Sligo, Derry - Northern Ireland, Giant’s Causeway, Belfast then on to Scotland - Glasgow

We had an early start out of Sligo and we’re on the road with a first stop in Derry. 

We had to laugh at the comment Ally made as we passed  the road workers “Ahhh there they go, all breast feeding their shovels.”

Picture them standing in the side of the road leaning on their shovels.

I didn’t realise Derry was such a big place. And I think that I am going to have to start watching the Derry Girls on my return to NZ.

Our guide Ally got our driver Jurgen to take us through Bogside in Free Derry Corner. Huge murals remember those who were heroes and those who died in the three day riot in 1969 when thousands of Irish catholic national residents  clashed with the Royal Ulster Constabulary and loyalists.

Pulling up outside the Guild Hall, we piled in for the bathrooms, and I had a wee wander along the street and a scone with a great coffee. Then I nipped back and caught up with Lance alongside the Foyle River.

Back on the road our next destination was in Northern Ireland. Crossing into Northern Ireland we were hardly aware of any change apart from the road signs no longer having any Irish, they were now all in English. And shortly we were to hear a stronger accent and most significant to us was the change back into sterling pounds from euro. 

Arriving at the Giant’s Causeway we no longer needed our winter woollies. The sun was shining  when we arrived and it felt like spring was in the air as we made our way down around the cliffs. Fortunately you could catch a bus because it was a fair way down, and worse getting back up.

Forty thousand hexagonal basalt columns stretch out from the beach. They are an incredible site and make perfect stepping stones. Legend has it that the giant named Finn McCool ripped up the basalt in a fit of rage and threw them into the sea.

Our guide Ally has been filling us in as we move through Ireland and into Northern Ireland. 

Before the potato famine the impoverished Irish had been pushed to live in the west where the land was rocky and not good for farming. They brought in seaweed and sand to build more arable fields. They grew potatoes as main crop to feed people. The potato species that was being grown was changed to one that produced more potatoes but alas, they were more susceptible to potato blight which turned the crops to mush. They were starving and the people did not die of hunger they died of dysentery.  Good food was being produced in other parts of country but it was all being sent to England.

We had a great view of the Presbyterian Church from our window.

Belfast City Hall

Arriving in Belfast in the late afternoon left no time to explore. Our hotel was central and we had booked ourselves a special dinner out at Deanes Eipic which is a fine dining Michelin Star restaurant. Our plan played out really well as the restaurant was only a two minute walk from our hotel. 

Our evening was just fabulous. The food was outstanding, all nine courses! And the service was great too. You can read my review by clicking this link. Deanes Eipic. 

We had a slow start in the morning as we were not leaving until 10:30am. Most mornings we had had to have our bags  at the bus by 7 or 7:30 am then breakfast and then on their road. So a slow start was very welcome.

The sun shone as I had a wandered around the area close to our hotel. I didn’t want to wander too far as I was terrified of getting lost and us missing the ferry to Scotland.

Belfast looked like any modern city and was dotted with magnificent buildings. People were on their way to work, grabbing coffee and having a quick ciggy at the bus stop. I noted that most were smoking cigarettes and not vaping.

Back at the hotel we made our way to the port and had a seamless transfer onto the ferry where we jumped off the bus and made our way to a seated area with food and drink. 

The crossing took around two and a half hours and was very smooth, and then we were in Scotland where our first stop was the city of Glasgow.

The drive from the port at Cairnryan to Glasgow was very pretty, especially the village of Alloway where we stopped for a quick look. This is the birthplace of Robbie Burns and was quite lovely.

Continuing on to Glasgow we were all pretty tired, it had been a long day of travel and imagine our disappointment when we entered our hotel room and found it had a double bed, yes not even a queen, and the room was so small that the bed was pushed up against the wall. The whole room was pretty grim and what made it worse was the shower in the morning would not heat up, so I had a lick and a flick with a wet hand towel. A hand towel was used because none of these hotels supply face cloths, fortunately I brought my own travel facecloth with me. Please note the word ‘face’ here and not for use on the ‘nether regions’ hence the employment of a hand towel.

Just before we were leaving I nipped into the loo for a last deposit and couldn’t find the light. A cord was hanging from the ceiling and I thought to myself “typical antiquated hotel room” and pulled the cord. Immediately an alarm rang in our room, I had pulled an alarm cord for if I had a fall or something! Once the light finally went on I noticed that the cord was bright red. 

In the meantime the phone rang and and Lance, who was running around with me trying to find a way to stop it, answered the phone but the cord for the handset came off!  I found a reset button and the alarm stopped and then . . . 

Bang, bang, bang on the door! It was the manager to make sure we were okay. How embarrassing.

Oh well, onwards and upwards. Hopefully a better room at the next stop.