UK Road Trip Week 7 - Classic Ireland - Belfast to Dublin
- Ash Collins
- Jan 17, 2023
- 9 min read
With a tinge of sadness, we departed the Land of St. Patrick, the buzzing city of Belfast en route to our next destination, (London) Derry. This section of our road trip promised to be one of the more spectacular stretches of scenery we would witness thus far. The drive along the Causeway Coast takes in dramatic coastal cliffs, unspoiled beaches and bays and romantic glens.
Our first stop along the way was situated just outside Belfast at Carrickfergus in County Antrim. Dominating the the waterfront is the striking and well preserved Norman edifice built in the 12th century in defence and protection of Carrickfergus. The castle ramparts provided excellent vantage points for views of the local harbour and marina across the Belfast Lough.
With time running out and not wanting to incur the wrath of the local parking inspector, we made haste back to The 3 to proceed further Norf along the A2 towards Glenarm. The village sits on the Glenarm River which is fed by gushing streams running down from the glen. Our principle interest here was a short walk through the village to the resident tea house whereby we could sample some of the local fare and more importantly, empty our near to bursting waste disposal units.
With mission accomplished, Nav set our course for one of the world's most spectacular geological phenomenons, The Giants Causeway. Consisting of approximately 40,000 polygonal basalt columns (yes we counted them all 🤪) that jut out into the sea, this remarkable natural creation formed some 60 million years ago from volcanic activity. Local legend however tells of an infinitely more interesting story! The Irish giant, Finn McCool (no relation to Cool) who was fighting his opposite Scottish number and giant Benandonner, created a pathway of stepping stones from Ireland to Scotland such that he could walk across the sea to confront his arch rival. Unfortunately Finn was not available for comment on the day of our visit as he was at the orthodontist having a fitting for some new dentures.
Pushing along we climbed back into the 3 along the B146 coastal road to Dunluce Castle. Sitting precariously on the clifftop, this dramatic romantic ruin built in the 16th century offers breathtaking views down to the water crashing onto rocks far below.
Being only a quick step ahead of a convoy of tourists buses, we sped out the castle car park and back onto the B146 and back onto the A2 heading towards the popular seaside tourist and family holiday destinations of Portrush and Portstewart. Both towns offer plenty of activities for family entertainment with their respective promenades littered with fast food, fast women, fast cars and annoying children which was the primary reason for our driving past both locations as fast as the 3 and local Garda would allow.
With these coastal tourism honeypots firmly in the rear vision mirror, we set our sights for Derry (Londonderry) where would drop anchor for a couple of nights. The now largely commercial city of Derry lies along the banks of the River Foyle with the inner city area surrounded by the historic city walls that date back to the early 17th century. 'The Troubles' had a huge impact on the city of Derry and like Belfast, the city's powerful murals represent the turbulent history, feelings and attitudes of both sides of the inhabitant communities. With a thirst of a thousand camels that required quenching, we headed on foot into the town centre in search of a suitable hostelry. Spoilt for choice, we opted for the Gweedore Bar to satisfy our quest for an alcoholic beverage(s). We had a marvellous evening in the Gwee meeting and chatting with a number of locals, one of which introduced us to the Irish Car Bomb...made by dropping a bomb shot of Irish cream and Irish whiskey into a glass of Irish stout. By virtue of its name and location, this was not a drink I felt comfortable ordering.
On a dreary Sunday morning, nav and I along with some other interested parties, embarked upon a walking tour of Derry around the perimeter of the city walls. Guided by our trusty docent Pat (of course), we strolled around the walls as he regaled us with historical commentary as we went from landmark to landmark. With our 90 minute tour complete and the rain fast approaching, we took the opportunity of getting a closer look at many of the murals we had seen from a distance whilst on the city walls. Like Belfast, the street art was exceptional, providing an insight into a sectarian lifestyle that was difficult for these two Aussies to imagine.
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, we were both privileged and somewhat tense to be in Derry for the Proclamation of King Charles III announcement at the Guildhall. Given the longevity of his mother's reign, this historic moment was for many a once in a lifetime event. As a precursor to the main event, Nav and I sought refuge from the weather in a local pub to hoover down what would turn out to be a very disappointing Sundee roast lunch. Despite our culinary dissatisfaction, we ventured out into the inclement weather in search of a dryish location in preparation for the 3pm hear ye public announcement. Located in the heart of the city, the Guildhall is one of Derry’s most recognisable landmarks. The setting in the city square was one of histrionics coupled with a feeling of tension and uncertainty. The sheer number of local Garda was evidence of what might be a the large sectarian crowd assembled. Fortunately the Proclamation ceremony went without a hitch with only a brief interruption from a small group of teenagers hell bent on stirring the pot. If only the town cryer used an effin' megaphone such that they could be heard above the sea of umbrellas!!!
Our historically significant time in Derry was soon to be past tense as we ventured South West to dramatic Donegal in passage to Galway. Unfortunately time was against us so Donegal or "Fort of the Foreigners" was our breakfast stop today only. Once again the kindness and generosity of the Irish people shined through with an elderly gentlemen putting his own money into our parking meter as we had run out of coins. A short walk ensued after breakfast and then it was back to the fabulous 3 as we journeyed South towards Galway. On the way we passed a sign post to Drumcliff in County Sligo marking the burial place of William Butler Yeats who is buried in the graveyard of St. Columba's Church of Ireland.
A note to self when travelling through Ireland when using a native SIM Card from the UK...they don't work in the Republic! As soon as you cross the border from North to South you have no connectivity which a little distressing when you lose access to Google Maps and general directions. Luckily Nav was able to draw upon her Jedi powers to use the force + sign posts to get us safely into downtown Galway and eventually to the Maldron Hotel. Of course our friends from Three were able to provide me with a compliant SIM for a lazy 15 quid such that we could re-connect with the ether.
Galway is nestled into the West Coast on the Wild Atlantic Way. Yeats coined the phrase "a terrible beauty" when describing the whole of Ireland however it was more likely he was referring to the "water and the wilds" of Connemara. The landscape is harsh and unforgiving in this neck of the woods with blanket bogs, lakes n' mountains that occupy the indented coastline. One of the fastest growing cities in Europe, the maritime city of Galway has retained its village-like feel and is a cultural hub of the West country.
Our first full day in Galway would provide respite to us all as we opted for a full day guided tour of the Connemara region. The 8 hour tour would take through the heart of the Connemara region visiting / seeing the charming mountain village of Leenane, taking in the views of Ireland's only fjord at Killary, visiting Kylemore Abbey and its elegant gardens then continuing along the coast to the Gaelic-speaking village of An Spideal to take a stroll amongst the many traditional thatched roof homes and the beautiful beaches. Though not behind the wheel, the packed itinerary was tiring but very rewarding as we passed through some of the west country's most scenic landscape.
Further on up the road along the N67 lies the largest town in County Clare, Ennis. This medieval village with its painted shopfronts straddles the River Fergus. One of the main attractions is Ennis Friary located on none other than Abbey Street. The ruins of this 14th century Franciscan Friary are noted for their rich carvings and decorative tombs throughout the Friary grounds.
From Ennis it was onward to Limerick. An unappealing city with a serious parking shortage. Having lost patience I decided to get the hell outta there and proceed on to our final destination, Dingle. The drive to the Dingle Peninsula takes you through an ancient landscape dotted with remnants of early Christian churches, monastic settlements and Neolithic structures. The village has also developed a reputation as a go to location for foodies with its famed seafood offerings caught fresh daily.
We arrived at Hill Grove Guesthouse, relieved 3 of our luggage, threw them into our room and walked down town to Dingle pub for a knees up- copious beers, G&Ts, live Irish music and dinner (Irish stew and beef & Guinness pie) followed as did the chin-wagging with a couple of Canadians and New Yorkers until our Duracells ran dry. As luck would have it, our legs acted as alternators, powering up for a second craic. Fortune does favour the brave, our hotel also had a bar, a bizarre bar it was indeed. We strutted into the hotel with the confidence of the dynamic duo...but where's the bloody bar? With my best impersonation of Oddjob, I bellowed an "Ah Ha!!" signalling Nav to give up her quest and search. As we entered the bar, we stopped, looked at each other and guffawed loudly - and here's why. We had entered a 70's disco time warp, the likes of which I hadn't seen since my intro to the Bee Gees.
Following a hearty night after breakfast, we climbed gingerly into the 3 and snuck out of Dingle without having a bingle as Nav plotted directions for Killarney via Kenmare through beautiful County Kerry. Unfortunately the all too common road close sign greeted us as we attempted to reach Kenmare. A detour ensued as we back-tracked to find a road out towards Killarney. Fortunately all was not lost (and neither were we) as we found our way onto the majestic Ring of Kerry via Moll's Gap and Ladies View. The sheer abundance of natural beauty punctuated by the dramatic landscape of coves, cliffs, bays and rugged countryside was a sight to behold. Unfortunately camera equipment troubles prevented me from obtaining any quality images from the region...we shall return.
With tail tucked firmly between my legs, we set a course directly for the Clayton Hotel in Cork. A compact city, Cork is loaded with plenty of historic sights coupled with a lively atmosphere. As is our custom on this road trip, we got our luggage up to the room and then headed out on foot to explore the surrounds. We crossed the River Lee into the Huguenot Quarter and up to Saint Anne's Cathedral. With all these hills and marching until we were bloody well foot sore, I invoked another custom of ours...to find a quiet corner in a pub and sip on a Guinness. Succeed we did...Stevie Wonder would have no trouble finding in boozer in this city.
The following day we jumped in the hatchback and headed off to collect yet another must do scalp, Blarney Castle. A short drive from Cork, we managed to time our arrival with a fleet of tourists buses. The passenger unloading reminded me of scenes from D-Day as the peeps with a determined look marched towards the embarkation point or in this case, the ticket office. Nav and I managed to overtake quite a few of the tourists, many of which were quite possibly D-Day veterans. Unfortunately there were a good many of the fitter and more experienced travellers that beat us into the queue for Blarney Castle. 'Twas a good 45 minutes before we meandered our way up the spiral staircase to the top for our opportunity to romance the stone. With our tongues wrapped glad wrap, we assumed the position on our back, feet held into position by a strange man, and down we went for a pash 🫦. The entire process took about 60 seconds...well worth it though albeit rinsing with dettol is not advised unless of course you take a leaf from 45's book of medicinal favourites.
Our final day of week 7 would see us travelling through the Killarney National Park, through Waterford and on to our final destination, Dublin. Killarney National Park is set amongst surrounding mountains encompassing three lakes and some of the finest views Ireland has to offer. Whilst in the park we pulled into the Torc Waterfall car park. The brisk walk up the goat track was well worth the investment in time as you were presented with this impressive feature.
Exiting the park, we opted for the N25 to make up some time as we headed to Viking country and Waterford. Founded by vikings in the 10th century, Waterford, set on Ireland's east coast, hosts the country's main port along with countless museums dedicated to its rich Nordic history.
After a lunch that was circa Viking era rations, we moved on from Ireland's Nordic capital with our course set for Dublin's fair city. And that concludes an action packed week 7 of our stupendous road trip.
Stay tuned for week 8 as we explore Dublin's cobbled streets, fine museums, majestic cathedrals and beautiful university campus buildings before boarding the ferry back to Wales where Nav, the 3 and I continue the final two weeks of our UK road trip.
Cheers 🍻 and safe travels 🚦
Ash n' Trace...
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