Ireland – Page 2 – HIKES & HAMSTRINGS

Adventures in Northern Ireland

And just like that, Robbie and I are back in Calgary. What a trip it was! For the sake of record keeping, I’m now going to try and recall the remaining parts of the trip after leaving Belfast. Hmm…

After checking out of the Malone Lodge in Belfast, we headed to the northern coast of Northern Ireland to see the Giant’s Causeway. This was definitely a must see and a sight I had been looking forward to ever since I began researching Ireland two weeks prior ;). The Giant’s Causeway is a bunch of columns made of basalt as a result of a volcanic eruption at some point. However, the story goes that an Irish giant created them, which makes way more sense to me.

Afterward, we wanted to walk across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, but alas, strong winds forced its closure. So onward we went to Londonderry (as the Northern Irish call it), or Derry as it’s also known… or Londondr’y as Robbie and I called it… for a brief stop to see the walled city and the Peace Bridge. Our drive to Londonderry was beautiful, and it was the first time on the trip that we really had the opportunity to view the countryside. Ireland’s greenery is unlike any other place I’ve seen. Sometimes the grass appeared to glow, and the different hues and shades of green were amazing. Ireland definitely deserves the “Emerald Isle” name.

Peace Bridge in Londondr'y — Peace Bridge in Londondr’y

Then we were off to the county of Donegal where we checked into our first “castle”, Solis Lough Eske. This place was gorgeous- the bedding was very comfortable and the grounds were well manicured. We opted to eat in the small town of Donegal at The Harbour Restaurant where, like most of the trip, we gorged.

This is a good time to reflect on the gorging. I don’t recall ever eating so much on a vacation before. Ever morning, we had the option of a full Irish breakfast along with danishes, croissants, scones, fruits, bread, cheeses, and fruit. And every lunch and dinner seemed to be huge and extremely filling costing many many euros. And since it was a road trip, we snacked. All the time. Chips, popcorn, bars, and the occasional apple or banana. I can’t say I’m going to miss the eating out and indulgence!

Before heading to Cong the next day, we took a drive through the mountains in Donegal and drove on through the Glen Gesh Pass. The pass was gorgeous and one of the highlight drives of the trip. The valley views provided great photo opportunities, and the crossing sheep was quite noteworthy. The sheep are so cute… just minding their business, doing their thing. We looped around and drove along the coast road, on our way to the main castle of the trip.

Sheep... doing what they do. — Sheep… doing what they do.

Dublin and Belfast: Céad Míle Fáilte

It means “a hundred thousand welcomes” in Gaelic. And what a welcoming it has been! We’re a few days into the trip and Ireland is proving to be quite a gorgeous place. After picking up our car at the airport we drove into Dublin and checked in. The next two days were filled with exploration- St. Stephen’s Green, walking along Grafton Street, Christ Church Cathedral, and taking a tour of Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. I also had the opportunity to try blood pudding! It kind of tasted like spiced minced meat…

A trip to Dublin would not be complete without a visit to the Guiness Storehouse, where I learned to pour the perfect pint of Guiness and proudly finished an entire pint of Guiness in one sitting. (For those who know me, that’s an incredible feat!) To say that I felt barfy afterward is a bit of an understatement.

Then it was off to Belfast, stopping at Newgrange Neolithic burial site and Mellifont Abbey (both incredible sites) before crossing the border into Northern Ireland.

Today we took a black cab tour with “Paddy Campbell’s Belfast Famous Black Cab Tours” and it was amazing. I never knew anything about the civil unrest in Northern Ireland, so to hear all about the history of the IRA (Irish Republic Army) and the UDA (Ulster Defence Association) was pretty crazy. We ventured into West Belfast where the Peace Wall still exists and alarmed gates continue to close at night to prevent trouble between the Protestants and the Catholics around the wall. Peter, our tour guide, was absolutely great and provided an unbiased history of what has happened, despite being born on the Catholic side of the city. Then it was off to check out the Ulster Museum and Queen’s University, where there was an exhibit on the LHC particle collider. Cool! Later in the evening, we visiting Kelly’s Cellars, the oldest pub in Belfast, for drinks and some live Irish music. Listening to the fiddling and flute sounds throughout the pub was a wonderful experience, and I’m sure it won’t be our last in Ireland.

Alas, there’s always much more to do and see in the big cities, but tomorrow we venture to the coast and head into the countryside. And since I love the outdoors, I’m very much looking forward to it!

Ireland, Here We Come!

And today is the day for the next adventure! It’s off to Ireland for a two week driving vacation, filled with lots of greenery, music, food, drinks and relaxation. And castles. There will be castles! Although we’re not sure what’s on the agenda, there will be stops in Dublin, Belfast, Donegal, Mayo, Clare, Killarney, Kilkenny, Waterford, and then back to Dublin. I’m definitely starting to get excited… the flight is in an hour!