Blogs from Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

Unser Urlaubsplan für dieses Jahr: Irland, genauer gesagt: Die gesamte Insel einschließlich Nordirland. Wir starten in Portrush, einem kleinen trubeligen Städtchen auf einer Landzunge ganz im Norden. Wir werden von unerwartet schönem Wetter empfangen und beziehen ein älteres, aber nettes B&B, mit tollem Blick aus dem Fenster direkt auf eine Meeresbucht und den Hafen. Wegen des guten Wetters starten wir mit einer Wandertour: 14 km immer an der wunderschönen Küste entlang, vorbei an Schafen und Kühen, über Strände und Klippen, über Wiesen, Zäune und Stiles, links der Blick ins Grüne, rechts der Blick auf das Meer, und dazwischen Felsen und Buchten. Am Ende der Tour wartet das erste touristische Highlight: der Giant's Causeway. Das Ganze ist eine eigentümliche Formation von 37.000 sechseckigen Basaltsäulen, die beim sehr gleichmäßigen Abkühlen von Lava entstehen. Das ist schon sehr se ... read more

Paying just 9 Pounds for a Rambler ticket gets you unlimited hop-on, hop-off service on all Ulsterbus, Goldline and Metro services along the North coast in Northern Ireland. The bus stop is right outside our door here so with just a few overnight things in our daypacks we were off to tour the north coast. It was a beautiful scenic tour along the North Channel as we passed through Glenariff, Cushendall, Cushendun, Maghercashel, Ballyvoy, Ballycastle and got let off at the entrance to Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge next to the town of Ballintoy. For 5.90 Pounds each, you get access to the pathway and steep stairway along the cliffside down to the rope bridge across to Carrick Island. It's a very popular tourist attraction and the view... read more

It was time to flee the larger city of Belfast and begin in earnest to immerse ourselves in what we picture (and perhaps most people as well) as one of the true experience of these two nations, coastal driving. It is after all an island, the third largest in Europe, and 20th largest in the world. Okay, enough geography. We jumped in the “Jukemobile” (we rented a gray Nissan Juke) and navigated our way out of Belfast in search of the coast. We are always drawn to the coast. It is almost as if we don’t get near water, we are just not as happy as we can be. And we want to be happy! Mr. Weather (Dave) has been providing updates on the likelihood of our changing weather twice a day for the past few ... read more

Geo: 55.1991, -6.65407If it's not one thing, it's another. Lovely quiet hotel, comfy bed ... and a light on the ceiling right inside the door that stayed on all night long. I asked Katherine this morning if there's one in their room. She said there is, and that she figured out there's a dimmer switch by the door. I found the dimmer switch too, but even at the lowest position, the light is bright enough to read by. Am once again missing the eyeshades British Airways used to give out.Today was a lot less mentally taxing than yesterday, but far more physically demanding. We climbed a lot of stairs and quite a few hills, but at least we got free whiskey out of it!Declan started out telling us the story of the Giant's Causeway, our first ... read more

I was the one that put the Giants Causeway on our itinerary. I had seen numerous pictures of it and just had to get there. I didn't care that it was way out of our way and it was going to mean exchanging more money. I just had to go and see it. And I am so glad that I did. Riding the train from Dublin to Northern Ireland is one beautiful train ride. 2 hours to Belfast, a couple train changes and then another hour or so to the end of the line, Portrush. The closer you get to Portrush, the more the train runs right next to the sea. Between the sea, Giants Causeway, and Bushmillls Portrush is a really great place to stay. There are restaurants, pubs, bars, and enough people that you ... read more