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| kitty kat |
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kitty kat
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| Fawbish |
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Fawbish
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 Posted: 12:02 - 28 Jan 2008  Post subject: |
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Hi
I have heard from some good sources (ie, a few of my and me dads mates - and a recent magazine...erm, cant remember which one, i'll find it if I can) that for views and good roads etc, the east coast (Larne etc) to the north (ballycastle/portrush) is fantastic, and ballymoney is a gorgeous/ace riding area 
The Dunlop brothers learnt their trade there I believe 
Also, theres a pub around ballymoney that is a must visit, apparently, dedicated to Joey Dunlop, I think? Or it might be dedicated to both.
Might not be exactly what you wanted, what with a 15 year old daughter, but just thought I'd mention what I know. Hope it helps
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| Rossmac |
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Rossmac
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| Posted: 12:40 - 30 Jan 2008 Post subject: |
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You'll definately find a lot of B+B's up around Portrush. Personally as soon as you get into Larne, you'll want to get straight back out. It's a dive.
I live in Carrickfergus, which is just down the coast from Larne (going to Belfast direction). I find it a great place to live as I am in within distance of everything. No idea what you'd do with your 15 year old, I know when I was that age all I wanted to do was play golf...
I'm sure if you are over, a ride up the Antrim coast wouldn't go a miss  |
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| kawakid |
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kawakid
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| Posted: 00:07 - 03 Feb 2008 Post subject: |
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Whats the deal with UK plates though.. Heard of UK cars, being vandalised etc.
Years ago as a student in the South, when we got to the border , we had to get on to a different bus, with NI plates , just not to attract attention.
Saying that times have changed and i've not been there since 94, when my mate was arrested for photographing the police.....
It was sooo dodgy, went all around Belfast, Shankill Road, Falls etc.
It was a bit weird, I had an english accent so okay in loyalist areas, but I also lived in Cork at the time and had irish id, so I was okay in the republican areas.
I remember lighting a fag in a pub in the Shankills from a box of matches with the irish tricolor on it. Not a great idea.
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| -Savage- |
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-Savage-
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| Posted: 04:17 - 03 Feb 2008 Post subject: |
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N.Ireland is a great place. Theres lots to do and see, but perhaps not to the amusment of a 15 year old. Giants causeway, bushmills distillery, belfast, the glens of antrim, mount slemish(st patrick), portrush is okish, but basically everywhere you are is the scenery. there isnt a bad view in the north unless in a city. and even then we have some very historic buildings. theres plenty of amusment arcades and stuff, but mostly irelands about the scenery and social life. some great costal roads for the bikes though. some great picnic areas too. great walks, forests, and people.
also, if you want il be in belfast area on placment in musgrave hospital at that time and would be more than happy to show you around lol.
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| Dave McCool |
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Dave McCool
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Posted: 07:06 - 19 Feb 2008  Post subject: |
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| Fawbish wrote: | Also, theres a pub around ballymoney that is a must visit, apparently, dedicated to Joey Dunlop, I think? Or it might be dedicated to both. |
Joey's Bar, it's fairly close to his memorial, but it's been a couple of years since I've been there. It was his bar before he died, and now it's run by his family I believe, I was served by one of his sons. There's a couple of his race bikes hanging from the ceiling too, an SP1 and an RC45 if memory serves, I sat right under the SP1, was a strange experience, but not unpleasant.
Even the local leisure centre's named after him!
It was only after he died that anyone decided to mention to me that while I'd been visiting my auntie in Ballymoney since I was a wee kid, that her house was less than a mile from his house, I must have been past it in the car hundreds of times, I'm told he even said hello to me once when I was a toddler in the town. Apparently they assumed I'd realised.
Anyway, as for the rest, the North Antrim coast is superb, I would personally recommend a beach called White Rocks, stunningly beautiful. I also like the beaches around Portballintrae, where I know there's a couple of fairly cosy hotels too. Well worth a stay. If it was me I'd just tour the coast, but then I just love the sea. I think you can still take your car onto PortStewart (sp?) Strand (which is where Joey Dunlop and his brother learned how to fall of motorcyles properly by standing on the bonnet of their car, and having the driver apply the brakes...) which is something I'd take advantage of if I were you, before the National Trust arrives and finds some species of toad which is adverse to diesel engines or something ridiculous, and ruins everyone's fun. It's only a matter of time.
If you're planning on swimming in the sea (do it, it's amazing, I went bodyboarding off the strand in January a few years back) get yourself a wet suit, but pay attention to the warning flags. Very dangerous coastline, undercurrents are notoriously viscious, and I wouldn't attemt it if your're not both strong, confident swimmers. If you are, game on, you'll enjoy it once you get over the fact you can't remember what your feet used to feel like....
As for the whole being English thing, I've never had any issue over there, but I've always been with family, and I've been told that I pick up the accent within a couple of hours of being there anyway. People do always seem a bit surprised when I tell them where I'm from...
Also the murals of balaclava'd fighters with sub-machine guns on the end of terraced houses are worth a look. Very intimidating, but interesting for that very reason. Can't really help you with location, but they seem reasonably well spread out. Depending on how interested in history and how mature she is, it might also be worth having a wee look at some of the places affected by the troubles. Last time I was there, Omagh was still in a bit of a bad way, and another town, the name of which escapes me, has been in disrepair for as long as I can remember. 'Tis a bit of a chilling reminder of how bad things were.
Generally, the people are as friendly as can be, if you're walking along, and you pass someone, whereas over here you avoid eye contact at all costs, over there generally you'd offer a polite greeting. Note, avoid "top of the morning to you." Try to get chatting to the locals; some of their turns of phrase are nothing short of genius, almost worth the trip on their own.
The Giant's Causeway is cool, but certainly not a whole day's amusement, except, possibly, for the easily amused. I recommend taking the walk down there from the gift shop, the views are good, but grab the bus back up, because that hill is hardcore, and the views don't really justify it in that direction.
If you're feeling more adventurous there's the Carrick a Rede ropebridge. I always remember seeing photos of my dad (as a young man  ) crossing this to go and do some bidwatching. Him and his mate would have been the only people over there the whole day back then, and I'd always fancied it. I finally did it last year, but to my dismay the National Trust seem to have got their greedy little mitts on it. Which means paying for entry, and for car parking (a good 20 minute walk away). Predictably, most of the island the other side is now roped off, leaving a narrow corridor for you to shuffle along. The bridge is officiated by an arrogant, long haired health and safety officer in sandals and a pacamac, who ensures that no more than about 5 people are on it at one time, which makes the whole shaking the bridge and making everyone else shit themselves trick much less satisfying, and the bridge itself isn't really a ropebridge in the traditional sense any more, just a slightly wobbly normal bridge. Very little risk, quite dull to be honest, although bonus points if you walk across without touching the handrails. I enjoyed it, but it would have been much better if it was less commercial. God I hate the National Trust.
Right, that post was a bit epic, can't think of anything else right now, although I surely will at some point. Watch this space.
Dave McCool, fan of Northern Ireland.
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