See the World Differently
In darkness, we crunched along a gravel path, following the torchlight from our host, Tim, who led the way. As we boarded the ferry, we realised any concerns of missing the boat had been unfounded. It turned out that Tim was our captain. He hopped into the cab and began to manoeuvre the 18-ton hulk […]
We stood on the saddle between Northern Ireland’s two highest peaks in blazing sunshine. Looking back down the valley, we could see the seaside town of Newcastle, where our car was parked. The edge of the Mourne Mountains rose in sharp contrast with the perfectly flat patchwork of fields that filled our view all the […]
It was bitterly cold as we marched through the harshly-lit tunnel. Water dripped on us from above as we left the comparable comfort of Crumlin Road Gaol behind us. The brickwork gave way to concrete as we passed beneath the road, narrowing the tunnel and squeezing us closer together. The concrete was added to reinforce […]
A small pair of cannons sit on the front steps at Florence Court. The owner won them in a drunken bet and carefully positioned them to point at their previous home, Castle Coole. This was a deliberate insult to Earl Belmore, reminding him of the treasures he had lost every time he visited. Florence Court […]
Leaving the verdant forest and the warm rain behind, we descended into the cool darkness of the Marble Arch Caves. We followed in the footsteps of Martel and Jameson, the first to explore the cave in the 1800s. They confidently ignored the superstitious locals’ warnings about the devils and demons that dwelled within and were […]
“Um, what? Where?” was my response the first time I heard about Tayto Castle. Despite being one of the UK’s largest crisp manufacturers, I’d never even heard of Tayto, let alone their castle. I was assured this was a highlight of Northern Ireland, right up there with the Giant’s Causeway. It was only when we […]