Belfast

Belfast takes its name from the Irish 'Beal Feirste', which means the "mouth of the sandbanks". It is the capital city of Northern Ireland and although Dublin in Ireland is nearly twice its size the city has an impressive array of things to see and do.

Known historically as Linenopolis due to its linen industry, the city is also famous for its shipbuilding. The shipyard of Harland and Wolff which built the Titanic now rely on ship and oil rig repairs as well as being involved in the renewable energy sector of industry.

Any visitor to Belfast must visit the Titanic Experience. With its modern ship like building the history of the worlds most famous ship and how it was built is documented here along with interactive tours and realistic rides through a virtual shipyard. 

Although Titanic might be the most famous ship to come from Belfast there were two almost identical ships that went into service called the Olympic and the Britannic.

For all its past troubles a visitor gets the impression that Belfast is very much an up and coming city looking forward to its future. The Europa Hotel once the most bombed hotel in Europe and the famous Crown Bar over the road now restored by the National Trust are just two examples of how things have changed.

The barricades still exist and some police stations look more like heavily protected army bases and the legacy of the troubles can be seen in many murials and banners across the city but finally it looks like the city has a future to look forward to. As with any city it is often the people that make it what it is and the hospitality and friendly nature of the Irish makes Belfast a welcoming place for the visitor. 

The best way to see Belfast is to get a day or weekend ticket on one of the tour buses. These guided tours tell you all about the history of the city and the tour guides are humorous and entertaining. 

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Bushmills

Bushmills in County Antrim is situated on the north coast along the Giant's Causeway scenic route. The village is 9 miles from Coleraine and gets its name from the River Bush. 

The village is famous for being the home of the Old Bushmills Distillery which produces fine Black Bush blends and single malt whisky. The village is also very near the Giant's Causeway.

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Rope Bridge, Carrick-a-Rede

The rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede near Ballintoy is a busy tourist attraction which is owned by the National Trust. It is a rope bridge spanning 20 metres that connects the mainland to a series of rocks. 

The bridge is reputed to have been built by salmon fishermen. There is still a fisherman's cottage perched precariously on the rock face near the bridge complete with fishing boat which has to be lowered by hoist into the water.

The views along the coast at this point are absolutely stunning and on a fine day you can see Rathlin Island and Scotland from this vantage point.

For more photographs of Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge click here or view on You Tube

Carrickfergus

Carrickfergus is just 11 miles from Belfast and it is one of the oldest settlements in Northern Ireland. The town has a harbour and is a busy tourist attraction along the Giant's Causeway route. 

With its pretty little harbour records show that the town was established in 1170 after John de Courcy, an Anglo Norman Knight, invaded Ulster and built Carrickfergus Castle on the 'Rock of Fergus' in 1177. The castle is one of the best preserved Norman castles in Ireland.

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Coleraine

Coleraine near the River Bann in the county of Londonderry is a prosperous town with some of the highest property prices in Northern Ireland. The town centre is vibrant and attractive and this busy town is situated along the Giant's Causeway coastal route.

Due to its location the town benefits from tourism and it prides itself in being the best kept town in Northern Ireland. Coleraine has a large number of Polish residents. 

Downhill Demesne

Downhill Mansion House was built in the 18th century for Frederick Hervey the Bishop of Derry. Destroyed by fire it was rebuilt in 1851 only to fall into decay and disrepair after the Second World War. The property and the surrounding grounds are now part of the National Trust.

The Mussenden Temple  formed part of the huge estate that cost an enormous £80,000 to build, a fortune in those days. The entrance to the estate was via the Lion's Gate which still stands. During the Second World War the house was used by the RAF. 

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Dunluce Castle

Dunluce castle is situated between Portballintrae and Portrush. It is an amazing piece of architecture especially when you examine how the walls were constructed on steep cliff faces. 

Alongside the castle there existed the Lost town of Dunluce. Recent excavations have uncovered artifacts from the medieval period. Although the castle is very much a ruin it is easy to comprehend how it might have looked in its original state. 

Dunluce Castle is reputed to have been the inspiration for the C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia.

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Giant's Causeway

The Giant's Causeway is according to legend built by a giant. In reality it consists of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns which were caused by an ancient volcanic eruption.This is a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO in 1986. It is also a nature reserve along some of the most beautiful coastline in Europe.

The Giant's Causeway has bee named as the fourth greatest natural wonder in Britain. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland and is operated by the National Trust. Entrance is via a new state of the art building which was specially designed to blend with the landscape and which has a low carbon footprint.

 

The intense volcanic activity around 50 million years ago pushed molten basalt through chalk which resulted in the cooling and contraction leaving the pillar like stone behind. As the molten mass cooled it cracked in a similar way mud cracks under the sun and what you see today is the result of this rapid cooling of the stone.

For more photos of The Giant's Causeway click here or view on You Tube

Londonderry

Derry or officially Londonderry, the walled city, is the second largest city in Northern Ireland. The River Foyle separates both sides of the city with the old walled city being on the West Bank.

Londonderry is always referred to as Derry by nationalists. Known as the Maiden City by virtue of the fact that its walls were never breached. There is a vibrant business community and two busy shopping mall. The city has a host of independent traders and a thriving craft industry. 

The nearby Derry Airport at Eglinton has brought a much needed boost to local tourism for the region. 

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