Northern Ireland taking the scenic route

On a recent visit to Northern Ireland, Mark Davidson took a week-long trip by car to see whether the troubles of recent times had a lasting effect on the tourism industry in this part of the UK. He found plenty of lush, green scenery to admire, along with towns and cities offering a mix of ancient and more recent history

In this relatively small part of the island of Ireland, the best way to get around is by car rather than public transport which isn’t as good as the transport network operating in the rest of the UK.

Prior to visiting the country, I had planned to see as much as I could within seven days. However, to get the most out of my visit I had to plan the trip with military precision. Not only visiting the capital Belfast, but touring the other main destinations, such as Armagh and Derry. Looking at the map, all the interesting places followed a route which went in clockwise direction – perfect timing!

Driving southwards from Belfast to the Silent Valley in the Mourne Mountains, due to spend a day walking along some of the nature trails, I wondered if there would be any legacy of the troubles. In some of the villages en-route, the Union Jack flew proudly from many houses, a statement as to where people’s loyalties lie.

There are many different species of dragonflies and other colourful insects along the route of the Kilkeel River which flows alongside many parts of the trail within this mountain park. The Silent Valley reservoir was built between 1923 and 1933. Feeling up to its challenge, I walked around the edge of the man-made lake, finally reaching the dam of Ben Crom located on the far side of the reservoir. Despite the beauty of the area, it was difficult to escape the reality that many men had perished in the construction of this dam. A monument to those who died is on site.

Before arriving at Armagh, I travelled through Warrenpoint and Newry, places which many people feel were made famous for all the wrong reasons. I tried to visualise what it would have been like for a soldier, on guard at one of the many checkpoints dotted around this area. Today it is a peaceful location which attracts many tourists. Armagh has many good restaurants and the Charlemont Arms, where I stayed for the evening, had a good selection of “pub grub”. It was nice to eat a proper roast meal rather than a fast-food alternative. A pint of Guinness went down a treat afterwards.

The following morning I decided on a visit to the city’s Planetarium. The Astropark and Observatory nearby allows visitors a sense of scale when it comes to the size of the universe. The Hill of Infinity tries to show the distance between the stars, not only in our galaxy, but in the wider reaches of space.

However, learning about the history of the place itself was more appealing and four miles outside Armagh is the Navan Iron Age Fort and Centre. One of Ireland’s most important archaeological sites, it provides a valuable insight into how people lived in this area during that period, 3,000 years ago. I sat in a reconstruction of a traditional house and listened to people talking about life all those centuries ago. Hearing tales from that time gave a fantastic insight into life as an Iron Age settler, although the smoke billowing out from the real fire made my eyes water somewhat! A short distance away, there are the remnants of the real Iron Age fort and settlement.

Belleek pottery is regarded as amongst some of the finest in the world and the next day I visited the museum and factory. Making a range of tableware, dinner services and ornaments, it is exported worldwide and I was keen to see how it is made. The factory tour gave a brief insight into the skills of making pottery along with those who decorate vases and ornaments with intricate flowers and paintwork. It should not be forgotten that despite modern technology, the art of handmade pottery is still alive and well in this corner of Ireland and has a flourishing export market, which still employs many local residents. One who I spoke to had worked at the company for over 40 years.

My next port of call was the city of Derry where memories of the recent past are still fresh in the minds of many. I wanted to see the murals painted on many of the walls in the notorious Bogside estate where the Bloody Sunday riots took place in 1972. The Free Derry museum has plenty of information and exhibits, recounting the events from the last few decades. However, the most sobering part of my visit – indeed the whole trip – was walking through the streets which were the scene of the Bloody Sunday riots. There is still plenty of resentment towards the United Kingdom government in the area and a number of monuments listed those who had been “murdered” by the British army.

Aside from any religious problems, the Walled City of Derry has plenty of things to see and do. The wall, constructed in the 17th century to repel invaders, offers good views of the surrounding area and even has a number of accessible points where wheelchair-users can gain access to the top of the wall.

In complete contrast to city life, the coastal town of Portstewart has a National Trust nature reserve near the main beach and visitors are able to access this reserve by driving their cars onto the stretch of sand known as Portstewart Strand. As the area stretches over a couple of miles, it was advisable to visit the beach by car rather than on foot. There were plenty of viewing points to watch the local birdlife and the Barmouth Hide offered the opportunity to see them up close.

The River Bann runs close by with further opportunities to spot a variety of wildlife, including otters and other mammals.

Before following the coastal route, I made a slight detour to visit the famous Bushmills Distillery. It was a good opportunity to see how a fine single malt Irish whisky is made in this corner of the world. Like Belleek pottery, the company employs the majority of its workforce from the local community.

With stunning views of the North Antrim coast, I drove towards Giant’s Causeway, stopping to see how the wonderful rock formations were formed. It is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. Further along the coast I stopped to marvel at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. At 30 metres high, this bridge connects the mainland with Carrick Island, a bird sanctuary just off the coast. Over a quarter of a million people cross the bridge each year.

I spent the evening in the town of Carrickfergus, the site of an historic castle, built during the Norman conquest of the area in the 12th century.

The following day I chose to spend time amongst the Sperrin Mountains. In the forest of Gortin I had close up  views of a number of Sika deer. Despite being originally from East Asia, a number have been bred in the United Kingdom and they were beautiful specimens with their distinctive markings of red coats with white spots.

Driving along the local country roads I could see the peak of Sawel Mountain, the highest in the range at 2,225 feet. As I drove from village to village, I was able to take my time admiring the local scenery in this part of Ireland. I decided to stop for lunch in Draperstown where I had a generous portion of Irish stew. When in Rome as they say.

Continuing this serene journey through the picturesque countryside my next stop was the village of Ballyronan where I was able to relax on the shores of Lough Neagh watching many of the yachts sail across the water.

That evening I arrived in Belfast where I decided to partake of a drink in the Crown Bar, the most famous saloon in the city.  As it was near the end of my wonderful trip to this part of the world, I was able to reflect on many of the fantastic sights and glorious landscapes in this north west corner of the United Kingdom.