Avoiding the plane this summer and planning a staycation? Northern Ireland a few things to offer on our doorstep…
Pretend you’re in Game of Thrones
Even if you haven’t watched the show, taking a tour affords you the chance to bask in our beautiful countryside that attracted HBO. Explore the major filming locations such as Winterfell castle (where Melisandre gives birth to a dark spirit), the Iron Island’s beach and Renly’s Camp in the Stormlands. Expect to indulge a post-trip GoT binge. www.gameofthronestours.com or gianttoursireland.com
Shopping in Belfast city centre is great, but experience the history and present of the city in St George’s Market, a bustling and thriving collection of stalls. The last-surviving Victorian market in Belfast, it is a pleasing assault on the senses – pick up the freshest fish for your dinner, opt for locally-made cakes (paris bun, anyone?) or scroll through the vintage prints and jewellery while chatting with stall owners, many of whom have been there for decades. You won’t leave empty handed. www.visitbelfast.com
Walk the walls
The only remaining city walls in Ireland, these 17th century enclosures provides visitors with an impressive view of the original town’s layout. They’re also home to Europe’s largest collection of cannon, restored in 2005 to the former glory. Visitors (and history lovers) can walk around the top of the ramparts, which provides an overview of how the city has developed. www.visitderry.com
Get off grid
With a population of less than 200, Rathlin is our only inhabited offshore island. Offering tranquility and a chance to catch your breath (well, it’s been a year, hasn’t it?), the island is only six miles long but has select accommodation, food services and a shop. There are several walking routes that showcase the island’s scenery and allowing vistors to see the flora and fauna up close. The ferry from Ballycastle takes about 40 minutes and you might be fortunate enough to visit during puffin season. www.rathlincommunity.org
Murlough Bay - Andrew Magowan from The Inside Trek with Fair Head and Rathlin beyond
All aboard
It’s spawned countless films – including a Hollywood blockbuster – but be a tourist by arranging a trip to Titanic Belfast. Work at your own pace on the self guided tours as you move through the galleries and exhibits, looking at the recreated rooms, and learning about the people who built it and those who travelled aboard it. The interactivity is great for little ‘uns and you’re left with no doubt as to why it’s been selected as one of the world’s best attraction. Titanicbelfast.com
Be fortified
Castles – we love them. From Carrickfergus Castle, standing proudly for over 800 years, to Dunluce Castle, a now-ruined medieval fortification on the north coast, walk through history and wonder at the action and events that this wee place has seen over the last millennium. Discovernorthernireland.com
Discover whether you’ve vertigo(!)
Not for the faint hearted, but Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (currently closed) is a must-do, if you’re brave enough. The first rope bridge was constructed in 1755 between the mainland and Carrick-a-Rede Island to reduce reliance on a boat to reach the island – and to help salmon fishers. When it’s open and you’ve psyched yourself up, take a deep breath and embrace this exhilarating, 100m high, experience. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
A lock in
Undertake the Crumlin Road Gaol experience and learn the history of the location – dating to 1845 and closing in 1996. Feel the chill as you walk the corridors and try not to flinch when in the underground passageway – which formerly connected the prison to the courthouse – as cars fly over your head. www.crumlineroadgaol.com
Hat trick
Walk in the footsteps on one of football’s greatest. Visit George Best’s East Belfast, as close to how he experienced it, and see the places that formed part of his life – from school to playing fields, even his local chippy. Books more your thing? Honour one of Belfast’s greatest literary exports, C S Lewis, with a dedicated trail, which will allow you access to the places that proved inspirational for the writer. CS Lewis Square is a great example of public life within the city. www.visitbelfast.com
Get outdoors
Fancy some air? Enjoy a walk up Divis and Black Mountain trails. On a clear day, you can see the Scottish, Welsh and Cumbrian uplands – and make sure to keep an eye out for skylarks and peregrine falcons, as well as unbeatable views of the city’s skyline of course. It’s a challenging route, but experienced walkers will love the Cave Hill Trail. It’ll take you past McArt’s Fort and across moorland, meadows and heath. Those expecting a panoramic view will not be disappointed. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Feet first
You have to visit the place known as Ireland’s Stairway to Heaven, the Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail (car park booking imperative). Located outside Enniskillen, traverse over tracks and boardwalk to the piece de resistance – a staircase with a viewpoint quite unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Breathtaking is a word that should be used; the views are spectacular. www.theboardwalk.ie
Before Game of Thrones, there was the Giant’s Causeway, a unique rock formation formed nearly sixty million years ago along the coastline. Make sure you take a picture sitting in the Wishing Chair, a natural throne formed from a set of columns – it had been only previously open to ladies. Once you’ve racked up your step count – and go easy, the stones can be slippery – head to the award-winning Visitor Centre to pick up the perfect souvenir. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Book it
While currently closed – though you can browse the virtual exhibitions – when the Armagh Robinson Library opens, put it on your list. A first edition of Gulliver’s Travels, published in 1726 and annotated by Swift himself, is its most prized possession while the oldest manuscripts and theological works housed there date from the 1480s. The collections spill over into the octagonal rooms of 5 Vicar’s Hill where you can look at ancient coins and early Christian artefacts. Armaghrobinsonlibrary.co.uk
Animal antics
It’s the mainstay of primary school outings and birthday parties, so it’s no wonder Belfast Zoo, home to over 120 species, remains a pivotal place to visit in the area. Free tours via app or QR code are available, meaning you can take it all in at your own pace. Make sure to wear suitable clothing and footwear – some of the paths are on steep slopes. www.belfastzoo.co.uk
The Armagh Planetarium and Observatory is the perfect place for anyone whose head and interests are firmly in the clouds. Founded in 1789 by Archbishop Robinson, the observatory is closed to the public, but the grounds – open during daylight hours – contain sundials plus a scale model of the solar system. A path leads to the Planetarium, an interactive location explaining space exploration. A viewing of a show on its domed ceiling is something to savour, though booking, once open, is essential. www.armaghplanet.co.uk
ABTA question
We're looking for travel inspiration, where are the hottest travel destinations that you have been contacted about?
Travel is finally starting to open up again and initially you’ll be able to travel a small number of destinations without the need to quarantine on return and this list is bound to grow and ABTA Members have told me that many customers are booking once in a lifetime bucket list trips after a months of being locked at home. If you’re looking for somewhere a little different try Costa Rica in Central America, incredibly unspoilt rain forests teaming with wildlife, great beaches and really friendly people. Japan always gets raved reviews from customers, an amazing blend of the ancient and modern and Namibia in Southern African has truly draw dropping landscapes. My two personal tips are Argentina, best steaks in the world, great cities and incredibly diverse countryside and closer to home the island of Sicily a place you’ll want to come back to time and again and only 2.5 hours away.
