Always dreamed of going to see the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, here we go…
Arrival: Friday, 04-May-2012
Arrived in Belfast at 21.30, got the rent car and had an easy drive to Belfast city center with Jess.
Arrived at Tara Lodge, the B&B, around 11pm and got a map of Belfast.
The porter gave us some ideas of what to do and also recommended the Irish whisky ‘Connemara Turf Mor’, which he claimed was very smoky and one of the best ones to try. We will have to visit the crown liquor saloon on great Victoria street. I also learned that they have nice seafood and oysters locally grown at their lakes.
Day 1: Saturday, 05-May-2012
8.30am – had a really nice Irish fry up at the B&B. Eggs, potato cake, soda bread (which was delicious), also sausage and bacon.
Went to the market to meet Diana and Teresa. Market was nice, cheap food, beautiful sea food, the largest scallops I’ve ever seen. Some really nice recycling of old tapes and vinil and turned into diaries.
Quick walk around the center, went into the city hall on the outside of which they have lots of statues, one if which is a memorial to the people that died in the titanic. Found out there is going to be a marathon in Belfast on Monday.
Then we went to the Linen Hall Library where on the outside stood the (now cream coloured) red hand of Ulster, from the story of the two brothers who crossed a river and made a bet to be the first one to touch the other shore. One of the brothers cut off his own hand and threw it so that he would win. Note to self, buy a book about local folklore and anecdotes.
Went back to pick up Diana and Teresa at the market at 11.20, ready to go to the Belfast Titanic museum which we pre-booked online for 11:40.
11.30am – Belfast Titanic Museum. Spent around 3 hours there. Very nice museum, very well designed. Lots of reading at first followed by more and more visual stuff.
There’s a 3D Virtual tour of Titanic in a room a computer reconstruction is prjected on 3 walls giving a great feeling of immersion. The tour goes from the bottom of Titanic through all levels, really amazing!
The building on the outside is very architecturally ‘arty’, it reminded me of the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao.
Murals near titanic quarter to do with the troubles.
Stopped at St Anne’s Cathedral and the leaning Albert Memorial Clock.
Drove to near Cookstown to see Beaghmore Stone Circle which was nice but very small. There was one circle at the site with lots of stones in it called the dragon’s teeth.
8pm – Londonderry, walked around the city walls which is a complete city wall, quite wide and in better condition than York’s. Full of cannons all the way round and with two main gates.
9pm – Stopped at a Weatherspoons for food as everywhere else seemed to be closed. Tried some Irish whiskeys: Powers and Bushmills. Having some sausage and champ to eat as it’s gotten late and we won’t have time to get to ‘the smugglers inn’ near where we are staying (in Bushmills) to eat some proper Irish food…
Finally sunk in that I’m on holiday, chocolate fudge cake with ice cream and Irish whiskey!
Drove to our B&B and to get a good night’s sleep as tomorrow is Giant’s Causeway time!
Day 2: Sunday, 06-May-2012
Had another nice Irish breakfast in the morning and headed for the coast, stopping along the way to see the remains of Dunseverick Castle.
…and finally: The Giant’s Causeway. Truly amazing to behold.
From there we went to Carrick-a-Rede a 30m high suspended rope bridge used by fishermen to have access to better salmon catching locations.
Dry Arch, a road with overhanging trees on both sides, beautiful in day time. Must be quite scary on a foggy night.
The Crown Liquor Saloon, one of the oldest pubs in Belfast and owned by the National Trust. Incredibly well decorated inside and full of booths that you can book in advance.
Day 3: Monday, 07-May-2012
Palm House at the Botanical Gardens and Ulster Museum back in Belfast. Both on the site of the Botanical Gardens.
There was a huge collection of beetles and butterflies at the Ulster Museum, this one looked amazing. How did it move with these huge antlers?
Oysters at the best seafood place in Belfast, The Mourne Seafood Restaurant. I also had a bowl of steamed mussels and their seafood chowder, all amazing.
Before heading back to the airport we went for a drive along the coast stopping to see Carrickfergus Castle and a Waterfall.
The waterfall was at Gleno (Glenoe) near Larne. The village derives its name from the Irish ‘Gleann Eo’ – ‘Valley of the yew’.
General Map of the Trip
Costs (in May-2012)
Flight
Easyjet
Return Flight from Manchester (UK) to Belfast International
Booked more than 6 months in advance £78.00
Car Rental (3 days)
Mid-size Vauxhall Astra – From Hertz (Belfast Airport) with my AA membership 10% discount
Rental for 3 days: £66.00
Insurance: £48.00
Petrol: £58.00
Accommodation
Tara Lodge B&B, Belfast, 1 night (Fri-Sat) including breakfast, twin room, £78.00. (Excellent location, B&B, breakfast)
Attractions
Titanic Belfast (pre-booked online): Adult £12.83, Student 16+ £9.03
All photos are my own – Copyright (c) 2012 Fabricio Sanchez
Map modied from bing