine. Mary McBrides (2 Main Street) is a tiny whitewashed bar right by the bridge and serves good lunches with a fish restaurant upstairs.
Cushendall is a larger village with several cafes and restaurants with the beach a short drive from the centre. I was recommended the fish restaurant above Jonny Joe's bar – Upstairs @ Joes (23 Mill Street) where they also run a cookery school and Harry's Restaurant (10-12 Mill Street) which is just across the road, both of which serve local fish and seafood.
10. Afternoon tea at the Glenarm Castle Tea Rooms
My final stop before I reluctantly returned to Belfast airport was the tea room at Glenarm castle which is just off the coastal road and makes a great refreshment stop. You can visit the tearooms even if you don't want to visit the walled garden and they serve brunch, sandwiches and soup for lunch and tea and cakes. I just had time for a slice of Lady Grey and orange tea loaf washed down with raspberry fruit tea.
The tearoom looks as if it was once a garden building and is all painted wood and pine tables with pretty garden flowers on each table. I wish I'd had time to visit the walled garden which I could glimpse through the archway and just popped out to take a photo before continuing my drive, with the majestic glens and glacial valleys on one side and the sea on the other.
Glenarm Castle: Garden admission £5. I tried herbal tea £1.85 and cake £2.65. They serve a traditional afternoon tea for £10.95 per person.
A golden bonus from Broighter Gold
Everywhere I went I kept spotting bottles of Broighter Gold who produce cold pressed golden rapeseed oil on their farm at Limavady. They also sell a range of salad oils infused with flavours like basil, lemon and chilli and to celebrate Northern Ireland's 2016 Year of Food and Drink have created a special edition that contains 23 carat flakes of gold for a bit of extra sparkle.
It's fashionable to use olive oil with abandon in our cooking but this rapeseed oil made me stop and wonder why, when there are delicious and healthy local products like this that are part of our own farming landscape.
I loved my foodie tour of Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast exploring local artisan products, fabulous seafood and outstanding quality meat, all served up in huge portions with a healthy dollop of friendly Irish charm. I hope your mouth is watering too!
Have you any favourite foodie spots from Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast? Do leave me your recommendations in the comments
More things to enjoy in Ireland
Irish tales and 50 shades of green on the Wild Wicklow tour
10 things we did on a weekend in Dublin
See the sights of Northern Ireland by car
Visitor Information for visiting Ireland's Causeway Coast
For more information and to plan your visit to Northern Ireland's scenic Causeway Coast visit the Causeway and Glens website and follow them on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
You can also find plenty of information on the Discover Northern Ireland website and the Tourism Ireland website.
Heather stayed at The Bushmills Inn in Bushmills which is a luxury 4 star hotel that is close to all the major things to see such as The Giant's Causeway and the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery. The hotel has a traditional Irish warmth with excellent food and friendly service and the peat fire is always burning to welcome you. If you're lucky you may find your own country's flag flying from the tower to greet you!
For guided tours I recommend Glenara Elite Travel who operate tours in a comfortable mini-bus that enables you to easily see all the attractions of the Causeway Coast in one day. They run regular day tours that cost £35 per person.
My extremely knowledgeable guide for the Giant's Causeway and other local attractions was Mark Rodgers of Dalriada Kingdom Tours who fed me with local tales of fishing families and mythical giants.
Caroline Redmond offers food tours in Ballycastle at North Coast Walking Tours and Wendy Gallagher runs Coast and Country food tours at Causeway Coast Foodie Tours. Thanks to both for their food recommendations.
Thanks to the Causeway and Glens Tourism Board for hosting my stay on Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast.
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This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read the original article here
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Donate now for Passports with Purpose 2011
December 12, 2010 by Heather Cowper
Filed under United Kingdom, Europe, World, Leisure, Misc, Caribbean, India, Lisbon, Northern Ireland, Passports with Purpose, Portugal, St Lucia, Travel products, World Issues
I'm a supporter of Passports with Purpose, the Travel Blogger's annual fundraiser and I've just made my personal choices from the fabulous array of prizes, in the nick of time. The chance to win prizes closes tomorrow although you can continue to donate to help build the village in India through this year's chosen charity, Friends of LAFTI. Here's what I've personally put my bids in for – if you read this in time, head over quick to Passports with Purpose before tomorrow and put in yours.
The prizes I'm hoping to win are;
Apple iPad 16 GB Wi-Fi + 3G
from Andy Murdock at seekingb.blogspot.com
Well, any shiny new Apple toy is obviously extremely desirable and I also think it's good sport of Andy to give up the prize that he won in a competition for this good cause. Also the Winnie the Pooh ebook must be a big bonus although removing the Tie me Kangaroo down sport MP3 is a bit hasty – not everyone is bored with kangaroos and I'm sure it would give my kids endless amusement. If I win this I'll probably take it on shorter trips when I need to have internet access rather than taking the laptop.
8 GB iPod Nano
from Anil Polat at Foxnomad.com
Again the shiny new Apple toy rule applies and as a lover of podcasts this little baby will be just the thing for listening to all my faves such as Amateur Traveler, This week in travel, Betty in the sky and Raising Miro. If you happen to win it instead of me, do download some of my Heather on her travels podcasts to enjoy, such as my latest interview with Beth Whitman about Papua New Guinea.
3G Wi-Fi Amazon Kindle
from Lisa and Tim Bergren at theworldiscalling.com
If I don't get the ipad then I'll settle for a Kindle to play with. If my husband is really nice to me and doesn't nag me about the amount of time I spend on my laptop, he might even find it in his Christmas stocking.Or perhaps I'll be that girl in the deckchair relaxing on the beach with a Kindle in my hand one of these days that I give up the blogging.
$100 gift card to spend on a Mr & Mrs Smith Hotels
from Mr & Mrs Smith blog
Because I love staying in Mr & Mrs Smith hotels and have even been known to write the odd review or guest post for them myself. I know that any boutique hotel that they recommend will be just the sort of stylish, welcoming place that you always hope to find and that I'll always get the best available price at the time if I book through them. If you don't believe me, read what I said about these lovelies in their portfolio; The cosy Avenue Hotel in Copenhagen, the country house chic of Fawsley Hall in Northamptonshire or the modern luxe of Avenue Liberdade in Lisbon.
$800 to spend on a HomeAway Holiday Rental property
from HomeAway and Lara Dunston at Grantourismo
Because I love the flexibility of this prize, to book a holiday stay anywhere I like to enjoy with my family, and I love the idea of finding a home from home somewhere where I can soak up the local colour and feel part of the neighbourhood. I met up with Lara and Terry at the start of their year long Grantourismo project to travel the world, staying in HomeAway properties and writing about their experiences and you can listen to my podcast interview with Lara Dunston here.
Three Night Stay at Luxury Hotel Tiara Park Atlantic Lisbon
from Matt Long at Landlopers.com
Because I fell in love with Lisbon when I visited with my husband in November 2009 and the 2 days we spent there just weren't enough. I can jump on a plane from Bristol and be settling into the rather sleek Tiara Park Atlantic that is part of Kiwi collection, another hotel site that I trust to find me impeccably luxurious hotels such as the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park in London that I reviewed for them.
A Four-Night City and Country Getaway in Ireland
from Corey Taratuta at Irishfireside.com
Because I've only once been to Ireland and I remember the unspoilt countryside and windswept charm and because we have friends there that are overdue a visit and because I can easily get there from Bristol courtesy of the charming Mr O'Leary, a man who does not lack the gift of the gab.
A 3 night luxury spa break for two at LeSPORT hotel in St Lucia though the Explorateur
from Jool Stone of Trainsonthebrain.com
Because my parents have been spending their last few Januaries in St Lucia and love the island, and as I've never been to the Caribbean the island is firmly on my wish list. As I find the grey days of January and February rather dreary, I could do with a bit of sunshine with my husband
If none of these tempt you, get over to Passports with Passport in the next 24 hrs and see what other goodies are on offer – if you're too late, there's always next year….
Read more Indian stories
Exploring the 'Abode of snow' in the Indian Himalayas
Friday photo – my Indian sponsor child
This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home
You'll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey
Don't miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels


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Howie Kurtz Is Very, Very Angry With Media In Ferguson
It looks like Howie got a whipping from Roger Ailes for his defense of Wes Lowery on Sunday, because he came out with both guns blazing Tuesday night on Bret Baier's show.
According to Howie, the presence of media in Ferguson is driving the protests, because they're inserting themselves into the protests. This, after he defended Lowery on his show (and rightly so).
After going after Al Sharpton and Jake Tapper, Howie claimed that the media presence in Ferguson is "driving a racially polarizing debate," while exonerating Fox News for putting on Big Daddy White Supremacist Mark Fuhrman, because he's totally not polarizing or at all racially divisive.
I liked Brian Stelter's retort to Howie's Twitter concern-trolling. It didn't hurt that Brian is the guy at the helm of Reliable Sources, either. Just made it that much more fun:
Has Ferguson basically become a television show, with violence fueling the ratings? I'll tackle with @ericbolling next hour on O'Reilly
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) August 19, 2014
Yes, that's right. Taking on the hard issues with...Eric Bolling. Good Lord.
The answer is no. https://t.co/23dADgMvNt
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 20, 2014

subset: commoncrawl


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| On the Next Ask Dr Love Radio, Everything Happens for A reason with guest Suzane NorthropDoes your heart still hurt over someone who has died? Is your pain affecting your work performance or your current relationships?
Does your heart still hurt over someone who has died? Is your pain affecting your work performance or your current relationships? If so, you'll want to join me for a fascinating discussion with Suzane Northrop, one of the world's most famous psychic mediums. The Afterlife, Suzane's Emmy-nominated TV series, has captured the imagination and hearts of millions in both the U.S. and Canada, demonstrating Suzane's unparalleled talent as a Medium and her profound impact on those who experience her work. The Suzane Northrop Radio Show continues to reach new and amazed audiences every month on the Blog Talk Radio Network. Suzane has lectured extensively throughout the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., as well as with organizations and groups including the New York University's Anthropologi In addition to the many workshops, seminars and events she produces each month across the U.S., Suzane is also on faculty at The Omega Institute for Holistic Studies and is endorsed by We'll be talking about Suzane's take on how we can heal relationships with those who have passed over. I can't think of a soul alive who doesn't harbor some unfinished business with someone who has passed. So tune in and find out more about how to heal and set yourself free. HOW TO LISTEN LIVE: You can hear the live broadcast of this show by clicking on the following link during the showtime: freeconferencecall.com/ ARCHIVED RADIO SHOWS. If you can't catch the live show, it will be recorded and can be watched at a later time on WebTalkRadio.net, YouTube, BlogTalkRadio.com, iTunes and, of course, on AskDrLove.com. End
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very nice!
Females and Drugs
by sassy69 (moderator)
OTC Fat Burners
There are lots of 'fat burners' out there. Depending on how recently you've done a walk through a GNC, you may be more or less familiar with the different brands. It's been a long time since I walked through a GNC so I am not up on the latest. You may need to experiment with different products to see which works best with your own body chemistry, and also keeping in mind things like can you take it on an empty stomach (e.g. if you're thinking AM fasted cardio). Generally IMO it's more important to find the one that allows you to function during your day and sleep at night, as opposed to worrying about getting tweaked out enough to "lose weight".
If you want to go back to basics, you can build your own ECA stack with individual components like NoDoze (classic college-finals week caffeine supplement), Ephedrine and aspirin (cheap off-brand is fine if you want to keep things cost-efficient).
Ephedrine Profile
Here are a couple articles on use of Ephedrine:
· "Efficacy and Safety of Ephedra and Ephedrine for Weight Loss and Athletic Performance"
· Efficacy of herbal ephedra-containing dietary supplements and ephedrine on weightloss
· Ephedra Side-effects
· Difference between Ephedra and Ephedrine (re: when Ephendrine was banned in the US)
To build your own stack:
· E/C: 1:10 ratio of ephedrine to caffeine. Typical is 25 mg ephedrine + 200-250 mg caffeine
· E/C/A: 1:10:10 – 1:10:15 ratios. Adding in aspirin thins your blood a little to extend the effect of the E/C. Recommendations for aspirin range from a baby aspirin (80 mg) to a regular aspirin (325 mg)
Another variation is ephedrine / caffeine / yohimbine HCl (ECY). Yohimbine is great as an appetite suppressant, but too much of it can leave you feeling sick to your stomach.
· E/C/Y: 25 mg ephedrine + 200-250 mg caffeine + 5 mg yohimbine..
You can take any of these combinations at 2-3 times / day, but it is generally recommended to not take anything after 3 pm, or determine how late into the day the last dose affects you, and make that the latest time of your last dose so you can sleep. Anything that affects your sleep will reduce your quality recovery time and begin to negate any progress you make from the compound you're taking.
Non-OTC Fat Burners
Women are often more interested in 'fat loss' before they are interested in muscle growth, particularly for competition prep. The following compounds are explicitly not steroids, but they are generally controlled substances or by prescription only. These are the first line of supplements that women start to hear about to "lose fat" or "lean up".
Clenbuterol is prescribed as a bronchodilator for asthma, but also has the additional effect of increasing metabolism. The claim is a 10% increase in metabolism over ECA, which claims a 3% increase in metabolism. (I have seen this often quoted but never found an original study to back this up.) Clenbuterol has a 36-39 hour half-life – meaning if you take it, or worse, too much, you have to ride it out for about a day and a half. Some people panic if they take too much, and head to the Emergency Room, where the doctors will still just tell you that you need to ride it out until it wears off. There is nothing you can take to "make it stop" before then.
Clenbuterol Profile:
· Clenbuterol
· Clen FAQ
Clenbuterol has also been called "anti-catabolic" – meaning it does not promote muscle loss as part of the increase in metabolism to reduce bodyfat. Here are a couple studies that imply that clenbuterol, interestingly on a restricted diet, does promote some amount of muscle growth (or preservation) in research animals:
· Effect of clenbuterol on growth, nitrogen and energy balances and endocrine status in food-restricted sheep.
· Effects of clenbuterol on the metabolism of nitrogen and IGF-I level in isolated perfused rat liver.
Some additional considerations when using clenbuterol:
· Supplement with (3-5g/day) l-taurine – clenbuterol tends to inhibit l-taurine in your system, producing cramps
o The effects of the beta 2-agonist drug clenbuterol... [Amino Acids. 1998] - PubMed result
· Using Ketotifen with clenbuterol (2-3mg ED)
o Ketotifen Profile
o Note Ketotifen is prescribed as an anti-histamine. It can make you sleepy so better to take it at night.
o Effects of ketotifen and clenbuterolon beta-adrenergic receptor functions of lymphocytes and on plasma TXB-2 levels of asthmatic patients:
· Using Benedryl with clenbuterol
o "Bro-telligence" has often recommended using Benedryl to allow you to run clenbuterol longer without an "off" cycle to reduce down regulation of receptors. This is NOT true. Benedryl will only help you sleep if you're overstimulated by a clen cycle. Ketotifen is the better choice for longer clen cycles.
With regard to cycling clenbuterol, I suppose this falls under bro-telligence. Following are two common cycles:
· 2 weeks 'on' / 2 weeks 'off' for 8-12 weeks
o Starting at 20 mcg, increasing by 20 mcg units as you can handle, until what you can handle or a maximum of100 mcg per day, and then stay at that amount for the duration of the two weeks. Then stop and go off for 2 weeks, substituting your favorite OTC thermo, and then repeating the 2 weeks 'on', again starting at 20 mcg.
· Continued 'on' for 8-12 weeks, include ketotifen
o Starting at 20 mcg for a week, increase by 20 mcg per week until what you can handle or a maximum of100 mcg per day, and then stay at that amount for the duration of
Thyroid Medication: T3 and T4
The thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), are tyrosine-based hormones produced by the thyroid gland primarily responsible for regulation of metabolism. T4 converts to T3, with T3 being 3-4 times stronger than T4. Synthetic T4 (Synthroid) is often prescribed for people diagnosed with hypothyroidism ("sluggish thyroid").
T3 Profile:
· T3 Profile
On a side note, thyroid disease is not uncommon in women. I would hesitate to blame "can't lose weight" on the thyroid, as people often look for pills-based solutions or some excuse before they'll spend the time revisiting their diet & training programs. But that said, if you feel there is an issue, by all means, talk to your doctor about it and get a thyroid panel done. Here is some starting information about this subject: Metabolic Mysteries: Undiagnosed Thyroid Disease and Women.
An overview of these thyroid hormones may be found here: Thyroid hormone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
T3 is frequently suggested as part of a fat-loss protocol. It is important to be conservative with use of T3 if you choose to go that route. You are manipulating your thyroid via self-medication. Too much and you will immediately feel lethargic. General guidance also suggests to be slow in your dosing – taper off when you are coming off instead of just dropping it cold. The body generally can adapt to small changes but tends to rebound with large, sudden changes.
Another very important consideration with T3 is that bumps up metabolism… but that means metabolism of everything – both lean muscle mass and bodyfat. Women tend to be so focused on "fat loss" that they forget about the importance of muscle mass. Building and preserving muscle mass has nothing to do with "looking like a man" or "getting huge", but rather about the keeping the body component that helps you burn bodyfat more efficiently, and it also goes into what makes up a bodyfat percentage. "What's your bodyfat?" means what is the ratio of lean muscle mass to bodyfat in your body? It is great to drop bodyfat, but if you are sacrificing muscle mass, your overall bodyfat percentage will not drop the way you want it to. The lack of muscle mass can contribute to a higher bodyfat percentage (what we often call "skinny-fat"0 just as higher bodyfat percentage.
To this end it is not generally recommended to cycle T3 without an anabolic support. Either an AAS or, a very common stack is with clenbuterol, which has been shown to be anabolic, or at least anti-catabolic.
Typical Cycle:
It is not recommended to run T3 by itself. Combine either of the following with an AAS or a clen cycle.
· 25-50 mcg per day, for the duration of your cycle – this keeps it very simple and is not aggressive.
· Start at 12.5 mcg for a week, increase by 12.5 mcg per week until a maximum of 75 mcg. Then taper back down by 12.5 mcg every 3 days.
There are two classes of estrogen manipulators that often fall under the term "anti-estrogens". The first are Selective Estrogen Receptor Manipulators (SERMs). The only current example out there is Tamoxifen Citrate (brand name: Nolvadex). This operates specifically on the ovarian-driven estrogen process. The second category that falls under "anti-estrogens" are Aromatase Inhibitors (AI's) that operate not on ovary-originating estrogen, but rather that resulting from aromatization (or conversion to estrogen) of testosterone. Examples of testosterones that convert are exogenous testosterones (anabolic androgenic steroids) such as Testosterone Propionate, Nandrolone Decoanate ("Deca"), or Dianabol ("d-bol"). There is also a natural source of androgen that converts to estrogen – that produced by the adrenal glands, in both men and women. When women enter menopause and their ovary-originating estrogen is no longer produced, the only remaining source of naturally produced estrogen is that resulting from the adrenals. Examples of AI's are Arimidex, Aromasin and Letrozole. In practice, both these and Nolvadex, are all primarily prescribed as breast cancer treatment for post-menopausal women.
AI Profiles:
· Tamoxifen Citrate (Nolvadex)
· Aromasin
· Arimidex
Women are more likely to use a SERM like Nolvadex to address the bodyfat associated with estrogen – specifically the stuff that tends to collect around the hips, thighs, lower abdomen and butt. It is important to note that each person has her own distribution of fat cells – estrogen tends to promote a higher concentration of fat cells in those lower areas as part of a natural preservation strategy to protect a fetus and also to provide an extra storage of energy source (bodyfat) to help support a growing fetus and the mother if there is any issue with available food sources (i.e. a drought scenario). This is by design and using an estrogen inibitor as a weight-loss strategy is not a good idea. Estrogen is one of the three basic hormones that make up who we are, and drive everything from moods to how we look and feel. Estrogen is there for a purpose and should not be completely suppressed only for the purpose of fat loss.
Nolvadex acts to fake out the estrogen receptors (envision a safety protector that you put into outlets as part of baby-proofing your house) and essentially cutting off the estrogen process, instead of literally turning it off. For cycle duration, it is recommended to keep it to 4-8 weeks maximum. Long-term use of Nolvadex has the potential to introduce health issues as described in this article: Side effects of long-term use of tamoxifen (Side Effects Of Long-term Use Of Tamoxifen | LIVESTRONG.COM). .In the extreme, full estrogen shut down in women can lead to what is often referred to as the "Female Athlete Triad" – basically estrogen shutdown as a result of an eating disorder such as anorexia, which leads to reduction in calcium, and eventually to brittle bones and a host of other issues related to a stopped period. Here is an overview of the Female Athlete Triad. Though this discussion is not focused on eating disorders, the end result, if someone decided to use medical estrogen suppression as a long-term weightloss protocol, is the same. This is just to reinforce that this is not a good idea.
The estrogen process tends to be fairly resilient so coming off a reasonable duration cycle can produce an estrogen rebound when the process is no longer inhibited. There isn't much documentation about this rebound, but general guidance is to taper off a cycle by reducing the dose (e.g. in half, every 3 days).
In the context of this article, Aromatase Inhibitors are more specific to the estrogen produced as a result of using an aromatizing steroid. This means that the steroid cycle is more aggressive and will produce side effects such as water retention and potentially more mood swings, as the converted estrogen may be adding to natural estrogen levels, enhancing typical estrogen effects that might be experienced during a menstrual cycle. AI's are more commonly used by men who cycle as the increase in estrogen can produce such side effects in men as gynocomastia (enlarged breast tissue), water retention, mood swings, etc. For men, as well as women, full estrogen suppression is not helpful if the goal is to build muscle as water (e.g. from estrogen) is needed to create a "growth environment" in the muscle. Estrogen suppression can help to create a tighter look (e.g. for competition), but full suppression can produce too much dryness, including painful joints. Generally speaking AI's are not recommended for pre-menopausal women who are new to steroid cycling or using non-aromatizing compounds. If they choose to use an AI, it needs to be very conservatively used, as it is very easy to shut down estrogen with these compounds. The effects are similar to that noted above for long-term use of Nolvadex – hot flashes, etc.
Typical Use:
Primarily Nolvadex is used during the last 4-8 weeks of a contest prep to help reduce bodyfat in the hips / thighs / waist area. Again, it will not do the heavy lifting, but will support a tight contest prep. It is possible to experience either immediate interruption of menstrual flow, or breakthrough bleeding within 4 weeks of starting the cycle. Also once coming off, the effects will not be maintained and the estrogen-pattern bodyfat depositing will continue again. "Estrogen rebound" is often experienced as well, thus the taper down is recommended. Because of the potential of this rebound it is recommended to cycle Nolvadex with a specific end / target date in mind, followed by an expected rebound while your body recovers from the prep phase.
More aggressive aromatase inhibitors are not generally recommended unless you are an experienced cycler running aromatizing compounds such as NPP. If your cycle is intended for a bulker phase, then don't use the AIs as you need the estrogen to build muscle mass and the water gain is minimal with most compounds women use.
Typical Cycle:
· Nolvadex: 10- 20 mg per day, split in half AM and half PM for maximum of 8 weeks.
· Arimidex: 0.5 mg EOD (only with an aromatizing AAS) for maximum of 6-8 weeks
o AIs are very aggressive and will produce dry-feeling joints. If you experience aggressive hot/cold flashes and feeling sick, taper off over a couple days and stay off.
· Aromasin: 25 mg EOD (only with an aromatizing AAS) for a maximum of 6-8 weeks
o AIs are very aggressive and will produce dry-feeling joints. If you experience aggressive hot/cold flashes and feeling sick, taper off over a couple days and stay off.
Human Growth Hormone (hGH)
Growth Hormone is often recommended for "fat loss". It is not a "fat burner" in the same sense as clen or ephedrine, but instead falls under the larger category of "anti-aging" compounds or "hormone replacement therapy". In these contexts, it is intended to be dispensed under the supervision of a qualified physician based on constant monitoring of IGF-1 levels. This is the indicator used to track growth hormone production by the hypothalamus. Essentially this is what drives "youthfulness". The hypothalamus produces optimal levels of growth hormone around age 18-21. These levels begin to decrease after age 30-35 as the hypothalamus shrinks with age. The idea behind supplementing with hGH is to return the levels of growth hormone to optimal levels, as if you were still in the prime of your life.
In practical use, as mentioned above, hGH is used for its anti-aging properties, as a maintenance protocol for older folks, or to promote those youthful properties with specific interest in promoting fat loss, or rather not promoting age-related fat depositing, or stacked with an AAS cycle to enhance the overall effect.
Human Growth Hormone Profile:
· hGH Profile
Typical Use:
GH is often recommended for women for 'weight loss'. By itself, GH does NOT promote muscle growth in the same sense as AAS, as it is not sex hormone. Instead, it will work to promote those youthful features such as healthy hair, improved skin elasticity, better sense of well-being, better healing capability, and more optimized metabolism to promote a preference for less bodyfat depositing. It might also be viewed as a support during the extremes of competition prep for the body. With a steroid cycle, such as anavar, it would work to enhance the effects of that compound. The effects of a GH cycle are not immediate and dramatic, but rather subtle and slow to show over time.
Typical Cycle:
· Dose:
o For non-competition use, and more for general maintenance and youthfulness: 1 iu per day
o For competition / with a cycle: 2-3 iu per day
o Primarily for cost purposes, 5 days on / 2 days off is often suggested.
· Duration: 4-6 months is ideal. Very short cycles such as a month, are not really going to show any particular results for the cost.
Potential Sides:
· Some people experience water retention. The dose can be dropped or the dose increased but split across 2 days instead of 1 day (i.e. E2D instead of E1D).
· At higher doses (e.g. 4 iu) wrist pain similar to carpal tunnel syndrome is commonly experienced.
· Very aggressive use may fall into the extreme category of acromegaly (http://www.med.unsw.edu.au/ndarcweb.nsf/resources/ndarcfact_drugs2/$file/hgh+ndarc+fact+sheet.pdf)
Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS)
A note about available steroid information: Most of what is out there on muscle forums and even medical studies is primarily written with men in mind. The subject of women and steroids is much less studied and published. The detail written here is based on both published and anecdotal information, and some good guesses based on "what seems to work". This puts more of the onus on women to educate themselves to make informed choices for themselves. Always remember: YOUR body, YOUR results, YOUR sides. Well-intentioned husbands / boyfriends / male friends / guys from the gym, even experienced, are not necessarily going to be giving you the best or right information on which to base your decisions. The basic chemistry is different, the dosing is different and the risks are different. At the end of the day, it is always your own personal chemistry experiment and no one can take the risks for you.
And a last note on what should be the obvious thought – ANY supplement – over-the-counter, prescribed or illegal, is always only going to be a SUPPLEMENT to an already existing and functioning diet and training program. There are no quicky fixes and nothing is for free. You will not get the results you envision using any supplement if you don't already have your diet and training in place and working. If this is not true, chances are you are going to end up in a place worse than better.
This section will include links to the standard steroid profiles for the technical details, with most of the discussion focused on use, specifically for women. Please note that most steroid profiles are written with men in mind as the target audience and relative to male hormone profiles. Any dosing recommended is not going to be appropriate for women unless otherwise specified.
Here are two articles in general that are worth reading:
· Women and Steroids
· Women and Testosterone:
Anavar (Oxandrolone)
Anavar is probably the most commonly used AAS by women, for physique competition or by women who "want to go to the next level". It might be used by figure competitors for off-season building with an appropriate diet, or during contest prep for cutting, preservation of muscle during a cutting diet, and improved recovery.
Anavar promotes lean muscle mass with minimal sides and occasional water retention. It is a oral steroid, though used in small enough doses that its impact on the liver is minimal for women. It is also attractive to women and beginners who are not interested in dealing with needles. The predictable and minimal sides are also attractive points to those not wanting to deal with the more individual and androgenic sides of most other AAS.
Anavar Profile
Typical Cycle
· Dose: 10 mg / day - split the dose 1/2 in the AM, 1/2 in the PM
· Duration: 10-14 weeks
· No need to taper down the dose or follow with post cycle therapy (PCT).
· It is generally suggested to start the cycle at 5 mg / day (splitting doses as above) for the first 10-14 days to identify any adverse reaction. After that time, you can increase to 10 mg / day.
· Suggested maximum dose is 20 mg / day (though more is not better - often 10 mg is sufficient). As the dose increases, sides may increase and results don't necessarily increase. Anecdotally, if the cycler is interested in going to doses above 20 mg, the sides can begin to accumulate and the impact on your liver becomes more of a consideration. Based on this and the cost (anavar is typically one of the more expensive compounds), if you are looking for more aggressive results, this is the point where people will move to a more aggressive, cheaper, injectable compound.
Typical Sides
· interrupted period / flow - may take a few months for the flow to come back as normal. Note this does NOT mean you won't get pregnant.
· you may still experience usual menstrual sides (cramps, bloating, etc.) on your regular menstrual schedule
· mild acne
· Clitoral enlargement and increased sensitivity
· oily hair
· some experience water retention (though not due to aromatization)
· may cause vaginosis / yeast infection (most any AAS has this potential)
· occasionally people experience nose bleeds
Winstrol, or "winny", is one of the steroids most commonly suggested for women (along with anavar and primobolan). Winstrol comes in both oral and water-based injectable form. It is attractive to women or recommended for women because it is an oral, it has a relatively short half-life and detection time (i.e .it clears the system relatively quickly, reducing the duration of any undesirable sides following completion of a cycle), and promotes lean muscle mass without water retention. It is most commonly viewed as a "cutter" for physique competition. Winstrol is also attractive as it tends to be both cheaper and more readily available than anavar or primobolan. Because of this, it is also less likely to be faked.
Winstrol is often grouped with anavar as a good steroid for "beginners' or those who don't want to go into the more aggressive compounds (i.e. injectables). However it is more androgenic than anavar and sides are less predictable and more unique to the individual, with the potential of being very androgenic. Because of this, anavar would generally be the better recomendation, but winstrol is seen as a viable alternative. As an androgenic compound, it also has a 'fat burning' effect.
Winstrol Profile
Typical Use:
Winstrol is most commonly used both by men and women, as a cutter during competition prep. It promotes lean, hard muscle mass without water retention. One might see figure competitors running a winstrol-only cycle, or a more advanced physique competitor using it in a stack towards the final weeks of a competition prep. It might also be used, especially in oral form, by someone who wants to "take it to the next level", not necessarily for competition.
Typical Cycle:
· Oral Winstrol: Can be cycled similarly to anavar.
o Dose: 5-15 mg/day- split the dose ½ in the AM, ½ in the PM
o Duration: 8-12 weeks
o Takes about 10-14 days to "show" itself.
· Injectable Winstrol:
o Dose: 25 mg E3D
o Duration: 8-12 weeks
· No taper or post-cycle therapy needed
· If chosen to include in a competition cutting stack, schedule towards the final weeks of prep. It takes about 2 weeks to "show" itself.
Typical Sides:
· Interrupted period/flow – may take a few months for the flow to come back as normal.
· May still experience usual menstrual sides (cramps, bloating, etc.) on your regular menstrual schedule.
· Mild to aggressive acne on face or shoulders
· Clitoral enlargement and increased sensitivity
· Oily skin / hair
· Hairloss
· Scratchy throat / cracky or deepening voice
· Dry joints
· may cause vaginosis / yeast infection (most any AAS has this potential)
· Winstrol is occasionally called the "snake bite" drug in that it either likes you or it doesn't. People will occasionally experience flu-like symptoms within the first week or two of a winstrol cycle in response to this compound.
Primobolan or "primo", comes in both oral and injectable form. The injectable, Primobolan Depot, is most commonly used. Tab form, primobolan acetate, was popular but had disappeared for a while. It has recently become more available.
Primobolan Profile
Typical Use:
Primo has been listed as one of the top three favorite cycles for women, in addition to anavar and winstrol. Because it does not aromatize, again it is a favorite cycle both for cutting or bulking off-season. Lean gains are good for a women looking to build some size but not get "hyuge". The injectable was the only one available for several years, so it was seen as a more aggressive cycle which required injections. Beyond the issue with injections, it is the more popular and more readily available of the two. In the late 90s into the 2000's, it had a reputation frequently being faked because it was not a cheap compound. The tabs, as most other orals, are seen as less "hardcore" and more acceptable for women. Primo tabs are unique in that the oral form is one of the few orals that is not hard on the liver, but at the same time, it loses a degree of its strength as it passes through your system, thus higher doses are required.
Typical Cycle:
· Injectable Primo:
o Dose: 50-150 mg per week
o Duration: 10-14 weeks
o Tends to take about 5 weeks to "show" itself.
· Primo tabs:
o Dose: 50-75mg per day
o Duration: 10-14 weeks
· No taper or post-cycle therapy is needed.
· This is often the primary component of a prep phase. It can be run all the way up to a show without promoting water retention issues.
· More experienced cyclers will often stack with winstrol or anavar.
Potential Sides:
· Notorious for hairloss - A shampoo like Nizoral or Nioxin can help minimize this.
· Acne (face or shoulders)
· Facial hair growth
· Sore throat / cracky or deepened voice
· Clitoral enlargement and increased sensitivity
· Oily hair
· Interrupted period/flow – may take a few months for the flow to come back as normal.
· May still experience usual menstrual sides (cramps, bloating, etc.) on your regular menstrual schedule.
· may cause vaginosis / yeast infection (most any AAS has this potential)
Proviron is a highly androgenic compound that is used primarily during the final weeks of a competition cutting phase to help lean out in the mid-section. It is often stacked with Nolvadex to synergistically lean out the hips/thighs/waist. Being fundamentally androgenic (as opposed to anabolic), proviron will not promote muscle growth as much as it promotes leanness and hardness. For short cycles (e.g. 8 weeks maximum), sides are minimal.
Proviron Profile
Typical Use:
Proviron would be stacked with Nolvadex as a final 4-8 week dial into a competition date.
Typical Cycle:
· Nolvadex: 10-20 mg ED, split in half in a morning dose and late afternoon / night dose for 4-8 weeks, tapering off after the target date or cycle end date to reduce "rebound".
· Proviron: 25 mg ED, split in half in a morning dose and a late evening / night dose. No need to taper the dose when the target date or cycle end date is over.
Equipoise or "EQ" is an injectable steroid that has low aromatization. It is seen as a nice cycle that produces good gains with minimal water retention.
Equipoise Profile
Typical Use:
For an experienced cycler, as an off-season bulker without water retention, or at the beginning of a contest prep, again without water retention. Anecdotally, some people experience an increase in hunger on EQ, so it might fit well with a bulker phase. EQ also promotes connective tissue repair, which can be useful in protecting the joints and ligaments while a cycle is increasing your strength (i.e. the joints become the weak link).
Typical Cycle:
· Dosage: 50-150 mg / week.
· Duration: 6-10 weeks
· Tends to take about 5 weeks to "show" itself
Potential Sides:
· Acne (face or shoulders)
· Oily skin
· Hairloss
· Clitoral enlargement and increased sensitivity
· Sore throat / cracky or deepening voice
· Facial hair growth
· Interrupted period – would typically return the first full month after the duration of the EQ detection time following the last injection
· may cause vaginosis / yeast infection (most any AAS has this potential)
Nandrolone Phenyl Propionate (NPP)
There are several different forms (esters) of Nandrolone available. NPP is the shorter-acting "Deca" (nandrolone decanoate) that would be more likely recommended for women. The longer acting Deca will produce more water retention and more aggressive sides due to the longer ester (clearing time). This is a more aggressive cycle for women with some water retention and longer detection time than the more commonly used injectables such as primo.
Nandrolone Profile
Typical Use:
For women, NPP falls into the scope of really only for those experienced who are looking for significant growth and are prepared to deal with the full scope of potential sides. It might be considered an off-season cycle for a female bodybuilder or used at the beginning of a 16 week prep, to be later dropped and replaced with a non-aromatizing compound.
Typical Cycle:
· Dose:15- 25 mg E3D
· Duration: 8-10 weeks
· As we get into the much more aggressive cycles, it becomes more of a personal preference on dosing based on goals and any other stacked compounds
Potential Sides:
· Water retention
· Acne (face or shoulders)
· Oily skin
· Hairloss
· Sore throat / cracky or deepening voice
· Facial hair growth
· Clitoral enlargement and increased sensitivity
· Interrupted period – would typically return the first full month after the duration of the EQ detection time following the last injection
Testosterone Propionate
There are several esters of testosterone, but only the Propionate ester, also known as "Test Prop", would be recommended for women. The other variations commonly used by men, Test Cypionate, Test Enanthate, or Sustenon, are considerably longer-acting esters, producing much more water retention and more aggressive sides, taking a much longer to clear the system.
Test Propionate Profile
Typical Use:
For women, Test Prop falls into the scope of really only for those experienced who are looking for significant growth and are prepared to deal with the full scope of potential sides. It might be considered an off-season cycle for a female bodybuilder or used at the beginning of a 16 week prep, to be later dropped and replaced with a non-aromatizing compound. It is reasonably short-acting so will begin to produce results (and sides) fairly quickly. This compound does aromatize, but due to its short ester, it reasonably limited. There is no real need for an aromatase inhibitor with this compound, but be aware that it does still produce some water retention.
Typical Cycle:
· Dose:15- 25 mg E4D
· Duration: 4-6 weeks
· As we get into the much more aggressive cycles, it becomes more of a personal preference on dosing based on goals and any other stacked compounds
Potential Sides:
· Water retention
· Acne (face or shoulders)
· Oily skin
· Hairloss
· Sore throat / cracky or deepening voice
· Facial hair growth
· Clitoral enlargement and increased sensitivity
· Interrupted period – would typically return the first full month after the duration of the EQ detection time following the last injection
Trenbolone (Finaplex)
Trenbolone acetate, or "tren ace" or "tren a" is more recently, being mentioned more frequently with women. It is a favorite among men because it promotes strength while allowing great cutting results with no aromatization. The issue is that this compound is extremely androgenic and also very harsh on the liver. Very experienced female cyclers may use trenbolone acetate as part of a cutting cycle, but should be very careful and diligent with their bloodwork afterwards .I hesitate to include cycle information here because you should already have an idea of the cycle details if you are at a point where you are considering running a tren cycle.
Trenbolone Profile
Post Cycle Notes
Generally women don't run aggressive cycles and can just end the AAS cycle. The compound(s) will attenuate over time as their individual half-lives. (Ref: compound detection time for longest point after last dose that the compound can be detected in the system). During that time, just as at the beginning of the cycle, there is a big flux in the hormone profile. Drawing a comparison to "that time of the month", the sides can seem more pronounced and in particular, some moodiness may result. The range of this is something that is very unique to each person, and even unique to each compound + each person's unique body chemistry.
Anticipating this, pay attention to your general state of mind post-cycle. If you find yourself getting depressed or moody, step back and acknowledge that it is the effect of the hormones, and not something else happening in your daily life. If you happened to be using prescription anti-depressants, I would suggest you be particularly aware of your state of mind. One OTC option to help even out your moods is Inositol. This is essentially just a B-vitamin, ideally in powder form. For more information about inositol and depression treatment, here is an article (ref: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supple...tname=inositol), or you can just google "inositol, depression" for a bunch of information. Powder inositol is recommended over inositol tabs/caps or anything that might be mixed into the tab/cap w/ inositol.
Another obvious effect of coming off a cycle is the reduction (or back to "normal") in recovery ability and strength and maybe some of the increased sense of well-being that comes w/ AAS. The loss of these can be both humbling and frustrating, however it's important to keep things in perspective as you can't stay on a cycle forever without hitting a point of negative returns. It is supposed to be a "cycle" - a phase w/ a specific goal, and then letting your body adapt to the change and retain as much as possible. Generally a longer cycle (ideally w/ lower doses) will allow the body a longer time to adapt to the changes. Again, monitor yourself as the compound(s) clear out of your system in terms of strength and recovery - adjust your training and your expectations to match this phase of your progress to avoid burnout or injury. If appropriate, also adjust your diet if you won't be training as heavily.
Things to Remember
In summary, some basic things to keep in mind if you want to play on the dark side:
· More is NOT better. It's about finding a workable balance for YOUR hormone levels, your goals and your experience.
· Never forget that you are self-medicating with hormones - it is always your own personal experiment. Slow & low is your best approach.
· Don't stack a pile of stuff you've never run each individually before - you have no idea how these compounds affect your body so you can't make judgements on what to cut / what is bad / what is good for your body chemistry. Also there is an accumulated effect when you are throwing all sorts of stuff in the pile. Fundamentally you are jacking up the amount of DHT in your system. Know the half life of each compound you are interested in - some are much longer than others so if you don't like the sides, on longer esters, tough shit. Now you gotta wait for the compound to clear your system before the sides go away.
· Know the potential sides - anything is possible in any degree – there is no such thing as "no sides"- only those that you don't experience - it is very individual so you are still running your own personal experiment.
· You don't need to be "scared" of the sides - you either accept them or you don't. You can't pick which ones you want & which you don't and you can't predict what you will experience until you try it. It's more about managing risk by educating yourself, staying at conservative doses and watching how your body responds. If you are "scared" of the sides, you have no business cycling.
· Don't listen to other people - especially guys. They will have a completely different experience w/ different doses & different compounds. A tiny little amount of anything will have dramatic effects on women compared to men. YOU are responsible for YOUR cycle.
· Women, generally, do not need to worry about post-cycle therapy (PCT) like guys do. (This changes if your cycles are much more aggressive, longer and more of them. If you are at this level, you probably don't need to be reading this.) Women can generally just end a cycle. There is no need to taper. The compound will clear at the rate specified by its half-life.
· Think in the long term - don't cycle just "for my next show" - just like a bulker or cutter diet - it has a place in the ongoing cycle of change that happens over time. You can't maintain the state of being "on" so you have to also come off, expect to lose a little of what you gained, but you will have made a change to your over all body composition.
· Watch your diet - if you are going to bother putting this stuff in your body, you should respect your body enough to not think you can get away w/ eating shit - generally unless you are already lean & eating a good diet already targeted to what you are trying to do, any AAS will get you 'big' in terms of 'thick', 'bigger' etc. IF the diet is tight, then you will also get the leaned out effect that everyone wants - but sloppy diet will get you more big than lean.
· Time off = Time on. The general rule of thumb is to allow at least as long as your cycle, to clear your system and let your body re-establish its own homeostasis. People tend to want to "try more" but it is important to remember that there are impacts to your body not immediately apparent, that you need to pay attention to, e.g. kidneys, liver, blood pressure, etc. If you want to get more aggressive with your cycles, plan way ahead and get regular blood work done to monitor things after each cycle completes and clears.
· AAS and Birth Control do not interact.However the effects they each promote are opposing – birth control works to regulate estrogen (including estrogen-pattern bodyfat depositing) while AAS promotes lean muscle mass.
· AAS can promote yeast infections / vaginosis.Any AAS or sex hormone manipulator (including AIs) can promote yeast infections. It is always recommended to supplement with acidophilus to help prevent these.
AAS and Birth Control
One of the most common questions asked is about AAS and Birth Control. Women typically experience an interruption of their menstrual cycle while on any sex hormone-manipulating cycle (AAS or "anti-estrogen"). This does NOT mean that you cannot get pregnant. Despite the lack of flow, other typical menstrual sides can be present when "that time of the month" is expected – including bloating, breast sensitivity, moodiness, etc.
There is very little to nothing published on the topic of the interaction of birth control and anabolic androgenic steroids so it is hard to say how they truly interact. For the usual purpose of women using steroids, to cut, it is more than that the effects of birth control and steroids promote opposing results, so the end result is less than completely optimal effects of either. Birth control's purpose is to regulate estrogen levels. For some this may mean controlling higher levels during a period, or for others this might mean promoting more if they experience irregular periods. This also includes the usual water retention and estrogen-pattern fat depositing around the stomach, hips and thighs areas. While a steroid is trying to promote lean muscle mass, and in some cases, even a 'fat burning' effect. Even while the steroid may interrupted the menstrual flow, the birth control will still support prevention of pregnancy.
If a cycle is used for off-season mass-building, the need for staying lean is less of an issue. However for competition cutting, it can be an issue. The trade-off is to continue using birth control, and possibly not get the full effect of the cutting in the stomach / hips / thighs area but still getting the pregnancy prevention, or dropping the birth control, using a back-up birth control method (e.g. condoms) and have less of an impact from the estrogen-pattern fat depositing. Another option for many older competitors is an intra-uterine device (IUD). The copper IUD is completely non-hormonal, or another option such as Mirena, has a low-dose of slow-release progesterone to help address bleeding which can be an issue with the copper IUD. IUDs must be inserted by your OB/GYN and stay in place for up to five years. For this reason, this is only recommended for older women or those who do not intend to have any more children. This is something you need to discuss with your OB/GYN. The cost tends to run around $600 and may or may not be covered by your health insurance.
Another concern that women often with steroid use is recovery of the menstrual cycle. Noting I have yet to see a published study on this, the following paragraphs come with a caveat that this is from anecdotal and observational information and suggested as practical guidance and not a medical verity. If you have lost your period for an unusually long time and are concerned, always consult your OB/GYN.
The menstrual tends to be sensitive to changes in its environment – ranging from stress, to increased physical activity, sudden weight or bodyfat drop, introduction of steroids, or an estrogen manipulator such as a new birth control dose or use of an anti-estrogen. It will tend to turn off flow (and in the extreme, amenorrhea) or have breakthrough bleeding or sporadic periods while it deals with the change in its environment. When things have returned to a state of homeostasis, things will generally return to normal, including the usual monthly flow and the usual side effects of estrogen-pattern bodyfat depositing, water retention, cramps, etc.
To gauge roughly how long it should take for an interrupted menstrual cycle to return, look first at the compound you are using and its detection time. This is far end of the duration the compound is present in your system. It can be up to this long, or to a point where the concentration of the compound has dropped to where the rest of the body is comfortable and ready to turn things back on. And then, keeping in mind that the menstrual cycle works on a 28-day schedule, it will generally want a full month of a stable environment before it may start up again.
If you have concern, always consult your OB/GYN. There are prescriptions that are available to help reintroduce a period.
A last comment is about steroids and pregnancy. Again there are no medical studies available, but general guidance is to allow a good six months after a cycle to clear before attempting to get pregnant. Be sure to work closely with your personal physician if you plan to get pregnant and ensure that all of your basic bloodwork, and everything else is in order. The concern is that the presence of steroid compounds in the female system while a fetus is growing, can affect the sex hormones of the fetus, producing androgenic fetal abnormalities. Some of this mentioned here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabolic_steroid, but all in all, you would want to ensure a steroid-free environment for your child. There are many women who have cycled, who then stopped, cleared out and have had healthy children with no problem. Steroid use will not leave you infertile.
If the father is using steroids when the mother gets pregnant, there is no effect on the fetus itself. The concern for men using steroids is more related to the steroid-driven suppression of natural testosterone production, and in the extreme, infertility. Again, that said, there are many men who have conceived while on cycle with no issue.
Wow. Excellent writing. Great view. I will use this to explain things to my old lady. Who has been interested in something like this.
Good work Sassy!
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Ouch. Since she younger than me I think she takes in stride. But you are probably right. My bad. My lovely lady...substitute accordingly.
But the reason I am replying is that your documentation is a little incomplete. The section on dosing clen with keto you never finished the part on keto dosages...
With regard to cycling clenbuterol, I suppose this falls under bro-telligence. Following are two common cycles:
· 2 weeks 'on' / 2 weeks 'off' for 8-12 weeks
o Starting at 20 mcg, increasing by 20 mcg units as you can handle, until what you can handle or a maximum of100 mcg per day, and then stay at that amount for the duration of the two weeks. Then stop and go off for 2 weeks, substituting your favorite OTC thermo, and then repeating the 2 weeks 'on', again starting at 20 mcg.
· Continued 'on' for 8-12 weeks, include ketotifen
o Starting at 20 mcg for a week, increase by 20 mcg per week until what you can handle or a maximum of100 mcg per day, and then stay at that amount for the duration of <--
I am ordering it now for her via research chem sites. Boy it has been a little chore but she's worth it.
Very Excite!
Thx for the feedback. I guess please understand that its hard to cover EVERY aspect of every friggen cycle possible in one post. You can certainly google Ketotifen dosing w/ clen. There is A LOT you can google. Or just very simply use the SEARCH feature on IMF. Clen cycling is not unique to women.
Great post.
Thanks. What a great article. I will research this with her
Any opinions on Halo Extreme for woman use?
Great information and great read! Thanks!!!!!1
Awesome post, thanks sass!


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Carl Mason defends his De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship title this week fresh from setting another record on the European Senior Tour after becoming the first player to pass €2million mark in career earnings.
Mason's € 2,823 cheque for finishing in a share of 40th position in last week's Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open took him beyond the milestone, just five tournaments into his eighth season on the Senior Tour.
During that time the prolific Englishman – who turns 57 on Saturday - has become no stranger to rewriting Senior Tour history books, including shooting the joint lowest Senior Tour round – a superb 61 (-9) in the 2008 Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open.
But it is his consistency that has seen him amass €2,001,034 - the most money of any player on the Senior Tour – and 22 tournament victories, just one shy of Tommy Horton's record of 23 titles.
"It's nice to have passed the €2million mark – it's another record and target achieved," he said. "I've had so many nice records over the past seven or eight years and to keep doing them is great.
"I'm ticking them off but there's one good one to get still - Tommy's 23 victories is the one I'm aiming at now and the one I want to get out the way. And then see if I can get past it!
"Winning the titles means a lot to me but passing the €2million mark is nice too as they go together really. The titles are the main thing but it's a nice record to have to be the first person to do something.
"When I started on the Senior Tour I didn't know what would happen – how my body would be. I've had plenty of problems as it is so to do what I have has been great. I'm delighted to get to the €2million mark and I've enjoyed every minute of it. I'm so chuffed with the way I've performed on the Senior
Mason is €474,000 clear of Tommy Horton on the all time Senior Tour money list with Nick Job third on €1,372,423, former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance fourth on €1,319,224 and Noel Ratcliffe completing the top five with €1,311,006. There are 12 players who have passed the €1million landmark, with Bob Cameron and Delroy Cambridge next in line to reach that particular milestone.
Pos | Player name | Nat | Hole | Par | ||||||
1 | RUSSELL, David J | ENG | 18 | -5 | ||||||
T2 | LANE, Barry | ENG | 18 | -3 | ||||||
T2 | FRANCO, Angel | PAR | 18 | -3 | ||||||
T2 | WILLIAMS, Chris | RSA | 18 | -3 | ||||||
5 | BRAND JNR, Gordon | SCO | 18 | -1 | ||||||
T6 | OLDCORN, Andrew | SCO | 18 | Par |


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Looking for a 3.5+ player around Old St. Augustine area/ Mandarin to play tennis after work few times a week. Interested in either casual play or competitive matches.
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