The Herculean task of building The Gobbins path wrung every inch of ingenuity out of Berkeley Deane Wise. All was calculated by hand, his designs based on judgement rather than formal codes or standards.

Wise's workmen, all railway company employees, worked in perilous conditions 'up to 20 metres above sea level' often enduring biting rain and ferocious winds. They received no safety training and their equipment and clothing would seem primitive compared to today.

Wise began to cut and blast his path in May 1901. The smaller bridges were constructed on site, with concrete poured over cast iron beams. However, due to a lack of space and heavy seas, the more elaborate bridges, such as the famous Tubular Bridge, had to be built in Belfast. From there they would be transferred by train and boat, then hoisted into position by workmen using ropes and pulleys.

Wise completed the first section of his path, from Wise's Eye to Gordon's Leap in August 1902. It was an achievement that earned him the right to be ranked alongside the great engineers of the age.

Today's path recreates Berkeley Deane Wise's vision for a new era. Following largely the same route as the original path, visitors can experience the same sense of awe as their Edwardian counterparts on the day it opened

New bridges, designed using technology that Wise could only have dreamed of, merge seamlessly with the dramatic landscape around them. Using the latest 3D software, they have been designed to withstand maximum wave impact.

The new Tubular Bridge is as spectacular as Wise's original. Like the other new bridges it was lowered into position by crane from a specially built crane pad on the cliff top.

Most of the original bridges have been removed. At the path itself, only concrete abutments and a handful of the original handrail stanchions remain. But the steps you tread on are the same ones carved out with hammers and chisels by Wise's men over a century ago. Welcome to The Gobbins path!